Detoxification for Addiction Treatment

July 4, 2014

Detoxification for Addiction treatment-Drug Addiction

Detoxification is a proper way of removing toxins from the body of addicts. We can be free from drug addiction

Having seen people suffering from addiction and addiction related problems for several years I took it upon myself and made it to be a burden on my shoulder to offer help through written articles that are very informative and educative to the suffering societies. Drug addiction has been a thorn in many peoples flesh and the sooner we get the corrective measures the better for everyone. This is going to be one of the many articles of this nature I will be posting to help us live in an addiction free environment. We will concentrate on detoxification as a method of addiction treatment in this article and staying on the link to read more will be worth it. Detoxification or just detox is a method of addiction treatment which removes the physical effects of drug addiction from the body.

This word detox is normally very popular moments after Christmas when everyone is rushing to undo the effects of excess consumption of alcohol. This usually involves abstaining or following a very strict diet in order to cleanse the body of toxins. The detox of drug or alcohol is done in the same way to flush out toxins present in the body as a result of addiction. Toxins are responsible for the cravings experienced by many addicts and must be removed before the process of recovery begins.

Detoxification for Addiction treatment-Alcohol detox

During alcohol detox the alcoholics will receive medication only when they have stop drinking and are relatively sober this is done purposely to prevent or bring the possible side effects to manageable levels. The medications are prescribed by the GP who have a duty to help the patient go through the entire process of treatment and detox period. However in the absence of the GP’s then prescription may be done by a practicing nurse. The whole treatment process may involve the following;

The prescription of medication is only done once you have stopped drinking. This medication will be a chlordiazepoxide. The patient is advised to take a high dose the first day they stop drinking and then gradually reduce this dose over the next 7 days. This will help to ease any withdrawal symptoms.
The patient must NOT drink any alcohol at all during this process. They may be required to undertake a breathalyzer test to confirm this.
The patient is then put under observation of either the GP or practice nurse during this time. He/she will also prescribe vitamins to boost the patient’s health as many alcoholics tend to follow a poor diet or not eat at all which can cause a vitamin deficiency.
Further prescribed may be necessary for further medication after the detox to prevent a relapse. This is very important because quite often some people do go back to drinking after a detox and so medication can prevent this from happening.

During this period of detoxification it is important that the patient get all the support they need from their family members, friends and relatives. In addition to this the patient should enroll in a support group or a self-help group like AA and also be attending counseling sessions consistently.

It must be noted that detoxification is not a ‘magic bullet’ and does not mean that with this the addict will stop you drinking automatically. Much as we may want this it is not always the case and so the individual patient must take the lead role in deciding to stop. They must have greater determination and willpower as they will still experience some cravings even after this period.

A detox removes the toxins which have accumulated in your body as a result of your drinking. This enables your body to become used to not having alcohol which will improve your health and well-being.

Detoxification for Addiction treatment-Drug detox

The process of drug detox is the same to that one of alcohol as has been discussed above in that the addict is given medication to control withdrawal symptoms, e.g. methadone, once they stop taking drugs. The idea is that body will flush out the toxins which have built up over time as a result of drug use. During this time they will be offered counseling and other forms of support.

There are residential centers which offer treatment for drug addiction which includes detox, counseling and group meetings. They may also offer complimentary therapies such as massages or acupuncture, or advice on diet and exercise.

A detox can form part of your treatment plan. Once it has been completed you will still experience a few cravings so you will need to remain focused upon your goal of beating your addiction. That is why a support network is important as they will be able to help you go through this and prevent you from relapsing once the detox is over.

Cravings and withdrawal symptoms are an unpleasant but inevitable side effect of the addiction recovery process. These can be dealt with via medication but it is important for you to recognize what they are and what triggers them so that you can deal with them when this arises.

Detoxification for Addiction treatment-Cravings

These are strong urges for something, for example a cup of coffee or a cigarette which come on suddenly. They are extremely powerful emotions which can affect the way someone thinks or feels but they are also short lived.

A craving only lasts for a few minutes and then passes. If you can adopt a mindset in which you will not give in to the urge then this will get easier as time passes.

Once you know what to expect then you can prepare yourself for when a craving arises and deal with this. This can mean occupying yourself so that it takes your mind off it, telling yourself that it will pass and repeating this or using relaxation exercises.

Whatever strategy you use, you will find that your cravings reduce over time and will become less important in your life. If you do give in then don’t beat yourself up over this. Recognize that it has happened, make a note of how and why and carry on with your treatment plan. Proceeding may be an uphill task on your own and so you need help to move, you can and will always get this with Dr. Dalal Akoury the founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center. Together with her team of experts you will get treatment tailored just for you, and the focus will be exclusively Neuroendocrine Restoration (NER) to reinstate normality through realization of the oneness of Spirit, Mind, and Body, Unifying the threesome into ONE

Detoxification for Addiction treatment-Drug Addiction

Abstinence and Self-Help for Addiction

July 4, 2014

Abstinence and self-help for addiction – Drug Addiction

Fighting addiction is an effort fought from all points abstinence and self-help can be useful in containing addiction

Drug addiction has been for a long time been an element of life frustration globally. The frustration is compounded with the fact that this problem can affect everybody in total disregard of status or otherwise. It is true that several studies have been conducted in an effort to finding lasting solutions to this problem with some successes being achieved. However in this article I will be discussing some of the things you can do as an individual privately or publicly as your own contribution in fighting the scourge of addiction in our societies. As an individual you can choose to practice abstinence as a means of containing addiction. What is then this element abstinence?

Abstinence would mean that an individual make an absolute and willing decision to renounce all kinds of activities and elements which are known to be harmful and addictive. Taking this decision will require taking bold steps and making certain sacrifices to abscond the consumption of certain substances and shunning areas where such products are likely to be used and purposely choosing a healthier lifestyle. To illustrate this, an individual may choose to avoid places where smocking is wide spread. Various institutions and governments have in the recent past bun cigarette smoking in certain areas which has positively impacted on many people choosing to abstain from smoking. On the other hand, if alcohol is the problem then keeping distance to alcohol selling joints and all social gatherings where alcohol will be served. If you are invited then you decline the invitation.

The practice of abstinence is open for everybody but most importantly to those individuals with confirmed addictive personality for example if one is using caffeine and decides to remove all inducement. The decision could also be guided by the fact that taking on a substance can lead to using another like smoking and drinking all at the same time.

One may choose to abstain not because they are at any risk of being addicted to the substance but just by making observation on the surrounding. Having seen people suffering from drug addiction before may necessitate one opting for absolute abstinence to avoid the same experience.

Abstinence and self-help for addiction – How do you abstain?

Abstinence is not all that easy to everyone, it will take great effort, commitment, self-control and will power to achieve this because it entails strict engagement only in positive attitude and being bold enough to say NO if and when offered anything of addictive nature like alcohol or cigarette. It also entails inventing positive and healthy ways of dealing with issues related to stress and other associated problems in life. This is particularly important to those people who have not been in any sort of drug addiction before.

If one is already addicted to a substance the for abstinence to be effective then the individual must appreciate the effects of withdrawal symptoms of their addiction and embrace a coping approach to include how they will deal with these if and when they come. This will involve making several alterations like creating a new set of friends and only choosing to socialize with people who will not influence negative temptations resorting to relapse.

Joining a support group and learning new hobbies and activities also help in abstinence. When in the group, it is important that you share freely with your group therapist and they will advise you on the possible ways of medication to help with withdrawal and details of support groups in your location.

Abstinence and self-help for addiction – Self-Help

This is another possible method of preventing an addiction in once life and the society and it is a phrase used to define a range of treatments which people look for and administer for them as well as from professional help. The sources of this treatment information may include books, DVDs, courses, self-help groups, hypnotherapy and stress management. The objective of using this is that the addict will learn values of defeating addiction in their live.

Self-help is becoming a popular area in the general public because many people appreciate personal development and are looking at various ways of doing so. This gives them the feeling that they can improve certain aspect of their lives for example confidence building and will employ any number of ways of doing so. Normally self-help is a service provided by qualified professionals and therapists.

Abstinence and self-help for addiction – Self-help for addiction

We have a variety of products available to effectively help in self-help for addiction some of which may include:

Hypnotherapy: this is normally started with a therapist to start with before being undertaken at home. It can involve using a CD or DVD to help relax your state of mind and clarify the way you think.
Self-help groups: today we have so many groups for every type of addiction, for example Alcoholics Anonymous, and they are comprised of people who have similar experiences. Addicts can freely share their addiction empathies with others.
A good confidence boost: you have the support and understanding of others in the same position as yourself.
Positive thinking: a way of thinking about the good things in your life and not dwell on the negative aspects. Surround yourself with confident, upbeat people and their optimism will rub off on you. These are the type of people who will want you to beat your addiction. Also known as ‘positive mental attitude’.
Relaxation and deep breathing: deep breathing and relaxation techniques can be a useful way of overcoming any cravings you may experience. Use them as a way of distracting yourself if a craving arises and it will soon pass.
Stress management: stress is a problem for many of us and is often the trigger for many addictions. Try and find a form of stress release which is healthy and good for you. These can include a relaxing walk, reading a book, listening to music or having to a massage.

Finally there are so many types of self-help products and a collection of abstinence methods and they will be helpful to people differently and so it is important that you look through carefully to find the one that is right for you. Doing this may not necessarily mean that you will be fine on your own, you will still need the professional touch from the experts like Dr. Dalal Akoury who is the Founder and chief executive office of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center a facility offering exclusive NER Recovery Treatment to other physicians and health care professionals through training, clinical apprenticeships, webinars and seminars all in equal measure. All qualified professional and the general members of the society are free and can now be a part of this truly successful and fast addiction recovery treatment.

Abstinence and self-help for addiction – Drug Addiction

Essentials of Relapse Eradication

July 4, 2014

Essentials of Relapse Eradication-Drug Addiction

All was well until your old supplier appeared. Drug addiction recovery is possible but is frustrated by relapse. Keep new friends and you will make it.

In making effort to root out drug addiction from our systems and by extension to the society at large one of the biggest challenges we are likely to face is that of relapsing along the way. For us to achieve our objective for eradicating the problem of addiction successfully then it is proper that we analyze this topic with a view of understanding its consequences and how to contain it. Because of this great interest relapse is going to form the basis of our discussion in this article. Therefore what is actually the meaning of relapse? It basically falling back to something that you have made effort to disassociate with or from, that is to say falling or sling back into a former or old state, practice, a vice, error, wrongdoing or just backsliding into illness after recovery. From the definition it is all about fall back but for our case in this article we will concentrate on the health aspect of it as we progress with our quest to understand relapse.

Relapse is a significant factor in the process of addiction recovery which many patients fall prey to however when it happen it is important that patients should not contemplate this as an admission of failure or point of weak character. Emphasis should be made to the effect that discontinuing an addiction to drugs, alcohol, nicotine etc. is a tedious, difficult and take a long process which would ordinarily require soundness and reasonable amount of courage and willpower to emerge the victor.

The challenge of relapse is such an uphill task not just to some but all patients whether in the rehab or not. Nonetheless many people who have succeeded will testify that they met several obstacles before their great success. It is therefore important to be positive all through even if they relapse once, twice or even several times the focus and determination to triumphant should be loaded for the ultimate result of beating an addiction.

We acknowledge that the whole process can be very frustrating to the patients themselves and even to their friends and relatives when they make and put a lot of effort in an attempt of trying to knock out their addiction related habits and then all over sudden they succumb in to the cravings. For sure this will be absolutely demoralizing and the patient being human will be right to feel discouraged because all the hard work and time they have invested appears to have been for nothing and that they may not beat their addiction but I want to give you hope that the effort is worth it and they must never look back. Relapse is real and is just one of the obstacle to overcome, so dear friend keep the good work you are almost there don’t give up because that is not an option your great life is a head of you and you are just about to repossesses it.

Essentials of Relapse Eradication-Don’t give up

Acknowledging that the process of addiction recovery will not be easy is a motivation factor. Many addicts go wrong in the process by giving in to temptations, dear friend as eluded in the above points turn around all the hindrances to be positive in this process. Take note that a relapse is a manageable risk and that you/we are all human and falling into temptations is normal. Desire to be transformative in approaching all matters of addiction recovery by igniting the light of hope and that despite the surrounding you are on course and progressing well with treatment plan. Take the greatest asset here which is your family and friend. They are all very much proud of you and are behind you and are supporting you all the way.

As we said before the journey will not be full of roses and so if for whatever reason you relapse and smoked a stick of cigarette or took a sip of alcohol don’t let this wear you down forge a head accept that it has happen and take note of when it happen, why it happen and what might have been the cause for it happening and finally how you purpose to prevent it from recurring again. With this notes taken take another step the moment you are able to soberly communicate, take it upon yourself to share with your psychotherapist or counselor and seek help from them on how to elude this from occurring again. Be sure that they are professionals and will be able to assemble a work plan containing ways of dealing with this new development. With this information your counselor is likely to speak to someone from your self-help group not to demine you but this is an indicator that you need a little more extra support and motivation to help keep you on the recovery track.

Essentials of Relapse Eradication-Essentials to help you avoid a relapse

There are steps you can take to prevent this from happening. These include:

Ensuring that you are not in close contact with those things which comprised your addiction, for example alcohol in the house or medicine bottles (e.g. painkillers).
Try and elude circumstances in which your emotions are involved which will cause you in seeing your addiction as the answer or a form of escape.
Try to elude events or social situations in which you may be attracted to relapse. For example if your colleagues ask you to go for a drink after work. It is better to decline until you are at a point where cravings are no longer a problem and you feel relaxed about having a soft drink with them.
If you were part of a group of friends who take drugs than avoid them and make new friends.
Keep a telephone number of an addiction help line or your local support group close to hand so that you contact them if you feel as if you are going to relapse.
Keep attending self-help groups, counseling sessions and support networks even if you feel as if you don’t need their help any more. They can often spot the signs of a potential relapse long before you do and will advise you on how to deal with this.
If you suffer a relapse be honest with yourself as to why it has happened, accept that it has and carry on with your treatment.

Finally we must work together to defeat addiction, relapse is sometimes very discouraging but with experts like Dr. Dalal Akoury, Founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, the challenge will be professionally handled, look at a brief effort doctor Akoury is making together with her team of experience experts. They are offering exclusive NER Recovery Treatment to addicted patients globally as well to other physicians and health care professionals through training, clinical apprenticeships, webinars and seminars, this is all you need and any qualified professional in all disciplines can now be a part of this truly successful and fast addiction recovery treatment.

Essentials of Relapse Eradication-Drug Addiction

Am I Addicted to Drugs

July 3, 2014

Am I Addicted to Drugs-Drug Addiction

Its never fun being addicted to drugs. Drug addiction is costly economically and health wise

This is a question of value to anyone looking for good health and freedom from all manner of addictions and any addiction related elements and I want to put it to you my dear reader that are you addicted to drugs? You may be tempted to give a straight answer as anyone else will but wait a minute and get the facts to help you take your own evaluation and share your answer informatively. To start us off we need to define addiction. If you have been on this link you probably have an idea but all the same an addiction is a dependence on a substance or behavior which affects the physical, psychological and emotional wellbeing of an individual. It is therefore in order to say that addiction is a kind of behavior in which both compulsive and habit forming. Being in a state of addiction can also mean that the individual is being controlled by their desired substance to satisfy craving and prevent withdrawal symptoms. All that is important in determining addiction is purely based on the effect of the substance one uses and not the quantity or quality of the drug in question.

Dependency vs. an addiction

This may look a bit confusing because of the nature of their applications. It is easy to say that they are the same due to the fact that they are substitutable in application, therefore let us bring clarity of the two as follows: addiction will only be experienced when something you use occasionally allover sudden becomes a habit and you are finding it difficult to forego like if you prefer smoking occasionally during the night and this graduates to each night and eventually during the day as well consistently every day then we can make conclusion that you are developing an addiction. Whereas dependency occurs in the event that you are unable to cope without access to a substance or suffer from withdrawal symptoms if you do. Normally this state is experience when the addiction has been in existence for a very long period of time.

Up to this point I hope these definitions are not confusing you but all the same let me further reveal more for your understanding. For instance dependency can also be experienced with other activities other than the drugs like internet, sex, food, chocolate, gambling, shopping and many more. Nevertheless if these activities are reversed or withdrawn and victim does not experience any physical withdrawal symptoms then the individual is said to be dependence to the activity that is to say that the absence of these activities will not have any effect on the individuals health.

However, an addiction will be different as it causes both physical and psychological changes in the body and removing the source of this or going without results in withdrawal symptoms such as ‘the shakes’, nausea, insomnia, irritability and paranoia. Examples of this include cigarettes, drugs and alcohol.

Another aspect is that many people consider an ‘addiction’ to be more severe than ‘dependency’. Many people have a mental image of a ‘drug addict’ as someone who leads a sordid lifestyle, injecting themselves with drugs and generally, at rock bottom. They are often seen as a hopeless case and less worthy of help than someone with a dependency.

Now you take a stand between these two

Just in case after the discussion above you are still uncertain of your addiction position then consider the following:

Do you need that substance to relieve pain due to a chronic illness or injury, e.g. painkillers, prescription drugs etc. This will enable you to function as normal but without any changes in mood or behavior.
Do you experience physical and mental cravings for that substance which you know will give you a ‘buzz?’ This substance will gratify your cravings and give you that emotion of excitement that you cannot do without.

If you answered ‘1’ then you could be said to have a dependency. But if you answered ‘2’ then you may have an addiction.

This is the very basic way of making this decision and I would recommend that you seek professional help from known expert and while considering this take a moment and look at some of the possible signs of an addiction to help you in an endeavor to seeking for help.

Reduced or loss of appetite
Weight loss
Headaches
Dry mouth
Nausea or vomiting
Tiredness
Insomnia
Mood swings
Anger
Irritability and frustration
Lack of tolerance with one’s self and others
Lack of concentration
Paranoia
Neglecting your appearance or poor personal hygiene

These are physical and mental signs of an addiction but there are social changes also to consider such as;

Retreating from other people
Lack of interest in what they do
Luck of willingness to socialize or associate with people to whom you might have considered to be undesirable before now.
If you find that you are spending vast amounts of money on your addiction or other people consider you to have become unreliable and dishonest then this could be a pointer a problem.
Have you had your colleagues at work station noticed a difference in you?
Is timekeeping a problem?
Do you find that you have trouble concentrating at work or are bad tempered or moody?
Finally, do you feel you are losing control?

All these are powerful indicators in the social aspect. Normally the addicts may not be the one noticing these changes in their lives but would be noticed by friends and relatives and ones this is done then it is important that the victim acknowledges that they have a problem and desire to give it up. I am not promising that this will be easy but the starting point for addiction treatment is the acceptance that you are an addict, it may not matter what kind or stage of addiction you are in this acknowledgement is the most important step for commencement of treatment.

As we conclude this discussion I believe by now you can positively identify your precise addiction position and give the correct answer to our title question. If your answer is positive (you are an addict) then help is on the way at with doctor Dalal Akoury who is an expert in addiction treatment for the past decades. She is also the founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center where together with her experience team of experts administer addiction treatment while focusing on Neuroendocrine Restoration (NER) to reinstate normality through realization of the oneness of Spirit, Mind, and Body, Unifying the threesome into ONE.

Am I Addicted to Drugs-Drug Addiction

Rehabilitation

July 3, 2014

Rehabilitation-Drug Addiction

It take great effort to stop drug addiction. you can do it before it brings you down by enrolling in a rehabilitation ‘rehab’ center for treatment

Addiction to substances has adverse effects to human life and the need to have the problem contain or brought to a manageable level is very necessary. Because of the magnitude of the problem we have various ways of solving the problem among them being the rehabilitation which we are going to be discussing in this article for a better understanding of how best we can model it to offer the best. This article is in a solution finding mission of lasting remedies to the addiction and addiction related problems. Rehabilitation is therefore the process or means through which the general target is to ensure addicts to halt their addiction and live a free and normal life. Different methods are used in rehabilitation to inspire the victims to halt their cycle of dependency and cope with normal life devoid of self-destructive behaviors like drinking disorderly that may lead into addiction.

We must eradicate the perception that rehabilitation or ‘rehab’ is only for who is who in the society booking themselves into posh clinic to receive treatment for their addiction. Just like addiction does not respect anybody and can affect all so is the doors of rehabs centers being open for all irrespective of their background. These centers are not just located in the urban places but are also accessible through local community and in both set up they are well furnished with trained personnel to attend to all patients.

The common practice in rehab is to inspire patients (addicts) to appreciate and take full control of their addiction by adopting various treatment methods like:

Detoxification
Counseling
Psychotherapy

When at the rehab addicts are taught about relapses and how to cope, they are also taught about the negative effects of their addiction and are ushered to new healthy and productive ways of living. It must be noted that different clinic or team of expert may take different approach in administering addiction treatment (i.e. either giving a holistic approach or a more direct approach) because there is no single method that works better than others and the type of rehab will depend upon your addiction and your circumstances.

Residential rehabilitation

This is common and it is design to offer full boarding facilities to the addicts during the treatment period. The patients are taken through a course of treatment designed to help them regain control over their lives. Opting for this then you will be required to stay at the facility and undergo a collection of forms of treatment until one is able to cope on a daily basis without their addiction. When the patient is coping well does not mean that they are through with treatment, they will still be required to attend as out-patients counseling sessions, a drop-in clinic or support groups and meetings where necessary.

Besides treatment at the rehab there are also other factors which are involved in the process like the cost element, treatment available, staffing cost, environment and units of courses. Often rehab centers encourage family members to become involved in the treatment process and help the addicts see this as vital to their recovery though this will only be applied once they have gone through detox and are able to cope without experiencing any withdrawal symptoms. The duration of rehabilitation varies and may last from days or even several months. On admission there will be an evaluation and assessment before one is advised of the kind of treatment that will be suitable for them.

How rehabilitation work?

It is important that patients being admitted at the rehab centers get to know the following:

Patients should not be under any influence of alcohol or any other drugs on arrival at the center.
All prescription medicines being taken by any patient must be surrendered to the centre authorities. This may look harsh and intimidating but it is done for the good of the patient. Eliminating all forms of temptation will ensure that you are not at risk from a relapse.
The centre will request the patient to sign a contract which is a statement to the effect that you will refrain from substance abuse whilst you are there. It also means that you fully agree to the treatment.
Someone at the centre will be assigned to your case. They will act as a point of contact and as a liaison officer during your stay.
The will have diverse personnel with experience in different discipline like nurses, psychotherapists, counselors etc. Their role will be to prescribe medication to deal with withdrawal and to monitor progress.
However some centers may go for an ‘organic’ approach in which they only use natural remedies and products.
You will be offered counseling, detoxification, group sessions, psychotherapy and family orientated sessions. You may also be offered skills/learning sessions, complimentary remedies for example acupuncture.
Some centers may have a gym which they encourage addicts to use as well as offering advice on healthy eating.

Rehabilitation-Day treatment

Alternatively the patient may choose the option of structured day program which will include at time schedule of activities for a given duration which normally runs into several days in a week. The content of the time schedule may include among other needs as counseling and the other forms of treatment. Besides the rehab you will also have the services of your local community drug/ alcohol team who will provide services like residential and non-residential detox program, counseling, valuable advice and support and group therapy.

The Aims of rehab

Like we said in the introduction that addiction does not discriminate on who to affect and so the following are some of the ultimate objectives of any rehab centre:

To wean the addicts off their addiction to enable them recognize the cause of their addiction problem and how to deal with it in the future.

Adopting plans for dealing with negative events in the patient’s life which in the past may have resulted in self-destructive behaviors like drug taking. Once the patients are aware of how this happened and why, they are better placed to cope with the unexpected or negative events in their lives. The motivation is that the patients will choose more positive ways of dealing with problems rather than substance addiction. And as long as they are willing and determined to kick their habit off then rehab will be an ideal way of treating their addiction and recover completely to live a normal life.

Finally it is important to appreciate that most of these rehab centers are privately owned and would attract payments for the services the offer. the cost will vary from centre to centre and so the patients who may not be able to meet the cost can source for funds from elsewhere like from their local authority, this is very crucial because each patient financial situation will be assessed before a decision is arrived at about funding. These are the general practices in most of the rehabs and with this information you will be better placed if you make enquiries for yourself from various experts on how to be safe from addiction and I will be of help to you by suggesting AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center a facility founded by Doctor Akoury who is an expert in addiction treatment for several decades. A visit to AWAREmed will be an eye opener to you and you will be attended to by a team of experts who will care for you professionally while focusing on Neuroendocrine Restoration (NER) to reinstate normality through realization of the oneness of Spirit, Mind, and Body, Unifying the threesome into ONE.

Rehabilitation-Drug Addiction

Category Archives: Healthy Aging