Naloxone and Sex Addiction

May 23, 2015

The Role of Naloxone in Sex Addiction

Naloxone Sex addiction is not yet recognized by the American Psychiatric Association as a distinct diagnosis and they coat it in names like hypersexual disorder but are just that, it doesn’t reduce the severity that those addicted to sex suffer. Sex addiction is one of the most common addictions today that many teens as well as adults alike are enslaved to. Sex addiction has been on the rise thanks to the digital age that has availed pornographic materials at the click of the button. Just like with other forms of addiction exposure to erotic movies, books and pornographic clips play a role in escalating the rates of addiction generally and increasing an individual’s chances of getting into the bottomless abyss of sex addiction.

However, there is a misconception that sex addiction is just about sex, Robert Weiss the director of Sexual Recovery Institute in Los Angeles is quick to rubbish this, he says that sex addiction isn’t just about sex but rather the obsession about sex. Sex addiction is characterized by compulsive sexual thoughts and actions. If a person has a sex addiction he will no longer have the power to control the sexual desires that will crawl his mind all the time. When a person is addicted to sex he loses his will not only in controlling his/her desire for sex but he will also lose focus on other aspects of life as his thoughts become caged in a sexual abyss.

Just like any form of addiction sex addiction has its share of darkness, when one is addicted to sex, he will suffer the consequences in all his spheres of life; socially, physically and emotionally. As have been evident those who are addicted to sex may never maintain any steady relationship and even they may become withdrawn and find it hard to easily mingle in social circles. Like in heroin addiction, the brain chemistry will be adversely altered; the neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin become dependent on the acts of sex as they will become the only avenue through which the levels of dopamine can be boosted. When this doesn’t happen they will exhibit down feelings and depression and anxiety will find their way in.

However, sex addicts should be treated with care and shown love as most of them never played a part in the events that culminated into sex addiction. Statistics have shown that most of those who are addicted to sex got there because of acts of sexual abuse they were subjected to earlier in their lives. Sex abuse is a leading cause of sex addiction. Nevertheless the cause of sex addiction doesn’t matter what matters is the menace is real and is underrated by the American Psychiatric Association. The addicts need help just like other people addicted to drugs and other behavioral addictions.

Some of the signs and symptoms of sex addiction include;

Like I stated earlier, sex addiction impacts your life in all spheres; socially, physically and emotional. But since I can’t tell all about sex addiction in a single post, I will not delve much into these categories of the signs and symptoms.

Sex with multiple partners– when a person has an obsession for sex he may not draw the redline to demarcate who he involves with sexually and who he doesn’t and so he may engage in sexual activities with even strangers and this may put him / her at risk of venereal diseases.

They may often suffer mental emotional torture as the feelings of guilt loneliness and fear may creep in their thoughts most of the times they are lonely. Feelings of emptiness may even catapult their urge to meet new sexual partners.

Treating sex addiction with naloxone

Today there is little literature on the effectiveness of naloxone in treatment of sex addicts. There have been few research studies that have been done on the same and even the very studies that have been done were done on a much smaller scope to communicate any reliable information. With this said, naloxone isn’t a new drug as it has been used in the past for treatment of heroin overdose and addiction to opioids. This drug has been a favorite for many addicts and doctors as it is non-addictive unlike other opiates like methadone. It has been particularly been found to be effective in treatment of addiction-induced respiratory depression. It is also useful in ultra-rapid detoxifications and helps restore balance in the brain chemistry. Naloxone is an antagonist and works by blocking receptors in the brain hence breaking the chain in reward mechanism.

Today the WHO still maintains that naloxone is an essential drug owing to its effectiveness in treatment of heroin addiction. Its use in health institutions all over the world is approved by the FDA. There is much to be done in order to show the effects of this drug on sex addiction treatment. There has been growing body of interest in its use in the area as it has been found to be free from abuse by those using as it is not addictive.

Sex addiction isn’t about sex, it is the obsession about sex and lots must be done to free anybody caged in this. We at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center are committed to giving help to those addicted to sex. Could you be a victim of this menace, feel free to call on Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) for help.

The Role of Naloxone in Sex Addiction

Dopamine and Infidelity

May 23, 2015

Dopamine, Infidelity and Sex Addiction

Dopamine People think of infidelity differently from other social vices like marijuana addiction. They need to think of these two phenomena the same way since the behavior that takes place during an affair mimics exactly the behavior of a drug addict. A person who is addicted to sex or is practicing infidelity has been compared to a moth attracted to candle light. And infidelity has been referred to as “flame addiction.”

Infidelity can be defined as unfaithfulness in a relationship. It is a societal vice that has far reaching negative impacts on relationships and most painfully marriages. Infidelity is one of the major contributors to the tremendous numbers of divorce cases witnessed in the world today.

Another vice that goes hand in hand with infidelity is sex addiction. Sex addiction is in most cases the seed upon which infidelity sprouts. It is a compulsive behavior that completely takes control over the addicts life. The addict is willing to sacrifice what he/she cherishes most in order to preserve and continue his/her unhealthy behavior. They use sexuality to regulate their emotional life like relieving pain or anxiety.

Helping sex addicts and infidels requires first understanding the science of what happens in the brains of these people and seeking to find a way of controlling these biochemical processes towards the desired direction.

What happens when one falls in love?

The brain will produce changes in neurochemicals that alter the feelings of normality at the beginning, a period of infatuation. Then there will be a surge of adrenaline which will take the love struck individual to unimaginable heights. After this serotonin will drop thereby leaving a feeling of emptiness and an obsessive preoccupation with the other person. As have always been known, dopamine is the lighter of the flame addiction (infidelity).

What is dopamine?

Dopamine is a very crucial hormone as it is crucial for such effects as boldness, improved memory, attention, elation and a temporary desire to explore the world and take risks. During orgasm the levels of dopamine surge intensely and the person will be affected in similar manner to a person who has taken heroin. Dopamine is the hormone that causes addiction and once its levels have been fluctuated it will take up to a week to return to normal.

After dopamine surge has calmed down, prolactin is released and it works against the effects of dopamine causing such effects as depression, irritability and depletion.

If you have been blaming your lover for your post-sex and post-romance frustration, you need to know the chemistry causing it. It is advisable to have non-orgasmic sex as it helps avoid the dopamine peak and its side effects.

Dopamine and infidelity

Dopamine may cause infidelity. when a couple has been married and nothing is kept new or fresh the dopamine levels will be low while when a person has been seeing an attractive person out of marriage and he/she seems unreachable the levels of dopamine will surge and so the pursuit begins.

Since time immemorial, mating and reproduction is an activity that was not for the faint hearted as an individual has to pursue the possible mate with efforts and even fights to win. This could not be possible without a reward system, so the reward center was placed in the brain dopamine and it heightens when the pursuit for mate is successfully finished, hence a motivation to the pursuer.

Something new in relationship will boost the dopamine level that is why a couple who has been married for a long time will spend some nights without sex but a man who has just had sex may have sex with other women as the level of dopamine will be rekindled with each new partner. Infidelity is fuelled when the partner is playing hard to get as it heightens dopamine level.

Dopamine and sex addiction

Sex is addictive. All human behaviors that are rewarding in nature are prone to be addictive and sex is just one of the many addictive human behaviors, once a person has tasted the waters it becomes very hard to quit. If you need to break the chains of sex craving you need to be principled and committed to the course as it’s not an easy task.

Addictions sometimes do overlap and replace each other. When a person falls short on the dopamine triggered by having sex, he will turn to another source like eating, to fill the vacuum. This explains why some people prefer smoking a cigarette after sex; they seek the dopamine heights from nicotine smoking to make up for the falling levels after sex.

Apart from dopamine here are other hormones that may cause happiness but it is the hormone that persistently asks you to repeat an act that induces pleasure even when it has adverse effects.

Dopamine is a vital hormone but the pleasure it offers is addictive but you will never be willing to face the truth as it will be very rewarding. You therefore need to mind the frequency at which you do some pleasurable activities as you may become addicted to them.

Is there hope for infidels and sex addicts?

Dopamine Understanding the process of flame addiction is crucial to healing—for both the victim and perpetrator. For any person who wants to quit philandering, it is essential to cut all the links between him/her and the mate with whom they had an affair.

Just like drug addictions quitting this behavior needs commitment, you may fail many times but you should not give up on your marriage. Feel open; seek help from leaders and people you respect.

Finally, Sex addiction is a serious menace, please call on Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Centre will give you the support you require and help you wrestle down this menace.

Dopamine, Infidelity and Sex Addiction

Topamax and Alcoholism Treatment

May 22, 2015

Role of Topamax in Alcoholism Treatment

Topamax Alcoholism is serious problem that many people are still battling with today. After consuming alcohol for a long time, the brain chemistry becomes altered and there the brain becomes dependent on alcohol to function properly. Any person who is trapped in alcoholism may find it very hard to creep out of it, courtesy of cravings. for a person to be treated effectively of alcoholism he needs to have these cravings brought down without which all the possible positive outcomes during the treatment will all be in vain as very few people will be able to resist the craving for alcohol. Today almost a third of Americans who drink wine, spirits, beer and other alcoholic beverages are considered problem drinkers, meaning that they are at risk of becoming alcohol dependent, according to a 2005 study in the American Family Physician journal. Alcoholism is the final stage of alcohol addiction and it affects about 12 percent of the population. However alcoholism is not a problem of the Americans alone, it is a problem of the world, even in Middle East which was once considered an alcohol free territory has alcohol addicts.

Some of symptoms of alcoholism include;

Intense craving for alcohol
Inability to stop taking alcohol
Binge drinking
Other symptoms include; Nausea, sweating, shakiness, restlessness, or anxiety after drinking has stopped

The need for alcoholism treatment has led to rise of certain drugs that have been in use for some time. Alcohol dependence is a serious problem and FDA approved certain drugs like disulfiram (Antabuse and generic), naltrexone (ReVia, Vivitrol, and generic), and acamprosate (Campral). However these drugs haven’t been very successful in treating alcoholism as most of them had to be effective only when the patient has abstained from alcohol. This is surely a problem for alcohol cravings can never allow an addict to abstain before the problem is addressed. Therefore the need for a drug that could work even when the patient is still drinking rose. Topamax is the drug that was found to be effective in treatment of alcoholism as it could work without the need of the addict stopping the use of alcohol; Topamax was found to be very successful in treating volunteers who were still drinking heavily, according to a new analysis by the American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists. However effective it is, topiramate is not approved by the FDA to treat alcohol dependence.

The drug is approved for treatment of certain types of seizures and as remedy for some conditions like migraine headaches. topiramate is also used as an off-label to combat alcoholism because it does not only not only quell other effects of alcohol but also appears to correct the brain chemistry imbalance caused by chronic drinking which includes a decrease in rewarding effects in the brain from continued alcohol consumption.

Speaking about the effectiveness of topiramate in treatment of alcoholism, Henry R. Kranzler, M.D., associate scientific director of the Alcohol Research Center at the University of Connecticut had this to say, “The advantages of topiramate are that it works well and can be used in people who are actively drinking,” however Kranzler emphasized the negative effects of using the drug to treat alcoholism, “But it causes troublesome side effects, especially memory and thinking problems and sedation. To minimize them, the dosage must be increased slowly over as long as eight weeks, which requires multiple doctor visits and means patients, may not achieve results as quickly as they would with another medication.” therefore it must be administered by a qualified doctor who’ll know the right dosage.

How effective is topiramate in treatment of alcoholism?

There have been some researchers that have been done to show the effectiveness of topiramate in treating alcoholism. In two double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trials, topiramate was found effective as it did not only decrease drinking but also increased abstinence in alcohol-dependent adults. The craving for alcohol was also decreased in one of the two studies and it also improved the quality of life of the addicts. Other problems that are always associated with excessive drinking like blood pressure issues, liver enzyme and increasing cholesterol levels were also remedied. However these two studies were only conducted for 12 to 14 weeks, therefore the long-term effectiveness of the drug could not be determined. Another reason that made these results doubtable was the fact that Topamax manufacturers partly or fully funded these trials.

Topamax In another study that was not blinded, Spanish researchers randomly assigned alcohol-dependent patients to treatment with either topiramate or naltrexone for six months. The patients knew that they were taking the medication and which drug they took. In this study topiramate was found to be very effective in reducing the cravings for alcohol. In another observational study in Spain it was found that topiramate was effective in treating alcoholics who had failed to respond to other standard treatments for alcoholism. It helped reduce craving and drinking in these patients.

The results of these researches are very positive on the use of topiramate in treatment of alcoholism however there is still need to come up with other long term research to help determine whether the use of topiramate for treatment of alcoholism can be beneficial, also the need for accurate dosing should be looked into to minimize chances of the patients suffering gross side effects.

Alcoholism is a menace that should be fought by all means that is why we at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center are committed to availing help to addicts and offering them a place to call home. It does not matter what kind of addiction you are wrestling with right now, just call on Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) today and begin your journey to victory against addiction.

Role of Topamax in Alcoholism Treatment

Sex Addiction Affects the Nervous System

May 21, 2015

Neurobiology of Sex Addiction

Sex addiction is a crucial topic and when anybody has taken time to read very post about it, it is only prudent that I simplify everything and walk along with everyone as know about the neurobiology of sex addiction. This is really necessary as not very person who suffers from sex addiction can understand medicine jargons. To begin with;

What is Neurobiology?

This is the study of cells of the nervous system and how these cells are organized into functional circuits that helps in processing information and influence behaviors. Neurobiology is a sub unit of both biology and neuroscience. In comparison, neuroscience is broader as a scientific study of the nervous system than neurobiology.

The nervous system is very essential in the body owing to its vital functions. Firstly let’s delve into the functions of the neurons that we may validate its relevance in this topic of sex addiction. The neurons are cells that are specialized to receive, propagate, and transmit electrochemical impulses to initiate certain responses that are important for optimum functioning of the body. The human brain has neurons that amount to more than billions. The neurons are specialized to perform different functions; they are also diverse in morphology.

The nervous system is very important owing to its many function, it is therefore essential that it remains healthy all the time as any disorder may affect it negatively and culminate into more serious or even fatal conditions. Anytime there is a defect in the neurotransmitters the person must suffer the effects. Contrary to what people think, imbalances in the neurotransmitters never affect the health of a person only but also it influences the behaviors of a person.

Neurobiological disorders refer to diseases of the nervous system and they may be caused by genetic, metabolic and other biological factors. Most of the disorders termed as psychiatric disorders are neurobiological. They include but not limited to; autism, obsessive-compulsive disorders, Tourette syndrome, bipolar disorders and even schizophrenia. These disorders are common and can affect anybody, it is advisable to adopt good nutrition and avoid substances that may deplete the neurons and interfere with the proper functioning of the nervous system. In this post we will look at the changes or imbalance in the nervous system that may lead to sex addiction and how sex addiction relates to these neurotransmitters.

Neurobiology of sex addiction

For there to be an effective approach in sex addiction treatment, there has to be a detailed understanding of how the compulsive behavior affects the brain. This has led to many researchers to establish the link. In a research done by the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge, a study that looked into brain activity in nineteen male patients affected by compulsive sexual behavior and then compared them to the same number of healthy controls. The patients that participated in this research study had begun watching pornography at early stages in their lives as opposed to the healthy volunteers.

Dr. Valerie Voon, a Welcome Trust Intermediate Clinical Fellow at the University of Cambridge explained that the patients had been suffering from lack of control of their sexual desires and acts and this had exposed them to adverse consequences that were weighing them down, ruining their lives and relationships. The doctor further observed that these patients exhibited the characteristics similar to those who from drug addictions. Part of the research goals was to show if there were similarities in the brain activity of sex addicts and drug addicts.

For this study, were shown videos some of which were sexually explicit while others were just sport videos, their brain activity was thereafter monitored by the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), which uses a blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal to measure brain activity.

The researchers found that three regions in particular were more active in the brains of the people with compulsive sexual behavior compared with the healthy volunteers. Considerably, these regions; the ventral striatum, dorsal anterior cingulate and amygdala were regions that are also particularly activated in drug addicts when shown drug stimuli. The ventral striatum is the part of brain that is involved in processing reward and motivation, while the dorsal anterior cingulate is implicated in anticipating rewards and drug craving. The amygdala is involved in processing the significance of events and emotions.

Brain activity mirrors in sex addiction is similar to that in drug addiction

When the patients were asked to rate their level of desire after watching the explicit sexual videos, they showed higher levels of sexual desire but when asked when they liked them, they didn’t rate them high an indication that they watch porn compulsively but they really don’t like watching porn. This phenomenon is similar to drug addicts who do drugs but they don’t like doing it. Their desire was also correlated with higher interactions between regions within the network identified with greater cross-talk between the dorsal cingulate, ventral striatum and amygdala for explicit as compared to sports videos.

SEx Addiction The researchers verified that the brain activity of those who are addicted to sex is similar to the brain activity of patents who are addicted to drugs and other substances.

“There are clear differences in brain activity between patients who have compulsive sexual behavior and healthy volunteers. These differences mirror those of drug addicts,” concludes Dr. Voon.

There is need to restore the chemical balances in the brain for a successful addiction treatment. At AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center we have made it our priority to ensure that every addict has a place he can call on and find a lasting help. Call on Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for help.

Neurobiology of Sex Addiction

Perpetual Fear of Exposure Ruins Relationship

May 21, 2015

Perpetual Fear of Exposure Ruins Relationship with Partners

Relationship Any form of addiction works on the addict as some form of self-soothing emotional escapade from all sorts of pressures and anxieties that addicts face in life as a result of the drug use or as a result of life complexities.

Addicts attempt to meet their primary emotional and mental needs with a substance or behavior which supersedes reason. No matter how much sex or pornography a person consumes, the core emotion with which they are struggling is unmoved, and the feelings of emptiness are exacerbated by the very “remedy” intended to bring relief. People free of addiction tend to meet those primary needs with healthy physical and relational behaviors that serve as a priority over other forms of connection.

When one partner in a marriage or relationship is a sexual addict, both partners will have to suffer. The extent to which each partner is impacted by the sexual compulsivity will vary depending on the type of addiction, the length of time he has been a victim, the pace of progress of the menace, the presence/absence of children in the family, presence of other co-occurring addictions among other factors. In every marriage, if a partner has sex addiction, the impact is enough to cause gross damage to the relationship or the family. There is therefore need for treatment so that the condition of the addict may not worsen. However, the partner who is not yet addicted also needs help.

A sexual addict will leave the partner feeling guilty and shameful and sometimes even bitter and these calls for counseling to help them eradicate these thoughts from their minds as they may escalate into more serious effects. These feelings will have a negative bearing on the relationship and the un-addicted partner may begin viewing him/herself as an object of desire that is abused and misused, with these thoughts he/she is bound to be distant and this creates discord in the relationship.

How can fear of exposure in a female sex addict ruin a relationship?

Fear of exposure causes a female sex addict to act in certain ways that jeopardize her relationships. The shame from her sexual acts and the fear of being exposed and rejected are powerful motivators that keep the sex addict trapped in isolation. She closes himself off, not realizing she’s creating a “vacuum of emptiness” inside. This “vacuum of emptiness” is unbearable and so she “fixes it” by acting out sexually. But her acting out only produces more shame and emptiness, and a vicious cycle sets in.

To try to run from the mess she is on the inside, she fakes it on the outside. Some will spend more of their time din their jobs and neglect the time they have for their partners; they mostly do this in hope that their success in their careers may fill their vacuums in love.

Some will turn to food, drugs, relationships and alcohol in pursuit of a fix for the vacuum they ail from, all these will only beckon more sexual acts that only make the relationship between her and her husband sour. However even after engaging in sexual activities with different people the hunger for more will be insatiable hence they will remain trapped in the behavior.

She becomes increasingly self-centered.

In her isolated state the sex addict becomes the center of her world. She becomes obsessed with acting out (or not doing so) her wants, problems, feelings and she also becomes very worried about what people think and say about her.

She obsesses about acting out, (or not acting out), her wants, her problems, how she is feeling at the moment, looking successful and what others think about her. She also becomes egocentric and judgmental making it hard for her to be understood and pleased by the rest of her family members; her children and husband as well as those in the extended family circle.

Her values will also change and she may become a person whose character is wanting and no one really would like to spend time with.

Her perceptions, values and decision making processes are distorted.

She doesn’t see how her decisions affect herself and others and she can’t see the devastating long term consequences of her choices. Her distorted ambitions and her insecure and narrow perspective leave her prone to making big mistakes when crucial decisions need to be made both in her personal and professional life.

She’s blind to the fact that the course she’s on is destructive to herself, her family, her employer and the church.

Fear causes fatigue and anxiety that affect general health.

relationship The stress sex addiction puts on her immune system and lowers it making the addict more susceptible to diseases like colds and other infections of the respiratory system.

Sexual addiction alters the shape of the brain and drains natural levels of serotonin. It also interferes with the nervous system and may also affect your sleep and energy levels will be drained. Depression and anxiety will find their way in and cause the mayhem they are known to cause; emotional instability. With depression they will be bound to use antidepressants to ease the tension and this may be a leeway to some ailments.

Fear of exposure by female sex addicts has far reaching effects on their social lives. At AWAREmed Health and Wellness resource center, help and support is available. Call Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) for expert advice.

Perpetual Fear of Exposure Ruins Relationship with Partners

Category Archives: Uncategorized

Naloxone and Sex Addiction

The Role of Naloxone in Sex Addiction

Treating sex addiction with naloxone

The Role of Naloxone in Sex Addiction

Dopamine and Infidelity

Dopamine, Infidelity and Sex Addiction