Category Archives: alcoholism and addiction

Alcohol and work

Compulsive drinking problems and denial

December 26, 2016
Compulsive drinking problems

Compulsive drinking problems and denial must be terminated if we want to deal with this problem meaningfully

Compulsive drinking problems and denial: Alcohol dependence

Are you at the verge of becoming an alcoholic? I may not have the facts about you, but one fact is common with people who are into alcohol and drugs. I am talking about denial which is one of the biggest obstacles to getting help for all the compulsive drinking problems (alcohol abuse and alcoholism). The desire to drink is so strong that the mind finds many ways to rationalize drinking, even when the consequences are obvious. By keeping you from looking honestly at your behavior and its negative effects, denial also exacerbates alcohol-related problems with work, finances, and relationships.

Compulsive drinking problems and denial: If you have a drinking problem, you may deny it by

  • Drastically underestimating how much you drink
  • Downplaying the negative consequences of your drinking
  • Complaining that family and friends are exaggerating the problem
  • Blaming your drinking or drinking-related problems on others

Take, for example, you may want to blame your ‘unfair boss’ for trouble at work or a ‘nagging wife’ for your marital issues, rather than look at how your drinking is contributing to the problem. And even though activities involving work, relationship, and financial stresses can happen to everyone, experts at AWAREmed health center reiterates that, an overall pattern of deterioration and blaming others may be a sign of trouble. Therefore if you find yourself rationalizing your, drinking habits, lying about them, or refusing to discuss the subject, take a moment to consider why you’re so defensive. If you truly believe you don’t have a problem, there should be no reason for you to cover up your drinking or make excuses. And if you are persuaded that something is not right, immediate action needs to be taken. You may now want to consider scheduling for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury today for the commencement of your treatment and recovery process. In the meantime, the following are additional signs and symptoms of compulsive drinking problems to help you make informed decisions.

Compulsive drinking problems and denial: Other signs and symptoms of alcoholism (alcohol dependence)

You’ve lost control over your drinking. You often drink more alcohol than you wanted to, for longer than you intended, or despite telling yourself you wouldn’t.

You want to quit drinking, but you can’t. You have a persistent desire to cut down or stop your alcohol use, but your efforts to quit have been unsuccessful.

You have given up other activities because of alcohol. You’re spending less time on activities that used to be important to you (hanging out with family and friends, going to the gym, pursuing your hobbies) because of your alcohol use.

Alcohol takes up a great deal of your energy and focus. You spend a lot of time drinking, thinking about it, or recovering from its effects. You have few if any interests or social involvements that don’t revolve around drinking.

You drink even though you know it’s causing problems. For example, you recognize that your alcohol use is damaging your marriage, making your depression worse, or causing health problems, but you continue to drink anyway.

Compulsive drinking problems and denial: Alcohol dependence http://www.integrativeaddictionconference.com/wp-admin

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Treatment systems tailored for dual diagnosis

December 20, 2016
Treatment systems

Treatment systems tailored for dual diagnosis can be effective when timely treatment solution is sought

Treatment systems tailored for dual diagnosis: Mental health treatment solutions

People with dual disorders who want to engage in the treatment systems tailored towards addressing the real problem often have serious challenges and so quite frequently encounter several treatment systems with each having its own strengths and weaknesses. These treatment systems have different clinical approaches.

Treatment systems tailored for dual diagnosis: The mental health system

Actually, there is no single mental health system, although most States have a set of public mental health centers. Rather, mental health services are provided by a variety of mental health professionals including psychiatrists; psychologists; clinical social workers; clinical nurse specialists; other therapists and counselors including marriage, family, and child counselors (MFCCs); and paraprofessionals.

These mental health personnel work in a variety of settings, using a variety of theories about the treatment of specific psychiatric disorders. Different types of mental health professionals for example, social workers and MFCCs have differing perspectives; moreover, practitioners within a given group often use different approaches.

A major strength of the mental health system is the comprehensive array of services offered, including counseling, case management, partial hospitalization, inpatient treatment, vocational rehabilitation, and a variety of residential programs. The mental health system has a relatively large variety of treatment settings. These settings are designed to provide treatment services for patients with acute, sub-acute, and long-term symptoms.

  • Acute services are provided by personnel in emergency rooms and hospital units of several types and by crisis-line personnel, outreach teams, and mental health law commitment specialists.
  • Sub-acute services are provided by hospitals, day treatment programs, mental health center programs, and several types of individual practitioners.
  • Long-term settings include mental health centers, residential units, and practitioners’ offices.
  • Clinicians vary with regard to academic degrees, styles, expertise, and training.
  • Strength of the mental health system is the growing recognition at all system levels of the role of case management as a means to individualize and coordinate services and secures entitlements.

Medication is more often used in psychiatric treatment than in addiction treatment, especially for severe disorders. Medications used to treat psychiatric symptoms include psychoactive and non-psychoactive medications. Psychoactive medications cause an acute change in mood, thinking, or behavior, such as sedation, stimulation, or euphoria.

Psychoactive medications (such as benzodiazepines) prescribed to the average patient with psychiatric problems are generally taken in an appropriate fashion and pose little or no risk of abuse or addiction. In contrast, the use of psychoactive medications by patients with a personal or family history of alcohol and other drugs (AOD) use disorder is associated with a high risk of abuse or addiction.

Some medications used in psychiatry that have mild psychoactive effects (such as some tricyclic antidepressants with mild sedative effects) appear to be misused more by patients with an AOD disorder than by others. Thus, a potential pitfall is prescribing psychoactive medications to a patient with psychiatric problems without first determining whether the individual also has an AOD use disorder.

While most clinicians in the mental health system generally have expertise in a bio-psychosocial approach to the identification, diagnosis, and treatment of psychiatric disorders, some lack similar skills and knowledge about the specific drugs of abuse, the bio-psychosocial processes of abuse and addiction, and AOD treatment, recovery, and relapse. Similarly, AOD treatment professionals may have a thorough understanding of AOD abuse treatment but not psychiatric treatment. That is why doctor Dalal Akoury made a decision to create a medical center (AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center) whose main objective is to transform each individual’s life through increasing awareness about health and wellness and by empowering individuals to find their own inner healing power. Dr. Akoury’s practice focuses on personalized medicine through healthy lifestyle choices that deal with primary prevention and underlying causes instead of patching up symptoms. You can call her on telephone number 843 213 1480 for the completeness of your treatment.

Treatment systems tailored for dual diagnosis: Mental health treatment solutions

http://www.awaremednetwork.com/

 

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alcoholism

Severe symptoms of alcoholism

December 17, 2016
Severe symptoms

Severe symptoms of alcoholism and other substance abuse that ruins people’s lives

Severe symptoms of alcoholism: Specific alcoholism treatment for quick recovery

Alcoholism and drug addiction are now an international problem. So many organizations and medical professionals are working round the clock with one objective of eliminating all the severe symptoms of alcoholism and other substances. AA’s 12-step approach to recovery includes a spiritual component that might deter people who lack religious convictions. AA emphasizes that the “higher power” component of its program need not refer to any specific belief system. Associated membership programs also offer help for family members and friends of alcoholics. Having established AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center for the same purpose of eliminating addiction. Doctor Dalal Akoury is in agreement that the application of AA’s 12 steps provides relevant support network involving group meetings periodically across the world. The following are the magic steps according to AA.

Severe symptoms of alcoholism: The 12 steps of alcoholics anonymous

  • We admit we were powerless over alcohol — that our lives have become unmanageable.
  • We have come to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
  • We have made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God, as we understand what this Power is.
  • We have made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
  • We have admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
  • We are entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
  • We have humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings.
  • We have made a list of all persons we had harmed and have become willing to make amends to them all.
  • We have made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
  • We have continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
  • We have sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understand what this higher Power is, praying only for knowledge of God’s will for us and the power to carry that out.
  • Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we have tried to carry this message to alcoholics and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

This method is based on structured skills and be suitable for people with severe alcoholism. Under this method patients are given assignments meant to help them advance their willpower to cope with basic living situations including controlling their behaviors and changing their way of thinking about drinking. These can be done in the following approaches:

  • Patients will be encouraged to write a brief history of their drinking experiences and illustrate what they consider to be risky situations.
  • They are then assigned activities to help them cope when exposed to “cues” (places or circumstances that trigger their desire to drink).
  • Patients may also be given tasks that are designed to replace drinking. An interesting and successful example of such a program was one that enlisted patients in a softball team. This gave them the opportunity to practice coping skills, develop supportive relationships, and engage in healthy alternative activities.

CBT may be especially effective when used in combination with opioid antagonists, such as naltrexone. CBT that addresses alcoholism and depression also may be an important treatment for patients with both conditions.

Severe symptoms of alcoholism: Specific alcoholism treatment for quick recovery

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stop drinking

Overcoming alcohol drinking temptation for better health

December 15, 2016
Overcoming alcohol drinking

Overcoming alcohol drinking temptation for better health will only be possible when you quit

Overcoming alcohol drinking temptation for better health: Central and peripheral nervous system and mental functioning

Drinking too much alcohol can cause immediate mild neurologic problems in anyone life including insomnia and headache. Long-term alcohol use can physically affect the brain. Depending on length and severity of alcohol abuse, neurologic damage may not be permanent, and abstinence nearly always leads to eventual recovery of normal mental function. And that is why overcoming alcohol drinking temptation for a better life is paramount for all of us.

Effect on Mental Functioning – Recent high alcohol use (within the last 3 months) is associated with some loss of verbal memory and slower reaction times. Over time, chronic alcohol abuse can impair so-called “executive functions,” which include:

  • Problem solving
  • Mental flexibility
  • Short-term memory and

These problems are usually mild to moderate and can last for weeks or even years after a person quit drinking. In fact, such persistent problems in judgment are possibly one reason for the difficulty in quitting. Alcoholic patients who have co-existing psychiatric or neurologic problems are at particular risk for mental confusion and depression.

Overcoming alcohol drinking temptation for better health: Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies

People with alcoholism should be sure to take vitamin and mineral supplements. Even apparently well-nourished people with alcoholism may be deficient in important nutrients. Luck of vitamin B pose particular health risks in alcoholics. Other vitamin and mineral deficiencies, however, can also cause widespread health problems. The bottom line is that good and proper diet needs to be adhered to at all times.

Folate Deficiencies – Alcohol interferes with the metabolism of folate, a very important B vitamin, called folic acid when used as a supplement. Folate deficiencies can cause severe anemia. Deficiencies during pregnancy can lead to birth defects in the infant.

Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome – Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is a serious consequence of severe thiamin (vitamin B1) deficiency in alcoholism. Symptoms of this syndrome include severe loss of balance, confusion, and memory loss. Eventually, it can result in permanent brain damage and death. Once the syndrome develops, oral supplements have no effect, and only adequate and rapid intravenous vitamin B1 can help rescue this serious condition.

Peripheral Neuropathy – Vitamin B12 deficiencies can also lead to peripheral neuropathy, a condition that causes pain, tingling, and other abnormal sensations in the arms and legs.

We have listed a number of health conditions critically affected by alcohol consumption on this platform and if you have been with us, you must have realizes how gradual alcohol ruins peoples live. That is why doctor Akoury founded AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center primarily to transform each individual’s life through increasing awareness about health and wellness and by empowering individuals to find their own inner healing power. Dr. Akoury’s practice also focuses on personalized medicine through healthy lifestyle choices that deal with primary prevention and underlying causes instead of patching up symptoms. This explains why if you are struggling with any kind of addiction, then your recovery should begin by calling doctor Akoury on telephone number 843 213 1480 for the commencement of your recovery process.

Overcoming alcohol drinking temptation for better health: Common health conditions

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lose weight

Avoiding weight gain during holidays

December 6, 2016
Avoiding weight gain

Avoiding weight gain during holidays by encouraging group physical activities

Avoiding weight gain during holidays: Diet plans and weight loss program

One of the best ways of avoiding weight gain not just during the holidays’ is by feeding normally on the day of a party or any other day. People who skip meals to save up calories tend to overeat everything in sight once they get there. Eating sensibly throughout the day will take the edge off the appetite and empower a bit of restraint. Start with a nourishing breakfast, have a light lunch, then a small snack or salad shortly before the event and when you arrive at the party, grab a sparkling water with a twist, and wait at least 30 minutes before eating. This will give you time to relax, get comfortable in your surroundings, and survey your food choices on the buffet before diving in. A buffet is an invitation to eat all you can, and unless you carefully scrutinize it and make wise choices, you’re likely to overeat.

Add fun and games

Remember that taking the focus off food and getting family and friends more active during holiday parties is the best. You can do this by incorporating activities like horseshoes, badminton, sledding, and ice skating, or building snowmen. If indoors, try a spirited game of charades, or rent an instructional dance video followed by a dance-off. The best parties include dancing, so why not make dancing after eating a new holiday tradition for a great form of fun and recreation

Avoiding weight gain during holidays: Skip the appetizers and limit variety

Avoid the appetizers rather than chewing on them. If you need a little nibble before the meal, go for the veggies, fruit, salsa, or a small handful of nuts. By only serving just two items of food to your plate when you go to the food table you’re creating good controls. Return as many times as you like, but ensure that each time you only take two items. This is because variety stimulates appetite, and if you limit your choices to just a few items and stick with these, it will be easier to control than eating a little bit of 20 different dishes. Remember that holiday parties are much more than food and drinks. They are also times to delight in the traditions of the season, and enjoy the company of family and friends.

If you keep the focus on the spirit of the season then you need to seek for professional advices from the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center a facility founded by Doctor Dalal Akoury just to help you remain in perfect health weight wise even during the holiday times when ordinarily you’re supposed to set loose and make marry. Doctor Akoury is a medical doctor of several decades and has specialized in among other disciplines healthy leaving through weight loss programs. A procedure she does focusing on Neuroendocrine Restoration (NER) to reinstate normality through realization of the oneness of Spirit, Mind, and Body, Unifying the threesome into ONE. If you’re planning for a holiday and you’re worried of what may happen to you in terms of your weight management program, then you need to schedule for an appointment with doctor Akoury for professionalized weight lose treatment programs which will leave you much healthier for a very long time.

Avoiding weight gain during holidays: Diet plans and weight loss program

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