Dealing with multiple cases of drug addiction

August 6, 2015

Dealing with multiple cases of drug addiction: The toxic effects of multiple addictions

Dealing with multiple cases of drug addiction will not only help you health wise but also keep you in good books with the law enforcement agencies.

Multiple drug addiction will always occur when the elements of addiction is more than one at any given time. In other words any two, three or more psychoactive substances at a time causes what is referred to us multiple of addiction. Even though there is no particular pattern by which multiple addiction may occur, from experience there can be various combinations of drugs from different classes that when put together will cause multiple of drug addiction. Like for instance the most frequent drugs combinations includes: heroin and cocaine; cocaine and alcohol; heroin and MMDA (ecstasy); heroin and THC (marijuana); alcohol, amphetamines, MMDA and THC; benzodiazepines usually take part in every combination. Now with all these combinations you can only ask yourself that do we have solutions to multiple cases of addictions. We will find solution from our topic of discussion today which is “dealing with multiple cases of drug addiction”.

We spoke to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center an addiction health facility founded by doctor Dalal Akoury (MD) to make a difference in the lives of people who are struggling with substance abuse. From her over two decades of practicing experience doctor Akoury says that drugs taken in combination often potentiate the narcotic effects of each other. Their addictiveness, narcotic properties and toxic effects on the body arise. In situations like this, withdrawal symptoms become more severe and prolonged. The pathological attraction to drugs (craving) reaches the point of paranoia. The processes of physical and mental degradation are accelerated by several times. It is important to note that with multiple drug addiction, detrimental health consequences will become irreversible after 3-4 years of drug abuse. It therefore means that if you are going through this complication, then it is time for you to seek for help immediately from the house of the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center today.

Dealing with multiple cases of drug addiction: Combination of alcohol and cocaine

The most common and highly dangerous version of multiple drug addiction currently is a combination of alcohol and cocaine. The combination of Cocaine and alcohol in body creates a highly toxic chemical called Coca-ethylene the only known example of creating a third drug following the ingestion of two others. Coca-ethylene’s powerful euphoric effects help to explain the increasing attraction of combining alcohol and cocaine. The combined use of alcohol and cocaine can produce a sense of increased and prolonged euphoria, compared with the use of either substance isolated. However, Coca-ethylene has not only a pronounced euphoric effect but also possesses the life-threatening properties. It is not only toxic for liver, but it is also blamed for heart attacks and in a surge of social problems. Many who consider themselves social users for whom a line or two of cocaine coupled with a few drinks in a bar is a weekly or monthly event – don’t consider the health implications of drug addiction.

Its side-effects threaten to become tragically familiar as they take their toll on users. In UK for example a study was conducted and the result of the study established that there was some 20% increase in the number of young people (from 16 to 24-year old) taking the drugs every year. The number of people under 25 who have sought help for cocaine addiction has doubled in just four years. Figures from the study revealed that the number of people going to hospital after overdosing on cocaine has doubled over the past five years. Alcohol plays a significant part in many of these admissions.

Cocaine-related deaths are also increasing in the US. The US National Household Drug Survey estimates that around five million people use alcohol and cocaine each month. The ability of cocaine users to consume vast amounts of alcohol is being blamed for an increase in sexually risky behavior among the young and rising levels of violence. According to some studies conducted in Manchester (UK) suggest that around half of all young people arrested for violent behavior were on drugs, and of these the majority were on cocaine. Many of them were drunk prior to their arrest. There is no question that the use of both alcohol and cocaine is a growing concern. Surveys show people who drink regularly in bars and clubs are more likely to be using alcohol and drugs. This presents challenges to health professionals about how to raise awareness of the health risks.

Dealing with multiple cases of drug addiction: Speedball combination of heroin and cocaine

Another wide spread drug combination is the so called Speedball, when heroin and cocaine ate taken together intravenously in the same syringe or by insulation. Originally the term Speedball was applied only to combination of heroin and cocaine. Nowadays it also can be applied to mixture of any opioids with amphetamines and bezodiazepines. The idea of Speedball is the use of stimulant (Cocaine) and depressant (Heroin) at a time. Combination of “upper” and “downer” is meant to reach the more intense rush of euphoria and the same time to alleviate the negative side-effects of both drugs such as an excessive anxiety and depression. Avoidance the sedative effect of heroin is the most frequent cause of appeal to Speedball. Two substances with opposite effects cause a state of mediator chaos in user’s brain. Incoherence, confusion, drowsiness, blurred vision, motor skills dysfunction, uncontrolled behavior, paranoid delusions, hallucinations, excessive arousal are the typical symptoms of speedball intoxication.

There are two main groups of complications from using the Speedball. The first one comes from cardiovascular toxic effects of Cocaine: irregular heartbeat, blood hypertension, vascular constriction which often result in heart attack/ heart arrest, brain hemorrhage or ischemic stroke. The second one comes from pharmacodynamics of the drugs. The effects of cocaine wear off far faster than those of heroin. Uncovered, isolated effects of heroin may result in severe respiratory depression which is a life threatening condition.

This cocktail of drugs creates a strong physical dependence with all classical symptoms of heroin deprivation (nervousness, sickness, sever muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhea, sweating and etc.) strengthened by symptoms of cocaine withdrawal (insomnia, paranoia, anxiety, restlessness and etc.), lasting even in the case of medical assistance no less than two weeks. Finally by now you must be well conversant with the dangers of drug addiction and you can just imagine that not just one but two or more of the drugs are wreaking havoc in your life in the name of multiple drug addiction. That is why this article was pointing out some of the collaborations drug users can make to even add more problems to their health. Even though multiple cases of drug addiction are increasing daily, this problem can be treated effectively. Therefore if you are struggling with addiction of any kind, be it multiple or otherwise, you can call doctor Dalal Akoury today and book an appointment with her and you will never regret having done so.

Dealing with multiple cases of drug addiction: The toxic effects of multiple addictions

When drug addiction is ruining your social life

August 6, 2015

When drug addiction is ruining your social life: The altered brain

When drug addiction is ruining your social life it does not just end at that but it spread to the whole body including very vital organs of the body.

The problem of drug addiction is one that tears apart peoples’ lives in very many ways. While we were discussion the effects of drug addiction on our social fabric, we listed six areas in which drug addiction attacks us the most and we were able to deliberate on the first four. We now want to continue and conclude the discussion of the remaining two (financial issues and growth, and law-abiding and order in the society) even as we also look at how different types of drugs affects the brain in different ways. Previously we pointed out that drug addiction is ruining our relationships, marriages, education and our professions. Therefore when drug addiction is ruining your social life what are your options? What are some of the areas of your social life that is likely to be much more vulnerable to the effects of addiction? We spoke with doctor Dalal Akoury about our finances and criminality and she is going to help us understand this even better as we progress into the discussion. But in the meantime it will interest you to note that doctor Akoury is one of the most respected veteran experts in addiction who out of her passion of helping people get their life back, decided 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. Therefore if you are struggling with any form of addiction then you can schedule for an appointment with doctor Akoury directly from her telephone number 843 213 1480 today for the commencement of your recovery treatment program. And now back to our subject of discussion.

When drug addiction is ruining your social life: Financial consequences of drug abuse and alcohol addiction

Socially finances are very important almost to the point that without it things appear not to be moving well. And because of its importance, it has not escaped the wrath of addiction. From the experts point of view financial problems will arise inevitably when it comes to alcoholism or drug abuse, elements which affect not only an individual addict but also his family and the whole society. So how exactly does this happen? If one is into drugs, he or she will need money to finance the acquisition of those drugs and then as the drugs takes effect money will be need again for medication, and yet again in the process of treatment, there will be instances of relapse where drugs will be needed again and them, on treatment and so on again and again. The other way of looking at the effect of drug addiction on finances is like if we were to consider the government spending on the rehabilitation programs, spending on police, courts, prisons, add to it job loss, reduction in tax revenues and increased governmental spending on benefits. When all these are put together, then you will realize that the cost of addiction is very unbearable.

When drug addiction is ruining your social life: Criminal behavior resulting from the effects of alcohol or drugs

At the mention of the word drug addiction, many would just see criminals in their faces. This is because in many situations drug users often commit crimes to finance their habits. The stealing act begins small at the initial stages where the money stolen is limited to close relatives, colleagues and friends. From this level they graduate to serious criminals taking part in organized burglary, robbery, or even homicide mostly with men while on the side of women prostitution takes center stage is in the quest of getting money to finance the acquisition of drugs. It must be noted that drug users and alcoholics often commit crimes under the influence of the substances they use. Scuffles, antisocial behavior, aggression, inexplicable cruelty towards people around them is a common outcome of alcohol or drug intoxication.

From the available statistics it is estimated that majority of all crimes that takes place globally are associated with substance abuse with most of the developed states leading the graph. Theft, vandalism, robbery, mugging the list is endless are ways of getting money for a drug. And the more serious addiction gets, the greater the chance of committing the crimes of violence. Taking into consideration that, drug addicts are those people who in their desperate desire to get another dose are ready for anything and can even kill just to satisfy their craving for the substance. They are actually not in control of their behaviors but rather they are under the control of their addiction. They don’t belong to themselves. And if the chance to get money requires violence, cruelty they take it without hesitation. As a matter of fact, everything that is listed here, sooner or later is waiting for every drug addict, if only, of course, the one who has rigidly and firmly set foot on this path won’t die from overdose before. That last statement may appear to many as impolite but the truth is that if measures is not taken to bring this problem to manageable levels, then all that we have mentioned in this article is only a matter of time. Now it is the time for you and I to make a positive decision and join in the campaign of defeating drug addiction. You are now enlightened and you know the consequences. If you are not sure of where to start from, then you just found yourself in the right place and at the right time. Doctor Dalal Akoury is a veteran addiction expert with more than two decades working experience and calling her today to schedule for an appointment with her should be the starting point if you want to live a more comfortable life going forward.

When drug addiction is ruining your social life: The altered brain

Effects of drug addiction on our social fabric

August 6, 2015

Effects of drug addiction on our social fabric: Possible remedies discussed

Effects of drug addiction on our social fabric are real and heartening. It may not matter how the drug is administered into the body, the consequences remain the same.

The already delicate nature of our social fabric is consistently receiving undue pressure from the illicit use of drugs and the pain is growing day by day. Experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center have time and again reported that the problem of addiction is not only a problem of the individual addict. And therefore besides the known health damage effects, alcohol addiction and drug addiction have an extremely negative social aspect. And that is why we want to focus our discussion on the effects of drug addiction on our social fabric with a view of finding lasting solutions to this enormous problem. To start us off doctor Akoury a veteran expert in addiction confirms that the problem of substance abuse has serious negative impact on such aspects of social life including:

Marriage and interpersonal relationships
Extended family relationships
Education and development
Professional activities and employment
Financial issues and growth
Law-abiding and order in the society

The list above is a mirror of what areas of our social health that is greatly affected by the indulgence in drugs and alcohol abuse. Let us take some time to analyze what is likely to happen in these categories of our social life.

Effects of drug addiction on our social fabric: Marriage and interpersonal relationship

Marriage is very sensitive in every community and any negative effect to it has its way of spilling out to the community. Drug addiction is one way through which this can take place and that is why it is very imperative that we all make all the necessary efforts to protect our marriages. Take for example if one or both partners in marriage are struggling with alcohol and drug abuse there is no doubt that this will impact negatively to this marriage. The introduction of misuse of drugs in marriages will come with very devastating changes like for instance, if your partner was previously a very committed and dedicated to his or her marriage or was easy going, kind, supportive person drugs is likely to change all these good characters into agony, secretive, cruel, arrogant, explosive egoist prone to frequent mood swings from deep apathy to inexplicable joy and aggressiveness thereby distorting the once known harmony in the family.

For the purpose of good health and peace, doctor Dalal Akoury suggest that this can be corrected by making some positive adjustments and compromises where is necessary. Consistent communication with an addict is incredibly hard not only to strangers, but also to close relatives, spouses. The situation becomes even more complicated when children are involved because for children to see either or both of their parents under constant influence of drugs can be extremely traumatizing and devastating for their tender ages. The significance of this will no doubt leave negative imprint on the formation of their future psyche.

Besides that it is very common that drug addicts will always spend a lot and in most cases extravagantly in financing their habits. The result of this is that the family will start seeing some financial problems which may have not been there before the problem of addiction came in and as time lapses, this problem becomes apparent. Before you know it the problem escalates and multiplies into constant financial problems, numerous debts, problems with employment by the freak behavior with frequent violent outburst and paranoia, unwillingness to work, repeated problems with the law – and you will get the ready recipe for almost inevitable divorce. It is very sad that all these changes in personality occur to people who are not the aggressive psychopaths or complete egoists by their nature, but who become ones as a result of drug and alcohol addiction. At this point drugs or alcohol is all they can see, think and do because it has become the meaning and part of their life. Everything else has little importance, or generally regarded as an obstacle to achieving their main goal which is the acquisition of drugs or alcohol.

Effects of drug addiction on our social fabric: Alcohol and drug abuse affects everyone in the family

The families of the victims of drug abuse, especially children, are ashamed of their behavior. They are constantly worried about what their neighbors and friends may think about them and in many cases they don’t know how to solve the situation. Initially in the introduction part of addiction, the drug addict’s relatives surround one with care, trying to show him their love, support, trying to enable him to recognize the problem, the need for treatment and make him do the first step to recovery. However, quite often after making several unsuccessful attempts to persuade them to enroll into a recovery program to no avail, many at time this support fades off and the people they need the most gives up on them and sometimes it can come to the extreme where the victim is expel from the family. Nonetheless doctor Akoury says that that even though in some few selected instances members of the family may chose isolation, professionally isolation doesn’t solve the problem. According to her family support deprivation will leave the addict alone to face his addiction and thus makes the vicious circle closed and the truth is that this is a collective responsibility and getting out of this hell without the help, support and love from the family is impossible.

Effects of drug addiction on our social fabric: Education and employment effects

The prevalence of drug addiction is no doubt escalating to the amazement of many. What is even worrying the most is that the age bracket of those young people getting into drugs is ever increasing? Unless something is done drastically management of addiction may become very difficult. Socially education is very basic and without it there is no hope for a better society tomorrow. Therefore, when discussing the subject addiction in relation to education and employment our young ones come to the fore front. Like for instance a teenager or a young adult with his unformed psyche and immature volitional mechanisms, it will be very difficult to resist the temptation to indulge into smoking, drinking alcohol or to taking drugs. The desire to be part of the “circle”, to try the forbidden fruit, “to be like an adult” can quickly lead to addiction.

As a parent you may not be aware of the signs of addiction more so when you have done your part well in bringing up the children. But it is very important that you have these facts together. Antisocial or irrational behavior, unexplained poor school or college attendance, larceny reports, as well as, poor performance, reduced concentration, lack of motivation for continuing education can be some of the signs of using the drugs. Remember that in many instances expulsion from school, college, university is always as a result of the abuse of substances so whenever this happen, be very watchful and take action immediately should you notice any sign of drug abuse. Finally take note that drugs destroy professional skills. Therefore to protect your investment in your children’s education schedule for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury today to get further insights on the best possible ways to go about the emergence of drug addiction in our children today.

Effects of drug addiction on our social fabric: Possible remedies discussed

Understanding the three stages of drug addiction

August 6, 2015

Understanding the three stages of drug addiction: The three significant stages of drug addiction

Understanding the three stages of drug addiction is very key to unlocking the social problem of drug abuse in our societies

If somebody was to tell you that you are addicted to certain drug would you agree with him? And if you would what would be your facts in other words how do you know that you are addicted to drugs? These are some of the questions we want to address even as we focus on our topic of the day “understanding the three stages of drug addiction”. From the experts and psychologist point of view drug addiction is a disease characterized by both physical and psychological health impairments. It can also be defined as a pattern of substance use leading to significant impairment in physical and mental functioning. In whichever way you look at it there will be some level of physical and psychological impairment in the process a factor which doctor Dalal Akoury concurs that is the most significant problem in addiction. For our understanding of the problem, doctor Dalal Akoury is going to share with us the three stages of drug addiction as follows:

Understanding the three stages of drug addiction: The first stage of drug addiction

At the introduction levels of addiction the psychological dependence on the drugs (stage of Preoccupation or Anticipation), is characterized by the following symptoms:

The constant craving for the drug – An overwhelming desire to use the drug of choice to relieve the state of psycho-emotional stress preoccupies the user despite the other responsibilities and events in his/her life.

The altered psyche – Nervousness, frequent mood swings, depression, irritability, agitation, aggressiveness, difficulty with concentration are the common signs of progressively developing addiction.

Understanding the three stages of drug addiction: Second stage and symptoms of drug addiction

Is the stage of intoxication? – This stage is characterized by the further worsening the above mentioned symptoms of drug addiction and appearing the new ones

The growing tolerance – The longer the drugs are introduced into the body the larger amounts of drugs are necessary to continue experiencing the same euphoric effects. The increased doses of the drug (binging) push the effects of intoxication to a dangerous level.

The emergence of withdrawal syndrome – Uncomfortable, very disruptive, physical and mental condition that happen when the body is sharply deprived of the psychoactive substances that it is used to getting. The clinical picture of withdrawal syndrome varies and mostly depends on the type of the using substance. The most common symptoms of drug addiction and opioid withdrawal include the constant, deep, exhausting pain in muscles and bones all over the body, sensation of almost unbearable inner cold, frequent cold-and-hot flashes, shivering, sneezing, watery eyes, sweating, cramps in stomach area, lack of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, restless legs, increased nervousness and irritability, sleep disorders, insomnia, and many more.

The negative and persistent changes in personality – It will interest you to note that at this stage there will be increased emotional sensitivity, explosiveness, frequent mood swings, narrowing of vital interests, aggressiveness, apathy, impaired memory and intelligence, tendency to depression, dishonesty, permanent conflicts at work and home, problems with the law.

Understanding the three stages of drug addiction: Drug dependence symptoms in third stage

Third stage of drug dependence is the stage of Physical, Mental and Social Degradation.

Presence of irreversible pathological changes in the internal organs and systems of the body (liver failure due to toxicity and viral hepatitis, toxic encephalopathy, immune system disorders, AIDS, etc.).
Development of dementia and other drug related mental disorders. The chronic use of certain drugs
Currently available evidence indicates that heavy, long-term drug consumption is likely to have a negative impact on cognitive function. Longer-term smoking of marijuana is associated with increased risk of intellectual deterioration and possibly schizophrenia and dementia.
The chronic use of benzodiazepines and psycho-stimulants also leads to increased risk of cognitive impairment. For example, 3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine, (MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy), produces the long-term deficit in serotonin function in the brain, resulting in mental disorders such as depression and anxiety.
Chronic drug abuse by adolescents during formative years is a particular concern because it interferes with normal socialization and cognitive development and thus frequently contributes to the development of mental disorders.
Social degradation by drug dependence: Like for instance the loss of marriage, family; spoiled interpersonal relationships; degradation in professional skills and activities and as a result the problems with employment and financial issues; problems with law-abiding.

Understanding the three stages of drug addiction: Consequences and effects of drug addiction and alcoholism

Consequences and effects of drug addiction and alcoholism have both medical and social effects.

Health effects of drug addiction and alcohol abuse – The most obvious negative effects of drug addiction or alcohol abuse is deterioration in physical and mental state of an addict.

Understanding the three stages of drug addiction: Effects of drug abuse on the brain

It will interest you to note that different type of drugs causes particular and quite specific effects of chronic drug intoxication:

Effects of drug abuse on the brain in case of untreated drug and alcohol abuse is irreversible condition that leads to progressive deterioration of personality. Degradation begins with memory loss, inability to concentrate and further shows up in reduced physical and mental activity, in a tendency to fruitless fantasies, excessive irritability and sleep disorders. The normal human emotions, desires, interests, work skills gradually fade and meaning of life gets limited to searching for drugs. Untreated addiction undoubtedly ends up in irreversible dementia.

Mental disorders in case of a drug abuse are varied and accompany all its forms. The most common characteristic of mental disorder is psychosis, which may occur either shortly after using the drug or during the withdrawal. Acute psychosis is characterized by a pronounce anxiety, kind of panic attack, paranoia, consciousness disorders up to the visual, auditory and tactile hallucinations and delusions. Often such states result in committing suicide. Use of improvised and counterfeit drugs presents particular danger to life and health of a drug addict. Chronic drug users look physically exhausted. They have distinctive appearance: pallor, poor skin elasticity, feverish bright eyes, dry nails, hair loss, they are underweight. Addicts look much older than their physiological age. All male drug addicts sooner or later develop impotence, as well as female addicts develop frigidity. Negatively affected by drugs and alcohol germ cells often result in the birth of weak and sick children with different congenital defects. Pregnancy in case of active drug use runs hard, with complications and high chances of miscarriage and preterm birth. After birth such children are growing poorly, lagging behind in their physical and mental development. They often get sick. Children whose mothers were on drugs during pregnancy are already born addicted to drugs with all ensuing consequences.

Finally take note that all drugs without any exception destroy the brain in the first place and you need not to get to the second one so long as you are using a drug the first one is sufficient. Doctor Akoury concludes that even if you smoke marijuana which is considered the weakest of all drugs occasionally, you are already initiating the irreversible effects of drug abuse on the brain which manifest in weakening attention, reduced memory capacity, in forming the typical for the drug addicts thinking and behavior patterns, which are very well shown in numerous drug addicts jokes and “freaky films” with their peculiar flat sense of humor. The stronger the drug the worse their effects therefore for the purpose of your good health understanding the three stages of drug addiction is very important. And with that done if you are suffering from any form of addiction, you now have an opportunity to correct it by scheduling for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury today for the commencement of your recovery process today.

Understanding the three stages of drug addiction: The three significant stages of drug addiction

Correcting the brain damage from drug abuse

August 5, 2015

Correcting the brain damage from drug abuse: The generator of pathological activity

Correcting the brain damage from drug abuse must be every ones priority if we have to defeat addiction and its consequences

Did you know that drugs are the major cause of the death of the brain cells? The brain is one of the most sensitive organs in any human body where everything starts and ends. Death is always registered the moment ones brain stops functioning. Therefore we all have a duty to keep the good health we have by correcting the brain damages from drug abuse and doctor Dalal Akoury is going to take us through the discussion to unlock some of the sensitive things that we must do to keep the proper functionality of the brain. According to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury, this could be the worst damage they cause to the brain. And remember that the degree of the brain damage from drug abuse is always defined by the prognosis of recovery. Sometimes unfavorable changes in the brain of a drug addict are so much overwhelming that they are not even able to realize the problem let alone the need for treatment. And even if they are, the deformed psyche, expressed in loss of willpower, doesn’t allow them to complete the treatment and refrain from using the drugs. Nonetheless such situations often come to the extreme cases. Besides that under normal circumstances addiction often creates a center of addiction in the brain, or so-called a generator of pathological activity for drug craving.

To illustrate this, let us take an example of a condition we are all familiar with that of epilepsy. This disease is characterized by periodically recurrent seizure syndrome and when a small portion of the brain cells (it can be quite small in size), figuratively speaking, “going crazy”. From time to time they reach the level of excitation which covers the whole brain. As a result, a person loses consciousness, falls down, the total muscle spasms make him convulse. When he comes regains his consciousness, he doesn’t remember what happened to him. Medically these “haywire” cells are called the generator of pathological activity. Now the connection is that about the same generator is formed in case of a drug addiction. However in this case the generator is that of attraction to drugs, self-excitation of which with different periodicity may also cover the entire brain and cause an uncontrollable, overpowering desire to take drugs thereafter. The activity of the generator leads to a constant, obsessive thoughts about drugs. Without treatment, this generator can persist for years, even if the person does not use the drugs during that time. Along with the formation of the generator of attraction to drugs, there is another type of brain damage from drug abuse, to the nervous system of a drug addict.

Another reason why correcting the brain damage from drug abuse is necessary is because the regular drug poisoning leads to severe changes in metabolism in the cells of the nervous system and especially in brain cells. These cells contain neurotransmitters which are the active substances whose presence in the inter-neuron synapses provides the transmission of electrical impulses to effectuate the functions of all kinds of nervous activities, including the higher nervous activity of a man’s mind, emotions, feelings, willpower, and so on. Doctor Akoury reiterates that the constant presence of the outer psycho active chemical substances badly affects the processes of neuro-transmission in the brain. And remember that the altered brain reactivity will reflects in the changes of well-being and behavior pattern of an addict. When this happens he becomes lethargic, listless, emotionally limited. Gradually he will begin to lose interest in life, his cognitive abilities dwindle. Against this background, frequent outbreaks of anger and irritability become regular.

It’s fair to say, that shortly after the “fix”, the deficit of neurotransmitters in an addict’s brain temporarily shifts back to “normal”, and the victim feels better for a while. However, with each subsequent dose of narcotic, the further infringements in neuro transmitter systems of the brain ultimately become more and more profound.

Correcting the brain damage from drug abuse: Drug withdrawal

During the “withdrawal” the most unpleasant sensations are connected with an abrupt plummet of content of neurotransmitters in the brain. For instance, the dopamine content due to severe lack of transmitters can’t be utilized in time and may exceed the normal level few times. The excessive amount of dopamine is a real poison to the brain.

Drug withdrawal (especially opiate withdrawal) physically and mentally is a very disruptive condition. It may last from few days to a few weeks. You can get more information about opiate (Heroin, Methadone) withdrawal by scheduling for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury today and she will be more than willing to help you find answers to all your questions today.

It is further important to note that during withdrawal some time will lapse and within a few days the level of neurotransmitters will gradually returns to normal even though this may not be completely done, but all the same the symptoms of drug withdrawal subsides. Besides that another danger will come in handy waiting for the patient. This is commonly known as “dry withdrawal”. After some time, when seemingly all is over, sometimes without any reason, but mostly after the stress, the balance of neurotransmitters breaks down again. At this point the patient starts re-experiencing some mental discomfort, nervousness, sleep disorders, hot-and-cold flashes and aggravated attraction to drugs.

Drug addiction, like many other chronic diseases, is characterized by fluctuating course, with alternate “ups and downs”. Most of the failures happen exactly on the peaks of these “ups”. That is why all drugs have the toxic effects and damages the body’s cells. This damage causes some element of pain in an individual and to fight this pain the victim will have to take more drugs further causing addiction to that substance and the situation to becomes a vicious circle: that is to say, the higher dose of drugs the more pain they cause, the more pain the more need to take the higher dose. As a result, the euphoric effect of the drugs, which was so attractive at the beginning, quickly disappears and leaves an addict to continue taking the drug just to avoid the pain and let him somehow to function “normally”.

Finally from the discussion we have seen that drug addiction is a very complex disease, which is fixed in many levels of the organism. Simple and quick methods, such as coding or isolated psychotherapy are absolutely inactive. To this doctor Akoury says that professionally drug addiction requires a serious multi-stage treatment at all levels and that will be very helpful in correcting the brain damage from drug abuse effectively.

Category Archives: Dr. Dalal Akoury