Substance Use Disorder Treatment with Nervine Herbs

February 27, 2015

Substance Use Disorder Treatment with Nervine Herbs

The basic knowledge of drugs is that they are substances that interfere with the normal functioning of the body. This therefore means that after using some drugs and substances a person’s behavior will be altered by the substances he has used. However it should be known that there are far more damages that drug and substances use cause to an individual health wise. Substance use disorder, also known as drug use disorder, is a condition in which the use of one or more substances leads to a clinically significant impairment or distress. In this context contrary to common knowledge that substance can mean any physical matter, the term substance here is used to mean drugs. Substance Use Disorder refers to the overuse of, or dependence on, a drug leading to effects that are detrimental to the individual’s physical and mental health as well as the effect on other people’s welfare.

The diagnosis of substance abuse disorder has improved treatment of patients. Before his approach to treatment of addiction related cases, doctors used to treat addiction and other clinically significant abuse as separate issues but with substance use disorder diagnosis, doctors can simultaneously treat both addiction and non-addiction related dysfunctional substance abuse in patients. the rule of this approach of treatment is that the doctor will identify the specific cause of problems to an individual for example if a person is alcohol-related issues then he Is termed to suffer alcohol use disorder while a person suffering from cocaine is termed to be suffering from stimulant use disorder.

Nervine Herbs

a person suffering from any substance use disorder will exhibit at least three and at most eleven specific symptoms related to the use of the substance with the most prominent examples of these symptoms being substance cravings, an inability to curb substance intake, the development of tolerance to a substance’s effects, serious life disruptions that stem from substance use, use of substances in clearly dangerous circumstances and devotion of significant time or resources to either using a substance or recovering from substance intake. However, people affected by the minimum number of symptoms have mild substance use disorder, while people affected with many or most of the required symptoms have major or severe substance use disorder but all of these people need substance use disorder treatment in order to be free from the effects of the drugs they are using.

Treatment of substance use disorder with nervine herbs

What are Nervine Herbs?

The Nervines are herbs that are very essential in supporting the nervous system. The nervines may work as tonics and to create a mild calming effect. The tonic nervines may include the Skullcap and the oat tops while Catnip and chamomile can be used for mild calming of the nervous system. Apart from these two categories there are also nervines that work as strong sedatives on the nervous system, they may include the Hops and the Valerian among others. Generally the nervine herbs are used to relieve nagging muscle tension and spasms, circular thoughts, insomnia, and the occasional worry that has become a part of day to day life. Some of these herbs provide multiple nervine actions, such as Skullcap which relaxes the muscles, helps calm worried thoughts, and nourishes the nervous system. Others such as Oat Tops, are not necessarily relaxing to the physical body, but help restore and support healthy nerve functioning when taken on a regular basis.

The nervous system is Composed of the all the nerve tissues in the body and plays very critical roles in the body. They are composed of the nerve tissues that receive stimuli and transmit stimuli to the nervous systems and to initiate responses. The central nervous system consists of the brain and the spinal cord and functions as the points of collection of all the nerve impulses. This is how the nervous system works; the sensory nervous system receives the stimuli, the central nervous system interprets them while the motor nervous system initiates responses.

The nervous system are very vital in the body and so they ought to be performing at optimum always, however due to some of the substances that a person may use such as drugs and alcohol the communication between these nerve tissues may be tampered with leading to rise of some complications in a person . Therefore there is need for the entire nervous system to replenished, relaxed and strengthened and nothing does that better than the nervines. The nervines are herbs that are specifically for the nervous system. They correct all the defects in the nervous system as well as strengthening the nervous system.

Nervine Herbs

Here are some of the useful Nervine Herbs

Catnip – this nervine is a very gentle sedative that is used in solving insomnia related problems. Some drugs may often leave the user with sleeplessness after along use. Catnip could be the answer. It’s also good for headaches.

California poppy – this herb has anti-anxiety, sedative, and analgesic properties. It’s used to promote relaxation in those seeking rest from nerve pain.

Passion flower – This stunning plant offers anti-spasmodic power and is helpful with tension headaches, occasional nerve pain, nervous restlessness, and restful sleep. Good for many symptoms of substance use disorder.

Lavender – Calming herb that is often used in aromatherapy applications for its mild calming action. This herb is uplifting hence good for low moods. It is good for mild anxiety and improves sleep quality. For persistent depression use lavender with holy basil and damiana.

Finally, Here at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center we are committed to availing help to addicts by availing some of the most integrative approaches to healing an addict. We advocate for natural healing to all kinds of addiction. In case you are struggling with addiction just call on Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for help.

Substance Use Disorder Treatment with Nervine Herbs

Prefrontal Cortex and Addiction

January 6, 2015

The Prefrontal Cortex Plays Crucial Role in Addiction

The prefrontal cortex enables us to make rational, sound decisions. It also helps us to override impulsive urges that may trigger reactions that are not in the best of our interests. If acted upon, these impulses urges can cause us to act without thinking. It is the prefrontal cortex that helps you to even maintain sound relationships around you. Each and every day you may be confronted by this impulsive urge but it is the prefrontal cortex that helps us think rationally and help override the impulsive urges. Obviously, this ability to inhibit impulses is very helpful. It enables us to function well in society. It protects us from harm by allowing us to consider the consequences of our actions. However, when the pre-frontal cortex is not functioning correctly, the opposite occurs. Addiction causes changes to the prefrontal cortex. These changes account for two characteristics of addiction: impulsivity and compulsivity.

In the past years, the loss of control over drug intake that occurs in addiction was initially believed to result from disruption of subcortical reward circuits. However, current studies in addictive behaviors have identified a key involvement of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) both through its regulation of limbic reward regions and its involvement in higher-order executive function such as self-control, salience attribution and awareness.in this article we will try to revisit studies that have been done in the past so as to reach an understanding on how the prefrontal cortex is involved in drug addiction. Most studies have suggested that disruption of the PFC in addiction underlies not only compulsive drug taking but also accounts for the damaging behaviors that are associated with addiction and the loss of free will.

In a study where rats were used, it was found that stimulating a specific part of the brain reduces compulsive cocaine seeking. The finding proposes a potential approach to changing addictive behavior. This study and other studies that have been done show that the prefrontal cortex that is involved in decision-making and inhibitory response control is compromised in addiction. Deficits in the prefrontal cortex are involved in drug addiction The Deep-layer pyramidal pre-limbic cortex neurons; is a layer of cells that reach into areas of the brain that have been implicated in drug-seeking behaviors. Activating the Deep-layer pyramidal pre-limbic cortex neurons might reduce the rats’ cocaine seeking.

Medical experts and researchers agree that compulsive drug taking, which brings a myriad of health and social consequences, is one of the most challenging aspects of human drug addiction. In 2011, an estimated 1.4 million Americans age 12 and older were past-month cocaine users. No medications have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treating cocaine addiction. Obviously, cocaine addiction doesn’t affect America alone but the whole world.

Animal model studies

Drs. Billy Chen and Antonello Bonci at NIH’s National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) have been using an animal model of cocaine addiction in a bid to gain insights into the neurobiology of compulsive drug use, trained rats learned to push levers to receive cocaine. When the cocaine doses were later followed by a mild electric shock to the foot, most rats stopped pushing the levers. Some rats, however, exhibited compulsive cocaine seeking by continuing to push the levers in spite of the foot shocks.

In this research, the researchers compared nerve cell firing patterns in the brains of the shock-sensitive and shock-resistant groups of rats. They studied a region of the prefrontal cortex that, in humans, is involved in decision making and inhibitory response control, which are both compromised in addiction. Their analysis focused on deep-layer pyramidal prelimbic cortex neurons because these cells reach into areas of the brain that have been implicated in drug-seeking behaviors. The study appeared online in Nature on April 3, 2013. The scientists found that almost twice as much current was needed to activate these neurons in compulsive cocaine-seeking rats than in the shock-sensitive rats or rats that hadn’t been exposed to cocaine. If these neurons are behind the rats’ compulsive behavior, the team reasoned, and then activating them might reduce the rats’ cocaine seeking behavior.

Prefrontal cortex For this study the scientists employed a light-based genetic, or optogenetic, technique to activate or inhibit pyramidal neurons in the prelimbic cortex at will. They injected harmless viruses engineered to deliver genes for producing proteins that, once embedded in the neuron’s surface this could induce or inhibit the cells’ activity in response to light of specific wavelengths. Tiny optic fibers were implanted in the rats’ brains to deliver light pulses to the cells. As predicted, activating these brain cells reduced cocaine seeking in the compulsive, shock-resistant rats. Inhibiting the cells in shock-sensitive rats increased cocaine seeking during foot-shock sessions.

“This exciting study offers a new direction of research for the treatment of cocaine and possibly other addictions,” says NIDA Director Dr. Nora D. Volkow. “We already knew, mainly from human brain emerging studies, that deficits in the prefrontal cortex are involved in drug addiction. Now that we have learned how fundamental these deficits are, we feel more confident than ever about the therapeutic promise of targeting that part of the brain.”, he concluded.

“By targeting a specific portion of the prefrontal cortex, our hope is to reduce compulsive cocaine seeking and craving in patients.” Bonci said as he reiterated that his group is now planning clinical trials to test noninvasive methods for stimulating this brain region in people. Dr. Dalal Akoury of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Center has dedicated her life to helping addicts restore their lives by use of integrative medicine. Call her on (843) 213-1480 for help.

The Prefrontal Cortex Plays Crucial Role in Addiction

Abstinence and Self-Help for Addiction

July 4, 2014

Abstinence and self-help for addiction – Drug Addiction

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Abstinence and self-help for addiction – Self-Help

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

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

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

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

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

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

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