Addressing craving challenges in dealing with addiction

October 6, 2015

Addressing craving challenges in dealing with addiction: Coping with cocaine addiction

Cocaine can only be described as the crystal of death and therefore Identifying and addressing craving challenges is very fundamental in finding lasting treatment solution.

In dealing with drug addiction it is important that we first deal with the element of ignorance which can pose a great hindrance towards realizing the success of the objective which is total eradication of addiction from our lives and societies. It is no wonder in the holy book, it is recorded that “our people suffer because of lack of knowledge” meaning that if we are enlighten of the facts around addiction, then we will be comfortable addressing craving challenges and dealing with addiction of cocaine professionally for the betterment of our health. Doctor Akoury acknowledges that it is only after identifying the problem, and then can you start on the modalities of dealing with it. In other words you may not succeed in effectively dealing with addiction if you haven’t identified the kind of addiction you are struggling with. That is why we want to focus this discussion on the identification then we can react to what we now know. Our drug of exploration in this article is going to be cocaine and how users often crave for it even when they are in the treatment process. In our previous articles we did mentioned a lot of negativity of drugs cravings and strategies of coping as and when craving knocks on our appetite. We want to progress on that by focusing on two elements including recalling negative consequences and using self-talk.

Identifying and dealing with hidden craving challenges: Recalling negative consequences

Craving for drugs often make very many users of drugs to lose hope and give up on ever recovering from their addiction. This is so because many at times when one is receiving treatment for any kind of addiction, the urge to continue with the habit never dies and this is further complicated with the abundance of triggers around the users on treatment. Doctor Dalal Akoury (MD) and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center is a veteran addiction expert having been in consistent practice for over two decades says that many at times when people are experiencing craving, they often have a tendency of only remembering the positive effects of cocaine or any other drug they have been craving for or using before; this is often the norm and it is regrettable that users in that state of mind often forget the negative consequences which has far reaching effects on their lives. But on the contrary, doctor Akoury says that it is very important that when experiencing craving, it is often effective for them (users) to remind themselves not just the benefits of abstinence but also the negative consequences of continuing indulgence in cocaine addiction. When this perfectly done, it therefore become much easier for patients to remind themselves that there is actually nothing good in using drugs let alone cocaine.

Because of the difference in feelings, doctor Akoury advices that it is necessary that users document in writing on a piece of paper all the reasons why they want to be abstinent and alongside that all the negative consequences of use. This list will act as their point of reference and therefore must be kept safely and be made available as and when it is needed. Remember that a glimpse of the document when confronted by intense craving for cocaine or a high-risk situation can remind the user of the negative consequences of cocaine use at a time when they are likely to recall only the euphoria. This may sound useless to many but it will impact to you very positively and by being reminded of the bitter consequences of using the drug, you are likely to engage in activities that will help in addressing craving challenges by distract you from causing more harm to yourself by avoiding further usage.

Addressing craving challenges in dealing with addiction: Using self-talk

For many patients, a variety of automatic thoughts accompany craving but are so deeply established that patients are not aware of them. Automatic thoughts associated with craving often have a sense of urgency and exaggerated dire consequences. Some of those automatic thoughts may include the following:

I have to use now
I’ll die if I don’t use or
I can’t do anything else until I use.

Doctor Akoury is of the opinion that in coping with craving, it is important that both the patient and the therapist should collectively recognize the automatic thoughts and take measures of encountering them effectively. To help patients recognize their automatic thoughts, therapists can point out cognitive distortions that occur during your sessions with the client. Like for instances your therapist could point out that a few times today you’ve said you feel like you have to use the drug and then the question would follow that, while you were having that feelings were you really aware of those thoughts when you mentioned them?. That is just one strategy and the other strategy could be when you are using a tape recorder, you could help your patients by slowing down the tape to recognize cognitions.

The good thing about recording the session is because it can be replayed over and over. Like for instance the patient may have said something and so you could play it again saying “when you decided to go out last night, you said that you really weren’t aware of thinking about using cocaine.” That is when he/she said but in your own professional evaluation you think otherwise, in situations like that you could play the tape again and help the user to try to remember what the night was like, sort of play it back like a movie in slow motion, we could find a couple of examples of things you said to yourself, maybe without even realizing it, that led to cocaine use.

Finally once automatic thoughts are identified, it then becomes much easier to counter or confront them using positive rather than negative self-talk which may include cognitions such as challenging the thought like “I won’t really die if I don’t have cocaine” and normalizing craving which can be very uncomfortable if not handled professionally. Remember that if you are having any concerns about craving for any drug and you are wondering where to begin from, you can call on doctor Dalal Akoury today for the commencement of your treatment today.

Addressing craving challenges in dealing with addiction: Coping with cocaine addiction

Exploring the journey from alcohol abuse to alcoholism

August 17, 2015

Exploring the journey from alcohol abuse to alcoholism: Alcohol dependence

Exploring the journey from alcohol abuse to alcoholism with a view of finding the true root cause of alcohol addiction and its effects

While discussing the in depth understanding of alcoholism complications, we elaborately introduced ourselves to the knowledge of alcoholism and how it develops from a social friendly consumption to a very intoxicating health problem. We also found out that due to the addictiveness of the substance, users often find themselves to have drunk beyond what is considered to be moderate drinking into problematic drinking. With those findings well understood, we now want to focus our discussion on this article to exploring the journey from alcohol abuse to alcoholism. We are aware that the alcoholic drink is not illegal and therefore when it brings some complications in the lives of its users, it concerns all of us. Therefore what exactly is the path way from alcohol abuse to alcoholism? We spoke to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center. This facility was established by doctor Dalal Akoury a renowned veteran in addiction treatment solution for over two decades now. Professionally doctor Akoury registers that ordinarily not all alcohol users or abusers will become full-blown alcoholics. Even though this is an indication of a big risk factor, it may not always be true. Majority will progress into alcoholism but in many instances some alcoholism develops suddenly in response to a stressful change in life like for instance if one is declared breakup, retirement or any another losses. Other times, it gradually creeps up on you as your tolerance to alcohol increases. If you’re a binge drinker or you drink every day, the risks of developing alcoholism are greater.

Exploring the journey from alcohol abuse to alcoholism: Signs and symptoms of alcoholism

Alcoholism is the most severe form of problem drinking. Alcoholism involves all the symptoms of alcohol abuse, but it also involves another element: physical dependence on alcohol. If you rely on alcohol to function or feel physically compelled to drink, you’re an alcoholic.

Exploring the journey from alcohol abuse to alcoholism: Tolerance

Tolerance is the first major warning sign of alcoholism and when this is noticed both the users and their loved ones must take the initiative of remedying the situation before it gets out of hand. Therefore in handling such situations, you must be ready to respond to some of these questions like for instance ask yourself if you are compelled to drink a lot more than you are a costumed to in order to get buzzed or to feel relaxed? Or alternatively are you that person who will drink the largest number of bottles without getting drunk? If your answers to these questions are yes, then you have a greater risk of being a candidate of alcoholism. Doctor Akoury is confirming that these are the known signs of tolerance and a serious pointer to early warning signs of alcoholism. Remember that tolerance means that, with over time the user of alcohol will consistently need more and more alcohol to feel the same effects and this is therefore forms the first significant journey from alcohol abuse to alcoholism and must be dealt with the seriousness it deserve professionally.

Exploring the journey from alcohol abuse to alcoholism: Withdrawal

The 2nd major warning sign of alcoholism is the withdrawal effects. The questions you need to ask yourself in this would be, “do you need a drink to steady the shakes in the morning?” Doctor Akoury confirms that drinking to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms is a sign of alcoholism and a huge red flag into the journey from alcohol abuse to alcoholism. When you drink heavily, your body gets used to the alcohol and experiences withdrawal symptoms if it’s taken away. The following are therefore some of the consequences that may result from the sudden withdrawal of alcohol: anxiety, trembling, sweating, nausea and vomiting, insomnia, depression, irritability, fatigue, loss of appetite, and headache among many more not mentioned. Nonetheless in very severe cases, withdrawal from alcohol can also involve hallucinations, confusion, seizures, fever, and agitation. It must be noted that these symptoms can be dangerous, and doctor Akoury suggests that timely action must be taken to remedy the situation. Therefore if you are consuming alcohol and you noticed some of these signs, then it is very crucial that you talk to your doctor immediately irrespective of your degree of drinking.

Exploring the journey from alcohol abuse to alcoholism: Other signs and symptoms of alcoholism

You’ve lost control over your drinking – This happens when you often drink more alcohol than you wanted to, for longer than you intended, or despite telling yourself you wouldn’t.

You want to quit drinking, but you can’t – Despite your persistent desire to cut down or stop and quit your alcohol use, all your efforts to quit have been unsuccessful.

You have given up other activities because of alcohol – You’re spending less time on activities that used to be important to you (hanging out with family and friends, going to the gym, pursuing your hobbies) because of your alcohol use.

Alcohol takes up a great deal of your energy and focus – You spend a lot of time drinking, thinking about it, or recovering from its effects. You have few if any interests or social involvements that don’t revolve around drinking.

You drink even though you know it’s causing problems – This is often the common practice with many users like for example, you recognize that your alcohol use is damaging your marriage, making your depression worse, or causing health problems, but you continue to drink anyway.

In conclusion in exploring the journey from alcohol abuse to alcoholism, there will be times when you will be completely lost not knowing what to do. During such times it is very important that you step out and face the reality of what is happening in your life. We do appreciate that with the addictiveness of alcohol, you may not know where to start from and that is why doctor 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. I strongly recommend that if this describes your situation, then this is the right professional to reach out to for help. Remember that Dr. Akoury’s practices focuses on personalized medicine through healthy lifestyle choices that deal with primary prevention and underlying causes instead of patching up symptoms. You can therefore call her on telephone number 843 213 1480 to schedule an appointment with her for the commencement of your recovery program today.

Exploring the journey from alcohol abuse to alcoholism: Alcohol dependence

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

Social and economic cost of alcohol abuse

July 13, 2015

Social and economic cost of alcohol abuse: The impact of drug addiction

Social and economic cost of alcohol abuse is touching every individual irrespective of race, religion, status or education background

Even though we are all aware of the consequences of misusing alcohol, it is regrettable that users of this substances particularly those that abuse its usage are still deeply rooted in their habit of misuse. The various authorities entrusted with ensuring safety of their subject are not doing enough either to remedy the situation. All that they do is to use these harmful substances as sources of income by levying heavy taxes under the pretext of making the substance out of reach to many due to the high cost. While this formula may be working on one hand, it may not on the other hand because not only those who can afford the high cost alcohol do take the drink. In fact majority of the alcohol abusers are those low income people. This can only mean that increasing the levies is not a lasting solution to the problem of alcohol abuse. Because of this fact, we are prompted to discuss the social and economic cost of alcohol abuse in our societies. To help us address this professionally we posed these two questions to doctor Dalal Akoury for guidance:

What is the link between alcohol and violence between partners?
What are the estimated economic and social costs?

Before we get into the discussion, doctor Dalal Akoury is a veteran expert in addiction and seeing the suffering of both the young and the old in the hands of drugs, she 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. 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. It is important to appreciate that for any meaningful treatment of any kind of addiction, prevention and underlying causes must be established before the commencement of any treatment. This way we will be able to address the future problems before they happen and that is what doctor Akoury is championing for. I really don’t know what you may be going through, but if it is anything to do with any kind of substance abuse, then this is the place to be (AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under Doctor Akoury’s care). You can therefore schedule for an appointment with her today and she will professionally attend to all your concerns, leaving you with a more vibrant life a head of you to live it to the fullest.

Social and economic cost of alcohol abuse: What is the link between alcohol and violence between partners?

The discussion about social economic cost of alcohol abuse will not be over until its effect on the family unit is properly addressed. This is because the role that alcohol is playing in several disputes and disagreements that culminates to domestic violence incidences is very substantial. The problem of domestic violence is always compounded in the event that the partner abusing the substance in that relationship is the husband. However in most of the recorded cases, both the offender and the victim have been drinking. Experts are actually in agreement that the relationship between alcohol and violence is very complex even though the precise role of alcohol remains unclear. Excessive misuse of alcohol has been in many occasions associated with violence between partners and by extension to a lesser extent to violence towards others besides the family. This is possibly because proximity increases the opportunities for violence.

Experts have been busy conducting various studies across the globe with a view of trying to find the connection between the incidences of domestic violence and alcohol consumption. The findings have been very interesting, like for instance in one of the studies conducted in Uganda east Africa, it was established that up to 52% of the women who recently experienced domestic violence were very categorical that their partners had consumed alcohol prior to the incidence while in India Asia it was established that up to 33% of abusing husbands were also using alcohol. Therefore doctor Akoury is recommending that based on these facts, it is very important that we need to understand the possible role of alcohol intoxication or dependence in the processes through which incidents escalate into violence. With this knowledge, we will be able to address some of these situations and possibly even prevent them from happening all together. Experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center are saying that even though as things stand right now, there is no doubt that alcohol consumption has many social consequences, nevertheless to get a more concrete and solidify comparisons between nations, a more quantifiable data is needed to enable the success of the end result.

Social and economic cost of alcohol abuse: The estimated economic and social costs of alcohol use

Individual states are making very strong efforts to ascertain the exact estimate of the overall economic and social costs of alcohol use. This will take a while to conclude and tabled because of the different dynamics of different countries. Nonetheless social and economic costs under normal circumstances will cover the negative economic impacts of alcohol consumption on the material welfare of the society in general. They comprise both direct costs which are the value of goods and services delivered to address the harmful effects of alcohol, and the indirect costs which is the value of personal productive services that are not delivered as a consequence of drinking. In industrialized countries, estimates of social and economic costs of alcohol use can reach several percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), ranging for instance from 1.1% in Canada to 5-6% in the case of Italy. Estimates of social and economic costs can help:

Make the case for public policies on alcohol,
Target policies and public expenditure on the most important problems (e.g. the costs of alcohol versus other psychoactive drugs such as tobacco),
Identify information gaps,
Assess the effectiveness of policies and programs against alcohol abuse.

Finally estimating the costs of the impact of alcohol on the material welfare of society is often difficult and requires estimates of the social costs of treatment, prevention, research, law enforcement, lost productivity and some measure of years and quality of life lost. All these put together can only mean that the impact of drug addiction and in our case study of social and economic cost of alcohol abuse is not anything to take lightly. When one notices any kind of addiction, prompt action must be taken. You can therefore schedule for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury for help today.

Social and economic cost of alcohol abuse: The impact of drug addiction

Health risks of chronic heavy alcohol drinking

July 12, 2015

Health risks of chronic heavy alcohol drinking: The reality about alcohol drinking problem

The truth is that Health risks of chronic heavy alcohol drinking are generating real suffering to users of alcohol in today’ societies.

Health risks of alcohol are many are chronic in nature. What is surprising is that, despite them being known, users of alcohol are still into it in full scale. The gift of life can only be good health and today it is no secret that alcohol consumption can cause major health problems, including cirrhosis of the liver and injuries sustained in automobile accidents. However, if you think that liver disease and car crashes are the only health risks posed by drinking then you’ve got to re-think again. In fact experts researching on the possible links of alcohol consumption were able to establish that there are more than 60 diseases that are associated with alcohol consumption. That is why our focus of this discussion is going to be on the health risks of chronic heavy alcohol drinking so that we can take decisive action in good time. Doctor Dalal Akoury is going to take us through this worthy discussion to impact on us positively. Therefore if you or anyone you know is struggling with alcoholism, then this is an opportunity for you to start it all again by scheduling for an appointment with her today for the commencement of your recovery journey.

Alcohol does all kinds of things in the body, and we’re not fully aware of all its effects says doctor Dalal Akoury, MD, and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center. For sure alcohol is a pretty complicated little molecule. The following are some of the conditions that are closely associated with chronic heavy drinking:

Anemia

Due to the ability of heavy alcohol drinking to cause a number of oxygen-carrying red blood cells to be abnormally low a condition known as anemia, it is equally capable of triggering a host of symptoms, including fatigue, shortness of breath and unsteadiness.

Cancer

Habitual drinking increases the risk of cancer. Scientists believe the increased risk comes when the body converts alcohol into acetaldehyde, a potent carcinogen. Cancer sites linked to alcohol use include the mouth, pharynx (throat), larynx (voice box), esophagus, liver, breast, and colorectal region. Cancer risk rises even higher in heavy drinkers who also use tobacco.

Health risks of chronic heavy alcohol drinking: Cardiovascular disease

Heavy drinking, especially bingeing makes platelets more likely to clump together into blood clots, which can lead to heart attack or stroke. According to one of the landmark studies published in 2005, Harvard researchers found that binge drinking doubled the risk of death among people who initially survived a heart attack. Remember that excessive drinking can also cause cardiomyopathy which is potentially deadly condition in which the heart muscle weakens and eventually fails, as well as heart rhythm abnormalities such as atrial and ventricular fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation, in which the heart’s upper chambers (atria) twitch chaotically rather than constrict rhythmically, can cause blood clots that can trigger a stroke. Ventricular fibrillation causes chaotic twitching in the heart’s main pumping chambers (ventricles). It causes rapid loss of consciousness and, in the absence of immediate treatment it can be very fatal triggering sudden death.

Cirrhosis

Alcohol is toxic to liver cells, and many heavy drinkers develop cirrhosis, a sometimes-lethal condition in which the liver is so heavily scarred that it is unable to function. But it’s hard to predict which drinkers will develop cirrhosis. Some people who drink huge amounts never get cirrhosis, and some who don’t drink very much do get it with women being the most vulnerable group.

Dementia

As people age their brains shrink, on average, at a rate of about 1.9% per decade. That’s considered normal. But heavy drinking speeds the shrinkage of certain key regions in the brain, resulting in memory loss and other symptoms of dementia.

Heavy drinking can also lead to subtle but potentially debilitating deficits in the ability to plan, make judgments, solve problems, and perform other aspects of executive function which are the higher-order abilities that allow us to maximize our function as human beings. Besides that the nonspecific dementia that stems from brain atrophy, heavy drinking can cause nutritional deficiencies so severe that they trigger other forms of dementia.

Health risks of chronic heavy alcohol drinking: Depression

Depression has been overtime been associated with alcoholism; nonetheless the question that many are asking is that between depression and alcohol drinking, which one actually comes fast? Several theories had been made and one of them states that depressed people turned to alcohol in an attempt to self-medicate and to ease their emotional pain. But some further studies have established that it was probably the other way around that is, heavy drinking that led to depression.

Seizures

Heavy drinking can cause epilepsy and can trigger seizures even in people who don’t have epilepsy. It can also interfere with the action of the medications used to treat convulsions.

Health risks of chronic heavy alcohol drinking: High blood pressure

Alcohol can disrupt the sympathetic nervous system, which, among other things, controls the constriction and dilation of blood vessels in response to stress, temperature, exertion, etc. Heavy drinking and bingeing, in particular can cause blood pressure to rise. Over time, this effect can become chronic. High blood pressure can lead to many other health problems, including kidney disease, heart disease, and stroke.

Infectious disease

Heavy drinking suppresses the immune system, providing a toehold for infections, including tuberculosis, pneumonia, HIV/AIDS, and other sexually transmitted diseases (including some that cause infertility). People who drink heavily also are more likely to engage in risky sex. Heavy drinking is associated with a three-fold increase in the risk of contracting a sexually transmitted disease.

Pancreatitis

In addition to causing stomach irritation (gastritis), drinking can inflame the pancreas. Chronic pancreatitis interferes with the digestive process, causing severe abdominal pain and persistent diarrhea which is not fixable. Some cases of chronic pancreatitis are triggered by gallstones, but up to 60% stem from alcohol consumption. Finally these are not very good conditions to associate with. Therefore if you or anyone you know, then you can schedule for an appointment with the experts today.

Health risks of chronic heavy alcohol drinking: The reality about alcohol drinking problem

Tag Archives: Alcohol and health