Evidence Based Treatment Practices for Substance Use Disorders

March 12, 2016

Evidence Based Treatment Practices for Substance Use Disorders

substance abuse Selecting the appropriate addiction treatment option is very crucial. The individual suffering from substance use may only have one shot at recovery as there are no guarantees that they will ever gather-up the motivation to try quitting substance use again. Unfortunately however, there have been many reported cases where people have attempted quitting but have ended up with a treatment that wasn’t the best for them. In order to ensure that better choices are made when choosing the best treatment to give someone with substance disorders, adequate information is very important. The data gathered about the individual and the treatment option has to be reliable and dependable. By selecting an evidence-based treatment option for substance use disorders, the individual is set in the best position where it is much likely for them to enter a path that leads to recovery.

Definition of Evidence Based Treatment Practices for Substance Use Disorders

Whenever people do online searches for possible treatment options for substance use, they will find many possible treatment options which may be overwhelming. Aggravating the issue is the fact that many of these treatment practices are pure scams or a little more than scams. Some of these results promise the individuals instant results simply by drinking some herbs, swallowing some pill or by wearing some special necklace. Evidence based treatments are therefore put in place to ensure that the individual trying to quit addiction is placed next to the best options or resources that could help them in their journey to freedom.

Evidence Levels to Guide the EBT Practices

All types of evidence cannot be treated equally by professionals; some will get more attention than the others. Data obtained from subjective or anecdotal approaches are considered to be of lesser value as against data obtained from objective scientific approaches or researches. Now this is not to mean that subjective or anecdotal evidence is not of important use because they are but there are challenges with information proceeding from such sources. Such problems as human biases and errors are common with such methods. There are different evidence levels that can be assigned to Substance use Disorder treatments and they include:

Level 1: Indicates evidence that proceeds from true experimental designs and that includes trials performed in the clinic that include some kind of randomization.

Level 2: Indicates evidence that proceeds from quasi-experimental designs that includes no kind of randomization

Level 3: Talks about evidence emanating from professional consensus. For instance, a professional community may believe that a particular treatment works better than the other.

Level 4: Speaks of evidence that proceeds from qualitative literature reviews and publications that of good authority

Level 5: Indicates anecdotal information involving personal experiences and accounts.

From the above, evidence proceeding from Level 1 is of the utmost importance and value while evidence at Level 5 has the least value.

Issues with Anecdotal Evidence

Normally in life, humans tend to learn easily from other people’s personal stories and experiences. It is really simple, people tend to connect real time when someone is talking about what they are going through presently. The belief is there that the person is telling the truth and as such their personal experiences can be related to. It makes it easier to learn from the errors and mistakes such people had in order to avoid the pains they went through and wasted time. However, it is also very natural for humans to think anecdotally that thinking scientifically and there are problems with such thinking such as:

Human have been absolutely wired to locate connections between things even when these connections may not actually be there
The ways people find interpretation to things they have been through and what has happened to them is extremely affected by personal biases. What this means that even when the same event happen to similar kinds of people, their interpretation of the event might be absolutely different.
Humans sometimes have hidden motives and their interpretation of their evidence may be to support these hidden motives.
People, more often than not, tend to select experiences and information that best suits what they already believe as their reality.
In many ways, the human sense can be compromised and this means events can be inaccurately interpreted and this can be a big problem for those whose only reliance is on eye witness testimonies.
Humans possess a subconscious confirmation bias which means that they are much more likely to pay attention to things that relates to what they already believe as their reality and miss things that prove their belief otherwise.

For the above reasons, anecdotal evidences when treating Substance use disorders are taken with a pinch of salt.

Examples of Evidence Based Treatment Practices for Substance Use Disorders

Below are some of the best evidence based treatment practices for substance use disorders:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): This is a psychotherapeutic approach to the treatment of substance use disorders. Many studies have shown and proven the efficacy of this approach when dealing with addictions.
The Matrix Model: This is also one of the effective Evidence based treatments used in treating the misuse of stimulants. This employs education and encouragement practices to help the individual recover.
The Community Reinforcement Approach: This approach seeks to provide supports for the addicted individual within a common community of addicted people who are trying to recover. This is usually combined with a reward scheme that rewards people who can abstain for a certain period of time.
Drugs such as topiramate, acamprosate and disulfiram have been confirmed very useful pharmaceutical agents that are evidence backed when treating substance use disorders. Disulfiram, for instance, make people feel sick when they drink alcohol.
The 12 Step Facilitation Therapy is a kind of EBT that encourages addicted individuals to participate in a 12 step program.
Motivational Enhancement Therapy: This used a counselling approach which is aimed primarily at increasing the individual’s motivation to quit substance misuse. This involves motivating the individual to see themselves in a positive light and see themselves as being able to quit addiction.

It is very imperative for clinicians and health professionals to employ evidence based practices in treatment of substance use disorders as this helps to greatly improve the chances of the addicted individual’s recovery and prevents the possibility of them retracting and sinking deeper into addiction.

Why medical detox is necessary to addicts

Good nutrition and diet for a recovering person

November 23, 2015

Good nutrition and diet for a recovering person: Post-acute withdrawal symptoms

Good nutrition and diet for a recovering person is very essential in the ultimate success of addiction treatment process

When it comes to proper management of alcohol and drug addiction, nutrition will always play a very significant role in the whole process. If you have been with us for a while now you must have read our postings concerning the post-acute withdrawal symptoms and how well they can be managed as a means of keeping the scourge of addiction to manageable levels. This is what we want to progress on while concentrating on the good nutrition and diet for a recovering person (addict). When considering nutrition, three things come to mind almost immediately and that is to say that there must be three well-balanced meals daily, at least three nutritious snacks daily and of course ensuring that there is no sugar and caffeine in our menu. Doctor Dalal Akoury a veteran addiction expert is very much concerned with what is going round in our societies today. She says that we are living in a very stressful society where everybody is running up and down because of the magnitude of stressful lives that they live. Because of this, this topic has become very necessary and doctor Akoury is not missing her words, she says that hunger produces stress.

I hope we are in agreement with you on that and so we must collectively and individually to seek for solutions to contain hunger and bring stress to manageable. From her many years of experience, doctor Akoury is advising that in order to live a healthy life based on good nutrition, the following will be very necessary:

Try to plan your eating schedule so that you do not skip meals and so that you can have periodic nutritious snacks
Do not eat candy, donuts, soft drinks, potato chips, or other high calorie, low nutrient foods
You should specifically avoid foods that produce stress such as concentrated sweets and caffeine. Both of these produce the same kind of chemical reaction in your body as being frightened or overly excited.
Concentrated sweets such as candy, jelly, syrup, and sugar-sweetened soft drinks will give you a quick “pick-up,” but you will experience a let-down about an hour later accompanied by nervousness and irritability.

With the application of these tips you are certainly going to see a big difference however, remember that your reason for eating a snack should be to combat fatigue and nervousness and having a nutritious snack before you feel hungry to prevent a craving for sweets will be very ideal say doctor Dalal Akoury. Just to further make emphasis on that let me share with you briefly what good nutrition can do and has done to other people. According to one of my patient who is a recovering alcoholic, she was in the habit of eating a large quantity of ice cream every night. She often talked about the craving for it she felt, and believed that by eating it she was reducing a craving for alcohol. The next morning she always felt sluggish and irritable. Throughout the day her stress increased until it was relieved by the ice cream. When one day out team of professional counselors suggested for her that she needs to remove the ice cream from her diet she felt she could not get along without it. When our counselors examined her diet it was evident that she consistently skipped breakfast and was not getting adequate nutrition throughout the day. She later agreed to try eating a balanced diet and to eliminate the ice cream on a trial basis. By and by she discovered that when she ate a balanced diet and ate regular meals and several nutritious snacks throughout the day her craving for ice cream disappeared and she could easily eliminate it from her life. What does communicate for you? Good nutrition and diet for a recovering person works and your situation is no different.

As you consider that it is also important to note that caffeine also causes nervousness and restlessness. It may also interfere with concentration and your ability to sleep. Loss of sleep or irregular sleep causes irritability, depression, and anxiety. These can be corrected in various ways including: Exercise, Relaxation, Spirituality and Balanced living. For the purpose of this article, we are going to make emphasis on the benefits of exercise and progress with the next three in our next article. This is going to be a continuation of this and so you don’t want to miss it. Therefore keep on the link and let us learn objectively together.

Good nutrition and Diet for a recovering person: Exercise

Even though many people don’t embrace exercise, physical activities are very essential in rebuilding the body and keeps it functioning properly while at the same time reducing stress. One of the goodness of exercise among other things is that it produces chemicals in an individuals’ brain that make them feeling pleasantly good. These chemicals are nature’s own tranquilizers to relieve pain, anxiety and tension. It is however important to note that different types of exercise are helpful for different reasons, like for instance stretching and aerobic exercise will probably be most helpful for your recovery.

Stretching exercises help to keep your body limber and to relieve muscle tension.
Aerobics are rhythmical and vigorous exercises for the large muscles. They are intended to raise your heart rate to 75% of its maximum rate and maintain that rate for at least 20-30 minutes.

Professionally we recommend regular use of aerobic exercise e.g. jogging, swimming, jumping rope, and cycling are common aerobic exercises, or you might want to join an aerobics class. Dancing can also be aerobic, but remember that it must be done vigorously. Many recovering people coming out from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center will testify to the value of exercise in reducing the intensity of PAW symptoms. After they exercise they feel much better, find it easier to concentrate and remember, and are able to be more productive. Doctor Akoury therefore advices that for you to succeed in the journey of addiction recovery, it is important that you choose a form of exercise that is fun for you so that you will stick with it. Most doctors and health books will tell you to exercise three or four times a week which is fine, nonetheless we want to add and recommend that recovering people should actually make time exercise at least daily owing to its value in reducing stress. Any day that you do not exercise is a day that you are cheating yourself of a way to feel more relaxed, be more productive, and have more energy. Whatever exercise you choose, remember not to over-do it! And if it hurts stop doing it and seek guidance from the experts on a possible replacement. Take note that the theory that in the old adage “no pain, no gain” is not true for recovering people. Under this consistency and regularity are the key words for the recovering person.

Good nutrition and diet for a recovering person: Post-acute withdrawal symptoms

Seeking for support in dealing with addiction

August 27, 2015

Seeking for support in dealing with addiction: Why it is necessary that you get help from the professionals?

Seeking for support in dealing with addiction from experts is paramount in solving all problems of addiction and avoiding future relapse.

The journey of addiction recovery will not be an easy one and therefore when adding nutrition to your list of elements and tools of fighting addiction, it will be very important for you to find and collaborate with a trained nutritionist who can tailor your diet to your specific needs in recovery. Remember that no matter where you live, seeking for support in dealing with addiction is not optional and for sure it will not be difficult for you finding a trained nutritionist within your locality. The good news to you is that when you reach out for experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury, you will not only find nutritionist but also highly qualified addiction experts who will be able to holistically address all your nutritional and addiction needs professionally and timely leaving you to enjoy your life to the fullest thereafter.

Dr. Akoury is fellowship trained and certified in anti-aging functional and regenerative medicine, as well as having more than twenty years of accumulated experience in emergency medicine, pediatrics, and a master’s degree in public health. She has also served fellowships in pediatric hematology/oncology and has performed research in leukemia and the effects of smoking. Besides that her decision to create a medical 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 was guided by the enormous struggle that she saw in the faces of those struggling with addiction problems. It will also interest you to note that 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 or any of your loved ones is struggling with any kind of addiction, you can reach out for her on telephone number 843 213 1480 and schedule for an appointment with her to have all your addiction needs professionally addressed today.

Seeking for support in dealing with addiction: The sugar saboteur and food as a substitute addiction

In her practice, doctor Akoury strongly emphasizes on sugar regulation because of its addictive nature. It is not uncommon, she says, for people recovering from drug and alcohol addiction to become addicted to sugar. Alcoholics are especially prone to sugar addiction and to the energy rollercoaster that accompanies it, nonetheless that is not all because sugar addiction also affects other addicts too. Akoury believes that eating in a way that promotes blood sugar spikes and crashes is a recipe for disaster when it comes to maintaining your sobriety. She says that when you get that blood sugar crash, your body craves for more sugar. In an alcoholic’s mind, and it works this way in a drug addict’s mind too, when you crave sugar it immediately translates in your brain to alcohol and you get a really strong craving for alcohol. It may be a craving that you can’t control. By regulating their blood sugar, recovering alcoholics can avoid the sugar highs and lows that often send them running for a drink. According to her, in many cases, an addict’s overwhelming urge for his or her next fix is actually a sugar craving in disguise.

The tendency for recovering addicts to develop sugar addiction as they withdraw from alcohol or drugs is an example of a very common phenomenon in addiction recovery. It is not uncommon for those recovering from addiction to turn to food as a replacement. According to a study published in the international research journal Appetite, men in the early stages of recovery often practice dysfunctional eating habits, including substituting food for their drug of choice.

Seeking for support in dealing with addiction: The role of amino acids

Professionals at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center agrees that one of the most promising areas of nutritional therapy for recovering addicts relates to neurotransmitters, amino acids, and how they all affect the brain. Research has also demonstrated that the substantial role neurotransmitters, the chemicals that transmit messages between neurons and other cells in the body, play in addiction.

The connection between neurotransmitters and addiction results from the ability of drugs and alcohol to impact the brain’s output of certain neurotransmitters. For example, cocaine causes the brain to increase its production of the neurotransmitter dopamine which impacts mood and stimulates the feeling of pleasure. A problem arises, however, when the brain has been artificially stimulated to produce a neurotransmitter so often that it no longer produces this neurotransmitter on its own. Essentially, what this means is those recovering from addiction are dealing with a brain that no longer creates neurotransmitters, like dopamine, which play an integral role in their well-being.

According to doctor Akoury, amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein, are precursors to neurotransmitters including those most related to addiction like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. This connection indicates the potential to treat addiction through the targeted consumption of amino acids, which can be done through the intake of certain foods or supplements. Since dopamine is the key neurotransmitter involved with addiction and is associated with ‘reward,’ it is critical to restore depleted dopamine levels through a higher protein intake. Phenylalanine is an essential amino acid which is widespread in food that becomes tyrosine, which is converted to dopamine.

An example of how amino acid supplementation works for addiction can be found in the instance of alcohol withdrawal. Alcoholics going through withdrawal experience an increased turnover of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine. The amino acid phenylalanine, however, is a precursor to norepinephrine. If an individual recovering from alcohol addiction eats foods high in phenylalanine, like meat and fish, he will be helping to fulfill the need for this neurotransmitter during withdrawal.

Finally says doctor Akoury, it is important to note that dietary recommendations do vary mostly depending on the substance you are withdrawing from. Alcohol and opiates, for example, negatively impact the stomach it therefore means that people recovering from these substances should work to restore gut health through increased intake of probiotics. Cocaine however is associated with essential fatty acid deficiency, so those recovering from cocaine addiction would benefit from increased consumption of Omega 3. Because of these nuances in each recovering addict’s dietary needs, it is important to collaborate with a trained nutritionist to determine what nutritional approach will help you most on your road to recovery.

Seeking for support in dealing with addiction: Why it is necessary that you get help from the professionals?

Nutrients offer a healing process for substance abuse

August 25, 2015

Nutrients offer a healing process for substance abuse: The effects of nutrition in eliminating addiction

Nutrients offer a healing process for substance abuse and this needs to be embraced

When the body is loaded with toxic elements, it is only fair that something be done to detoxify the unhealthy elements in the body. A lot of time we contaminate our body systems with very dangerous substances bot hard and soft either knowingly or ignorantly. In all these the biggest problem has been the ever increasing substance abuse. Many people are today addicted to so many drugs and yet they live in denial of what is happening to them. As a result of this helping them becomes very difficult. It is a pity that as they live in denial, it is their loved ones who shoulder the burden and pain of caring for them and most painfully is that by the time the come to the full acknowledgement of their addiction problem, a lot of damage shall have been done leaving very little to be done in helping them. Realizing the magnitude of the problem brought to us by addiction, we want to look at the possibilities we have in dealing with this problem. Speaking to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury (MD) and founder of the facility, we are professionally informed that nutrients offer a healing process for substance abuse in very many ways. This is what we want to focus on throughout this discussion, and with the help of doctor Dalal Akoury a veteran addiction expert of over two decades, we are going to have a very healthy learning experience that you don’t want to miss. Let’s begin the discussion with understanding healing and nourishment as far as substance abuse is concern.

Nutrients offer a healing process for substance abuse: Heal and nourish

Professionally doctor Akoury acknowledges that there is nothing good about substance abuse in it’s entirely. It is a well-known fact that substance abuse often lead to vitamin and mineral deficiencies. These deficiencies are characterizing with lots of health threats both to the physical and mental health, thereby damaging vital organs and the nervous system, and decrease immunity. Harmful lifestyles often are associated with addiction, such as poor eating patterns, lack of exercise, and changes in sleep patterns. These compounding factors result in an increased risk of long-term health problems, including metabolic syndrome, diabetes, hypertension, weight problems, and eating disorders. From that narration it is evident that substance abuse is a typical health hazard that can ruin a whole generation if not addressed timely.

Therefore to help the individual members of the societies recover from the effects of substance abuse, it’s important to supply them with well balanced, healthy and appropriate meals. Because of the intensity of individual addiction levels, this may prove to be very difficult during the initial stages when the individual is still undergoing the process of detoxification. However the zeal of finding lasting solutions must never be hampered by this challenge. Therefore the moment the patient is deemed stable for oral intake no time must be wasted in supplying the healthy and well balance diet. Doctor Akoury is very categorical that calculating adequate calories for each patient will help them manage hypoglycemia, improve deficiencies, and achieve or maintain an appropriate healthy weight. We must therefore remain focus in ensuring that our loved ones who are abusing drugs are consistent in their consumption of scheduled meals and snacks and also to increase their level and amount of physical activity. This will go a long way in helping them address all these issues of substance abuse as well as contribute to stress management and improved sleep.

Nutrients offer a healing process for substance abuse: Nutritional deficiencies and medical conditions

It’s vital to correct any nutritional deficiencies and address any medical conditions, as continued malnutrition and instability increase disease risk and will produce cravings for drugs or alcohol. Increased consumption of nutrient-dense foods like fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fish will be very instrumental in correcting any nutritional deficiencies alongside all other important antioxidants. Doctor Akoury says that besides nutritional deficiencies these foods also help a great deal in decreasing levels of inflammation, reduce cell oxidation, and provide the basics of a healthy diet. From the discussion so far it is evident that we can easily deal with substance abuse and all it associates in one single action of sufficiency of nutrients. If this is an avenue of solution, then I want to encourage you to waste no time in seeking for guidelines on how to go about this. Therefore if you are lost on where to start from then you need to call and schedule for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury today so that you can have an opportunity to have all your concerns about how nutrition offers a healing process for substance abuse and any other concern you may be having addressed.

Nutrients offer a healing process for substance abuse: Psychotherapy

Finally as we move towards the conclusion of this discussion, doctor Akoury is registering with us that besides nutrition, psychotherapy is also very important part of the healing process for substance abuse patients. In this regard says doctor Akoury such patients should be encouraged to seek regular help from counselors or support groups since psychological and social problems are common. Nevertheless you can also reach out for doctor Akoury who is passionate about helping people like you get back their lives on track bay calling her on telephone number 843 213 1480 and she will be able to attend to you professionally. And remember that due to her passion in helping the society kick out addiction from their lives, Dr. Akoury made a decision to create a medical 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. It will also interest you to note that 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. If there is any one to consult with in this discipline, it can only be with doctor Dalal Akoury.

Nutrients offer a healing process for substance abuse: The effects of nutrition in eliminating addiction

Understanding the substance Cocaine and Adderall Ritalin

August 12, 2015

Understanding the substance Cocaine and Adderall Ritalin: Why Ritalin can be addictive

Understanding the substance Cocaine and Adderall Ritalin is very crucial if we are to defeat all the elements of addiction that are associated with it.

Understanding the substance Cocaine and Adderall Ritalin begins by first appreciating their roles into the brain. These drugs can be very addictive if taken in higher doses. In fact Ritalin works by increasing the dopamine output in the brain, which helps to improve concentration. Dopamine is also the neurotransmitter very much associated with reward and pleasure in the brain, and for this reason when Ritalin is taken in higher doses than the recommended amounts it can result in euphoria. Anything that causes a psychotropic reaction (a high) can result in a psychological addiction, and Ritalin is no different. Patients with ADHD who require Ritalin therapy are given the medication in gradually increasing dosages to slowly and steadily build up base levels of dopamine in the brain, and when this process occurs over time and in a controlled manner, there is no intoxication, and there is no risk of addiction.

Understanding the substance Cocaine and Adderall Ritalin: Addictive if abused

When people take the medication for non-clinical reasons, they tend to take a higher dosage, do get high, and with prolonged abuse do find themselves addicted. Adults and children taking the medication for a legitimate medical condition, and following a doctor’s recommendations for dosage amounts and frequency, have little to worry about. Adults prescribed Ritalin sometimes do experiment with higher doses, and there have been thousands of cases where parents may also take and abuse their children’s medications. Although not as potent as a strict amphetamine, the abuse of Ritalin can be quite pleasurable, and is also associated positively with weight loss, and as such can be quite tempting.

Understanding the substance Cocaine and Adderall Ritalin: Ritalin withdrawal symptoms

Doctor Dalal Akoury says that once a person becomes addicted to Ritalin, when they try to stop taking the drug, they will experience a syndrome of withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms of withdrawal include: Tiredness, anxiety, depression, lethargy, hunger, cravings and many other symptoms.

The withdrawal and detox off of Ritalin presents very similarly to other psycho stimulants like crystal meth and cocaine, and the symptoms are predominantly internal and psychological in nature. Detox can best be accomplished in a facility away from access to the drug, and with the prescription of appropriate psychiatric medications that can take the edge off the depression and anxiety.

Understanding the substance Cocaine and Adderall Ritalin: Adderall

Adderall is commonly prescribed to patients who have difficulty controlling their actions, maintaining focus, or staying awake. It contains the active ingredients dextro-amphetamine and levo-amphetamine, both of which are psycho-stimulant amphetamine molecules. Adderall was first introduced into the public in 1996 as an instant-release (IR) drug by Shire Pharmaceuticals. In 2006, a new version, Adderall extended release (XR), was made available as well. While the instant-release drug requires 3 hours to reach its maximum plasma concentration after consumption, the extended release version takes up to 7 hours to do so. Some of the known side effects of Adderall include insomnia, loss of appetite, nausea, and hallucination. Adderall has been found to be addictive and dangerous to the health of some patients. Several withdrawal symptoms include panic attacks, seizure, fatigue

, and depression.

Understanding the substance Cocaine and Adderall Ritalin: The Chemistry and Mechanisms behind Adderall

The structure and action of Adderall resembles that of recreational drugs such as methamphetamine and MDMA (3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine) (also known as ecstacy). Adderall is a phenylalkylamine, consisting of a phenyl ring and nitrogen group. The molecular resemblance of Adderall to catecholamine neurotransmitters underlies the similarities in physiological function between Adderall and these natural neurotransmitters.

The amphetamines in Adderall can bind to receptors that are normally activated by specific catecholamines produced by different glands in the body (including the hypothalamus and adrenal medulla). Amphetamine can also result in the release of more neurotransmitters that can activate sensory regions throughout the nervous system. When these psycho-stimulants activate receptors in the brain, the emotional response consists of euphoria, insomnia, increased alertness, and, sometimes, anxiety or psychosis. Peripherally, the binding of amphetamine compounds to catecholamine receptors can result in a physical response that may include the vasoconstriction of blood vessels, tachycardia, and hypertension.

In addition to stimulating the release of catecholamines, the amphetamines in Adderall also inhibit the function of monoamine transporters, which function in the re-uptake and recycling of catecholamine neurotransmitters in order to terminate the neural signal by removing the neurotransmitters from the synapse. In effect, Adderall stimulates sensory systems by maintaining the concentration of neurotransmitter in the synapse. Adderall also partakes in a “reverse-transport” or efflux process in which the amphetamines are transported from the synapse through the transporters into the presynaptic neurons and the catecholamines are simultaneously transported from the presynaptic neurons through the transporter into the synapse. This leads to an increased concentration of neurotransmitters in the synapse, allowing them to trigger receptors and activate the neuropsychological effects mentioned above. Finally, amphetamine and its analogs also enhance the synaptic neurotransmitter concentration by acting as competitive inhibitors of monoamine oxidase (MAO), an enzyme that breaks down monoamine neurotransmitters. In all these if you want to be safe, it is necessary that you keep in constant consultation with the experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury and you will not be caught an aware.

Understanding the substance Cocaine and Adderall Ritalin: Potential for Abuse

Adderall has high risk for dependence and addiction. It is hypothesized that the addictive characteristics of Adderall are due to the activation of the mesolimibic dopaminergic pathway, in which the amphetamine in the drug binds to the transporter of the neurotransmitter dopamine to prevent removal of dopamine from the synaptic cleft. By prolonging the presence of dopamine in the synapse, amphetamine produces the long-lasting side-effects of euphoria, pleasure, and concentration. In addition, the highly connected neural circuits in the central nervous system can transport dopamine from one part of the brain to another, resulting in the proliferation of the chemical signal.

Adderall abuse can also cause dangerous physiologic effects such as hypertension, seizures, and mydriasis (dilation of the pupil). Increase in blood pressure is thought to be caused by the continued release of norepinephrine. The constant stimulation of nerve receptors is the mechanism behind Adderall addiction. With continued use over time, a tolerance is developed to Adderall, as seen with other addictive drugs as well – the more frequently these drugs, including Adderall, are used, the greater the amount that is needed to supply a response. The reinforcement behavior produced by Adderall can eventually cause long-term dependence.

Research has found that under some circumstances, Adderall can induce psychosis in adolescents comparable to schizophrenia. Though the precise mechanism is not clear, it is possible that this effect is due to an increased amphetamine-induced dopamine release. The symptoms cleared in patients who withdrew from using Adderall. The chemical similarity between natural neurotransmitters in the body and Adderall increases both the likelihood and degree of abuse. Thus, until the risks of psycho-stimulants are understood in more detail, it is advisable to remain cautious about prescribing Adderall to those with ADHD.

Understanding the substance Cocaine and Adderall Ritalin: Why Ritalin can be addictive

Tag Archives: Addictive Substances