Category Archives: Brain Health

Digital-sexuality

Digital Revolution and Sexuality

February 4, 2016

Just how much has digital revolution impacted on sexuality?

The world has come a long way regarding the way information is accessed, received or even passed on. This is concerning the time it takes and the efficiency with which one takes to get or pass on a piece of information. Thanks to the digital revolution, information access, retrieval, and dissemination have become quite efficient. On the pre-digital era, it would take considerable effort for one to get a piece of information and yet still, to pass on that same information to the intended recipient. However, with the great revolution that has taken place in the recent years, information access is now a click away.

Digital revolution has seen the emergence of computer technology as the main form of searching for, accessing, retrieving and sending of information from one point to another. The Internet has emerged and with it the social media; WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter among others. It is, therefore, a common knowledge that this development in information availability has some profound effect. The article now talks of digital revolution and sexuality.

Digital revolution and sexuality

Sexuality has, since the ancient times, been treated as sacred. It is sexual feeling or behavior that surfaces when two people are intimate, a state that is now under threat. Thanks to the digital revolution, the sacred value of sexuality is quickly becoming extinct. The emergence of so many digital gadgets and platforms has made in practically impossible for sexuality to be between just two people.

Sexual morality in public and private has been greatly jeopardized through the digital revolution era. The internet is full of sexual contents ranging from nude photos of celebrities and even unknown individuals who post them there for attention from the public. Apart from the nude photo, the internet, and many social media platforms are full of sex tapes and pornographic videos. Exposure to this kind of information has led to great moral decadence. Prostitution has become the in thing as people now tend to pay for sex and others willing to get paid for sex. These are just ideas people who were previously morally upright have got from the digital world.

The digital era has also brought about bad habits like child sex abuse. Teenagers get exposed to sexuality at a very early stage in their development due to the technological advancement, or digital revolution. From the erotic videos they get exposed from the Internet and other networks with explicit sexual contents, teenagers develop the inappropriate urge to explore and experiment on their sexuality. They, therefore, end up having sex at a very early age.

Revolution in the digital world has also brought vices like sexual harassment and violence in sexual practices. People watch those commercial erotic videos and porn posted on the internet, and because of the violent nature of some, they want to put into practice the same. This also leads to addiction in sex as one would get aroused every time they think of porn or watch.

Sexual satisfaction with their partners is also affected by this digital revolution. When someone is addicted to watching porn and the sexual videos available over the internet, they ran the risk of experiencing some dissatisfaction when they have sex with their partners. This is because they will want to put into practice what they watch and because their partners do not have the same experience will not meet their expectation. Apart from that, they may also feel dissatisfied with their bodies. Sexual dissatisfaction with one partner will drive the porn addict to find other partners ending up practicing dangerous sexual practices. Having multiple sexual partners may lead to sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Digital revolution and sexuality

The sexual dissatisfaction caused as a result of too much exposure to the internet pornography, and the unmatched expectations may also lead to practices such as masturbation. This come as a result of the desire for sex that is developed by the individual but is unable to have sex for so reason such as lack of presence of a partner or poor socializing habits that are also developed due to over indulgence on porn watching.

In cases where one is over indulged or addicted to porn viewing, such medical conditions as erectile dysfunction do arise. Victims of porn watching may suffer from the above in that it becomes so hard for them to achieve a normal erection without depending on those videos. It, therefore, make personal relationships for them hard to keep, for whereas one partner will normally function, the other would need some stimulation.

Just how much has digital revolution impacted on sexuality?

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sex

Brain Activity In Sexual Addiction

February 4, 2016

Understanding Brain Activity In Sexual Addiction

Brain activity was studied while the subjects were looking at pornographic pictures.  The researchers responsible for this study used fMRI which uses a BOLD signal to monitor brain activity.  They studied the responses of 19 male subjects who were self-admitted sexual addicts who were unable to control their sexual behavior and whose sexual behavior was causing significant problems for them. They then compared these findings with 19 other young men who were classified as being healthy and who had no problems with controlling their sexual habits.

Compared to the 19 healthy volunteers, the men afflicted with compulsive sexual behavior had started looking at pornographic pictures at a younger age and spent significantly more time looking at pornographic literature than did the healthy volunteers.  In many ways, the patients resembled people who are addicted to drugs, in that they continued behaviors that were having negative impacts on their relationships and jobs.  The objective of the study was to find out if their brains mirrored the same type of activity as did the brains of drug addicts.

Brain Activity In Sexual Addiction

To this end, both the healthy volunteers and the patients were shown a series of short videos.  The videos were either sexually explicit in nature, or they were oriented towards sports.  While these videos were being shown, their brain activity was monitored using an fMRI which uses a BOLD (blood oxygen level dependent) signal.  The result was that the patients brains had significant increases in activity in three separate areas of the brain, the ventral striatum, the dorsal anterior cingulate and the amygdala, are regions that are also particularly activated in addicts when shown drug stimuli.

The ventral striatum is involved in processing rewards and motivation while the anterior cingulate is involved in anticipating rewards and therefore in drug craving.  The amygdala is involved in the processing of the significance of events and emotions.  The participants in the study were asked to fill out a questionnaire which asked them to rate the videos they saw as to the level of sexual desire experienced while they watched the videos and how much they liked each video.

The reason for the questionnaire was to measure the amount of desire experienced and compared that to the amount of liking.  This is because drug addicts are driven to seek their drug because they perceive a need for it, but have little or no enjoyment of it. In fact, many addicts will state that they don’t use drugs because they enjoy the high any more but because they become really ill if they don’t.

 

The result of the questionnaire was as expected—the sex addicts rated the amount of desire experienced while watching the sexually explicit videos as being high or very high, but rated the liking of the same video as being poor or very low.  This means that the experience perceived by the patients was while stimulating, not very enjoyable.  The patients also experienced higher interactions within the regions of the network identified—with a greater amount of cross-talk between the three regions specified—while watching the sexually explicit rather than the sports videos.

The researchers also found a higher correlation between the age of the patients and the amount of brain activity—the younger patients had higher levels of activity in the ventral striatum in response to pornography. This association was strongest in patients with abnormal sexual activity. The frontal control regions of our brains—the brakes that control our compulsiveness—continue to develop into the mid-twenties.  This imbalance may account for the greater impulsivity and risk-taking associated with young people. The age-related findings in these patients suggest that the ventral striatum may be involved in the development of compulsive sexual behavior much as it is in the development of drug addiction.

Also, a second study seems to show that people with compulsive sexual behavior are more susceptible to cues that trigger their compulsion than are healthy men.  This study showed the men, who were divided between “healthy” men and sex addicts.  They were given identical tasks.  The first task involved looking at a series of images in pairs. These images were of naked women, furniture, and clothed women. They were then shown another series of images, some of which were familiar, and others which were not and told to choose a pair of pictures to win a specified amount of money. The researchers found that the sex addicts were more prone to choose the novel over the familiar choice for sexual images relative to neutral object images but that healthy men were more likely to choose the novel choice for neutral female images over neutral object images.

 

A second task involved learning to associate certain images overlaid with patterns with reward—similar to Pavlov’s dogs.  The men were then given a choice between those images and novel images. This time, the addicts were more likely to pick cues associated with monetary and sexual rewards. This supports the theory that seemingly innocuous cues can trigger a sex addict to seek out sexual images.

Understanding Brain Activity In Sexual Addiction

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Alcoholism

Accessibility to alcohol a hindrance to recovery

December 8, 2015

Accessibility to alcohol a hindrance to recovery: Why shouldn’t i drink?

accessibility to alcohol

Accessibility to alcohol is one of the most significant motivation to being addicted to alcohol

The prevalence of alcohol addiction has been necessitated by easy accessibility to alcohol which is posing a serious threat to treatment and recovery process. You will not be surprised to note that certain streets in a given capital city of a state are literally littered with alcohol joints e.g. pubs and entertainment spots. Our authorities have continually license more business directly engaging in the sales and production of alcohol in order to increase revenues for development. They do so because they have noted that the addictiveness of this product and so even if taxes were to be increased as a means of putting in some control, people will still buy to quench their thirst. It is because of this background that we at the home of addiction experts (AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center) under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury have resolved to make a difference by posting very informative articles on this link to the public’s consumption so that this problem can be brought to manageable levels. Therefore we want to scrutinize how accessibility to alcohol a hindrance to recovery in this article. We therefore want to request you to stay with us on the link and together let us educate one another on the best possible ways of eradicating this scourge from our societies.

According to the experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, it is worrying that even though it’s illegal to buy alcohol in most states globally including in the United States until the age of 21, most teens and young children can still get access to this product (alcohol). We must therefore be very careful about the decisions we make concerning our usage (drinking) of alcohol. What we do affects our children greatly in the future like for instance if you stock alcohol in your refrigerator, the message you are passing to the teens is that this is a good substance and can be consumed at will after all food and drinks for family use or consumption are always kept in our refrigerators. When your children become the messengers each time you want supply of your substance whether it is alcohol, cigarette or any other substance, the children are registering real tangible points about the use and abuse of these stuff. Dear friend this is very dangerous not just for your family but to the whole society and beyond. Have you ever hard the phrase “charity begins at home?” when good things begins from home the society benefits in the same way when bad things bins from our homes the society suffers. This we can stop, prevent and avoid by choosing to do the right things with our children. Now back to our point of discussion having listen to the over view it is important to appreciate that besides the mentioned, there are several other consequences for drinking some may include:

Accessibility to alcohol a hindrance to recovery: Heavy penalty and severe punishment

The authorities in every institutions and states are putting stringent measures to curb this unbecoming habit in our young generation and therefore teens that drink will always rub shoulders with the law enforcer agencies and be arrested. Besides that they (teens) are likely to involve themselves into some unwanted behaviors and conducts like fighting, committing various kinds of crime, and even end up into suicide. There are very prevalent occurrences in teens that drink when compared to those who do not drink or do drugs. Alongside all these individuals who drink will in many cases also have problems in their social and academic lives, and remember that drinking can once ability to concentrate in his or her studies and the consequences of this is dismal performance in their grades, career, sports or any other activity they participate in. this nor normally happens because of poor coordination by the brain when it is under the influence of alcohol and substances.

Accessibility to alcohol a hindrance to recovery: Displaying actions of stupidity

The good impression according to the users of alcohol is that drinking is cool and life’s fulfilling, this is a serious misinformation because the moment the alcohol takes effect on the nervous system, the whole situation changes and what was perceived to be cool and fulfilling (drinking alcohol) all over sudden create shame and embarrassment. I strongly believe that you have meet people decently dressed on their way to drinking joints and a few hours later you meet them in very disturbing and pathetic situations. That is why we say that drinking can make people do very stupid or embarrassing things including throwing up or peeing on themselves in total disregard of their surroundings. Besides the stupid actions, drinking also gives people bad breath, and no one enjoys a hangover even to those who feel that they can’t do without the touch of the bottle. Displaying actions of stupidity can be avoided if only we can chose to seek for help in good time. Before things get out of hand to the point of regrets, you can schedule for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury today and together with her team of experts all your concerns about alcohol addiction and the general aspect of substance abuse will be addressed professionally.

Accessibility to alcohol a hindrance to recovery: The health risks of Alcohol consumption

When we talk about the health risk involving misuse of alcohol, you can be rest assured that it is not going to the first time you are hearing this. The consequences of misuse of alcohol have been preached since time immemorial yet our young people are still into this harmful habit. There is no doubt that individuals who drink alcohol age, gender and race not withstanding are more likely to be sexually active and eventually engages into having unsafe or unprotected sex. We are all privy to the consequences of such action which may include but not limited to unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases which can be very fatal to the point of death. Besides that doctor Akoury is registering that the risk of injuring one’s yourself, maybe even fatally, is higher especially when you’re under the influence of alcohol. Shocking as it may sound, it has been established that about one half of all drowning death cases among people are actually related to alcohol use. There is therefore no doubt that the use of alcohol is in itself going to greatly increase the chance of people or users of alcohol to be involved in a car crash, homicide, or suicide. All this fatalities can be brought to manageable levels by taking immediate actions of getting help from the right professionals like doctor Dalal Akoury MD, President and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center.

Finally as we bring this discussion to an end, there are also nutritional effects that come with alcohol consumptions. Like for instance, our young people are most likely to get fat or have health problems if they are consistently abusing alcohol. According to one of the studies conducted by the University of Washington it was established that people who regularly had five or more drinks in a row starting at age 13 were much more likely to be overweight or have high blood pressure by age 24 than their non-drinking peers. People who continue drinking heavily well into adulthood risk damaging their organs, such as the liver, heart, and brain. These findings can be very scary but you can chose to correct that by scheduling for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury a veteran addiction expert of several decades today so that all your concerns can be addressed professionally and adequately.

Accessibility to alcohol a hindrance to recovery: Why shouldn’t i drink?

 

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Misuse of alcohol

Alcohol consumption consequences and hidden facts

December 2, 2015

Alcohol consumption consequences and hidden facts: Alcohol addiction

Getting the facts right about alcohol consumption

Getting the facts right about alcohol consumption is a must for everyone whether you are directly or indirectly affected because we all have a duty to perform in the eradication of alcohol abuse

Different state across the globe has put certain parameters aimed at controlling the consumption of alcohol. With all these efforts the rate at which alcohol is being consumed is worrying ad so we ask are these parameters working. Is there a need of doing more? To answer that questions we want to narrow down the discussion to getting the truth about Alcohol consumption consequences and hidden facts, and with the help of professionals from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, we are going to reveal certain facts which you really don’t want to miss. I want therefore request you to stay with us on the link because doctor Dalal Akoury MD, President and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center is up to the task having practiced in this discipline for over two decades, she will be able to address all your concerns professionally. You can therefore seek for more professional information about alcohol consumption direct from the experts by scheduling for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury even as we progress into the discussion.

And just like we have mentioned it is no secrete anymore that everyone is well informed of the legal drinking age throughout the globe. And in the United States where most of our references are going to made as we build on this discussion the acceptable drinking age is at a minimum of 21. That is the government ceiling however and according to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, it is shocking and sincerely regrettable that almost up to 80% of our young high school students have at least tried alcohol. The rules have not been effective in keeping the teens to testing the waters with alcohol. And since the decision as whether to drink is a personal decision that we each eventually have to make, many young people have found themselves drinking out of peer pressure and fear of being left out. The sense of belonging and fitting in has not worked well for our teen more so when it comes to the consumption of alcohol and drug abuse. It is because of such that we have prioritized on this article to provide some information on alcohol, including but not limited to how it affects your body so that you can make an educated choice in your life about the consumption of alcohol. Now what exactly is alcohol to you? Let’s find out from the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury.

Alcohol consumption consequences and hidden facts: What is alcohol?

The production process of alcohol is funny and interesting. It is actually created when certain grains, fruits, or vegetables are fermented through a process known as the fermentation. This is a process that that involves the usage of yeast or bacteria to transform the sugars in the food into alcohol. Doctor Akoury is registering that the process of fermentation is one that is used to produce many necessary items including everything from cheese to medications. Alcohol is actually produced in different forms and can serve or be used in different multiple ways including being used as a cleaner, an antiseptic, or a sedative. And that brings us to our next focal point which is “if alcohol is a natural product, why then do teens need to be concerned about it is consumption? Professionally doctor Akoury explains that when people drink alcohol, it’s absorbed into their bloodstream. From there, it affects the central nervous system which includes the brain and spinal cord, which controls virtually all body functions. At the moment a lot of studies are being conducted more so with regards to the teens alcohol consumption. And with the knowledge that the human brain is still developing during our teens growth and development, scientists are researching are working around the clock to establish the effects and consequences of drinking alcohol can have on the teen brain. We will be responding on that as it develops from time to time so this is the place to be for all the health information you need to have about alcohol consumption.

Alcohol consumption consequences and hidden facts: How does it affect the body?

I am certain that it will not pass your conscience that alcohol is a depressant, which means that it slows down the function of the central nervous system and essentially affecting the whole body operations. How does it succeed in this? According to the experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, Alcohol actually blocks some of the messages trying to get to the brain. When this happens, alcohol will alters a person’s perceptions, emotions, movement, vision, and hearing thereby rendering the victim totally incapacitated to function normally.

One reason why people often get into drinking is because of the passive benefits of its consumption, like for instance it is believed that when alcohol is consumed in very small amounts, it can help a person feel more relaxed or less anxious. However any consumption of alcohol above normal will certainly cause greater changes in the brain, resulting in intoxication. People who have overused alcohol may stagger, lose their coordination, and slur their speech. They will probably be confused and disoriented. Depending on the person, intoxication can make someone very friendly and talkative or very aggressive and angry. Reaction times are slowed dramatically and that explains why people are often advised not to drink and drive. This is because when under the influence of alcohol also known as intoxication, such individuals may think that they’re moving properly when they’re not. They may act totally out of character.

When large amounts of alcohol are consumed in a short period of time, what is commonly referred to us alcohol poisoning may occur. Alcohol poisoning is exactly what it sounds like, that is to say that the body has become poisoned by large amounts of alcohol. There are several indicators of this but normally the first one will be violent vomiting. When this goes to the extreme, experiences like extreme sleepiness, unconsciousness, difficulty in breathing, dangerously low blood sugar, seizures and sometimes even death may result. These feelings are realistic and are no fix ion, therefore the sooner you chose life the better for you and your whole family and the society as a whole.

Alcohol consumption consequences and hidden facts: Why do teens drink?

Experimentation with alcohol during the teen years is common. Some reasons that teens use alcohol and other drugs may also include: curiosity, to feel good, reduce stress, and relax and the sense of belonging also referred to us fitting in. Finally doctor Akoury say that owing to the content about alcohol in the media very young kids see advertising messages showing beautiful people enjoying life giving the impression that for one to enjoy life alcohol has a role to play. And because many parents use alcohol like beer or wine at dinner time children often feel that alcohol seems harmless and so they get motivated to try. Is that what you want for your kids?

Alcohol consumption consequences and hidden facts: Alcohol addiction

 

 

 

 

 

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Cigarette

Drug addiction problems must be solved medically

December 2, 2015

Drug addiction problems must be solved professionally: Consult with AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center

Drug addiction

Drug addiction problems must be solved professionally if we want to defeat this scourge from our lives and society.

The fight against alcohol and drug addiction is one campaign that is not about to end any time soon. Each day new developments come up for fighting the vice yet at the same time users of these drugs also get more rooted to their addictive habits. Even though a lot is being done to correct this problem, many people are still suffering in silence for various reasons including denial. As addiction professionals from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, we have made it a priority to help in finding lasting solutions about alcohol and drug addiction. And that is why we have consistently posted very informative blogs on this site to create more awareness and to educate the public of some of the actions they can take even before the get to us for help. Therefore “Drug addiction problems must be solved” is our choice topic for this article because it has come to our attention that despite the information available in the market about addiction recovery process and treatment, a majority of the societies are still ailing from this problem. Remember that AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center is an establishment of doctor Dalal Akoury MD and also the President of the institution. Doctor Akoury is a veteran addiction expert who has dedicated several decades of her life in bringing hope to the hopeless drug addicts not just in the US but across the globe. Therefore if you think that you or someone you care about is addicted to drugs or alcohol, help is on the way if only you can schedule for an appointment with doctor Akoury today because drug addiction problems must be solved professionally.

However doctor Akoury is encouraging that even as you consider making that appointment, it is very important to note that the genesis of this entire recovery journey begins with you recognizing that you have a problem. This is the first step in getting help. We know that many people often think that they can tame or kick out the problem all by themselves, but the reality is that rarely works and that explains why getting help to tame the scourge of addiction is very important. Having felt that there are some signs of addiction in you, there are very many approaches you can apply including talking to someone you trust to help you make the right and productive decisions. Therefore if this is the approach you are considering, then it may help to talk to a friend or someone of your own age group at first, nonetheless a supportive and understanding adult should be your best option for getting help. We also know that sometimes it may not be easy for you to share this with your parents and therefore if this be the case, then you might want to approach a school counselor, a relative, a doctor, your favorite teacher, or even a religious leader. You must have noticed that the very moment you recognize the problem, action plan takes root and this is surely a step in the right direction.

Just to bring you up to speed with what to expect, it is important to understand from the very beginning that, overcoming addiction is not easy. Great determination will be expected of you along the way. And probably you will realize that quitting drugs or drinking is going to be one of the hardest things you or your friend have ever done. Even though that is so but be encouraged that it’s not a sign of weakness if you need professional help from a trained drug counselor or therapist. Most people who try to kick a drug or alcohol problem need professional assistance or a treatment program to do so and so you are not alone, keep on fighting because the end result is worth the sacrifice. Now let me bring to your attention some of the tips you need to succeed in this fight.

Drug addiction problems must be solved professionally: Tips for recovery

Once you start a treatment program, you may want to consider trying the following tips to make the road to recovery less bumpy:

Share with your friends about your decision to stop using drugs. This is very important because going forward you will need only those friends who will be kind enough to support your recovery journey entirely and drop those that will pull you back.

Moral support is very important and therefore always asks your friends or family to be available whenever you need them. During this journey a time will come when it will necessary that you call for support even during very odd hours of the night. Your friends should be therefore you and remember that if you’re going through a tough time, don’t try to handle things on your own and accept the help your family and friends offer.

Be very selective on the invitations you receive and only accept that won’t involve drugs or alcohol. Going to the movies is probably safe, but you may want to skip a Friday night party until you’re feeling more secure.

The temptation will always be there sometimes; therefore put in some strategies about what you’ll do should you find yourself in a place with drugs or alcohol. This may also mean planning with your parents, siblings, or other supportive friends so that if you call home using a specific code, they’ll know that your call is a signal to them that you need a ride out of there.

Moments of relapse; such times will always be there but always encourage yourself, that having an addiction doesn’t make a person bad or weak. If you fall back, talk to an adult as soon as possible and pick up the pieces and move on. There’s nothing to be ashamed about, however it’s important to get help soon so that all of the hard work you put into your recovery is not lost.

If you’re worried about a friend who has an addiction, you can use these tips to help him or her. For example, let your friend know that you are available to talk or offer your support. If you notice a friend backsliding, talk about it openly and ask what you can do to help.

If your friend is going back to drugs or drinking and won’t accept your help, don’t be afraid to talk to a nonthreatening, understanding adult, like your parent or school counselor. It may seem like you’re ratting your friend out, but it’s the best support you can offer.

And most importantly, offer a friend who’s struggling with addiction lots of encouragement and praise. It may seem funny, but hearing that you care is just the kind of motivation your friend needs.

Drug addictions must be solved professionally: Staying clean

Finally doctor Akoury is emphasizing that recovering from a drug or alcohol addiction doesn’t end with a 6-week or so treatment program you take in an institution. This is a lifelong process and we want to encourage you to consider calling us at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center for further direction. We will always be here for you and if you ever have a relapse, take immediate action because this can be very critical and getting help right away is advisable so that you don’t undo all the hard work you put into your initial recovery and remember don’t be a fried of relapse it is normal and not a failure on your part.

Drug addiction problems must be solved professionally: Consult with AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center

 

 

 

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