The effects of drugs on clinical depression

July 29, 2015

The effects of drugs on clinical depression: Depression and addiction

The effects of drugs on clinical depression is almost getting out of hand in the current life set up.

The complications of drug addiction and misuse of alcohol will continue to be with us thanks to the life demands in the twenty first century. Everybody is having their own share of life demands and expectations which in many times we often fail to meet. Those failures always form the biggest reasons why people feel depressed and stressed. When these two (depression and stress) are present in ones’ life there will be high chances that some of those people may resort to using drugs to minimize their depressed and stressed situation. And with that in mind, we want to discuss through this article the effects of drugs on clinical depression and stress. Our objective is to inform you of their interrelationship and the best possible means of eliminating them from your life. Meanwhile in one of our discussion forums a question was asked to the experts’ at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury that “does depression cause addiction by triggering a need for intoxication? Or does substance abuse cause depression by changing the way the brain functions?” In response to that, doctor Akoury said that it is important to note that depression and substance abuse intertwine on several levels including the following:

Under normal circumstances depression can trigger drug or alcohol use as a form of self-medication.
Drugs or alcohol can also precipitate depression by altering the brain chemistry.
The effects of intoxication or withdrawal can resemble the signs of a depressive disorder.
The neurological factors that cause depression may predispose the individual to alcohol or drug addiction.

One very challenging thing about depression and drugs is that a lot has been and is still being done to conclusively establish the difference between the two but as things stand now, even to the most experienced clinicians, it can be difficult to tell the difference between clinical depression and the effects of drugs or alcohol. Many of the most widely abused substances are central nervous system depressants, including:

Alcohol: Includes beer and wine as well as hard liquor and spirits
Benzodiazepines: Includes sedative/muscle relaxants like Valium (diazepam), Ativan (lorazepam) and Xanax (alprazolam)
Cannabis: Includes smokable and edible forms of marijuana
Opiates: Includes illicit and prescription drugs derived from opium, such as heroin, morphine, codeine, hydrocodone and oxycodone
Barbiturates: Includes powerful sedatives like Seconal (secobarbital) and Nembutal (pentobarbital)

From the expert’s point of view, doctor Akoury says that substance induced mood disorders occur when the psychological effects of drug intoxication or withdrawal cause abnormal emotional states. Withdrawing from cocaine, meth or other stimulants can cause changes in brain chemistry that lead to severe depression. Depression may also be a side effect of withdrawal from heroin or other opium-based drugs.

The effects of drugs on clinical depression: Symptoms of substance-induced depression

Symptoms of substance-induced depression include: fatigue, poor appetite, lack of concentration, tearfulness, suicidal ideation and they resemble the symptoms of major depressive disorder. And besides that, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the symptoms of substance-induced depression usually does not take long and normally resolve within a few days after the drug is cleared from the patient’s system. However when depression is not diagnosed in good time, getting clean or sober can actually make the symptoms worse. Further to that it is important to appreciate that when alcohol or drugs have been used as a form of self-medication, the depressive symptoms may come to the forefront once the individual has been through detox. Nonetheless in the event that depression is treated in a mental health setting without addressing the problem of substance abuse, the patient may never be motivated to stop abusing drugs or alcohol, and depressive symptoms may never really be resolved.

The effects of drugs on clinical depression: Treatment of depression

First of all it is important to appreciate that depression is a chronic condition that in many instances may never be completely cured. However, its symptoms can be managed effectively through a combination of psychotherapy, behavioral modification training and participation in support groups. Doctor Akoury adds that in the event that talk therapy alone can’t resolve the symptoms of depression, then the application of antidepressant medication can be a valuable addition to the treatment plan. Besides that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has also been proven to be a highly effective method for changing the negative thought patterns associated with depression.

Feelings of hopelessness, low self-worth, and despair are treated as learned thought patterns that can be replaced with positive, self-affirming beliefs. According to JAMA Psychiatry, CBT is an effective therapy for depressed individuals within all age groups, and positive results continue over time. The therapeutic strategies learned in CBT can be applied to co-occurring disorders like anxiety, personality disorders or substance use disorders.

Alongside that doctor Akoury alludes that with consistent, medically supervised use, antidepressant medications can improve symptoms in a matter of weeks. Antidepressants in the SSRI category (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors that is considered to be in the first line pharmaceutical treatment for depression, these medications include popular drugs like Prozac (fluoxetine), paroxetine (Paxil) and citalopram (Celexa). When SSRIs are not effective, older antidepressants in the tricyclic or MAOI (monoamine oxidase inhibitors) may be prescribed instead. And according to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, depressive symptoms improve with treatment in up to 80 percent of cases. Unfortunately, nearly two-thirds of depressed individuals either do not seek or do not receive treatment for this serious, disabling disorder. Out of those individuals who struggle with both depression and substance abuse, only a small percentage receives research-based, dual diagnosis treatment for both conditions. It therefore means that we still have a lot to do in order to bring these chronic conditions to manageable levels. Finally if you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction, depression or even stress, your help is now within reach just by making a phone call on Tel: 843 213 1480 to schedule for your appointment with the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center today and all your concerns will be professionally addressed.

The effects of drugs on clinical depression: Depression and addiction

Seeking the experts opinion about Pain Management

July 22, 2015

Seeking the experts opinion about Pain Management: Pain management health center

Seeking the experts opinion about Pain Management is very important because from there you will realize that it is not only medication that relieves pain. Other activities like exercise are also good for re leaving pain.

We have been making inroads in the line of pain management with a view of living a more comfortable life without pain. But we have also realized that pain will always be there with us as long as we live. This means that we have to device means and methods of living with it or better still ensuring that what we have as pain is manageable and has little or no effect on the comfort of our lives. For a couple of articles we have posted in the past we noticed that there are several kinds of pain and doctor Dalal Akoury MD and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center has been very instrumental in helping us put several things about chronic pain to perspective. We therefore want to introduce another dimension of looking at pain holistically by seeking the expert’s opinion about pain management in the current society. It is important to note that pain is a global problem and must be treated with a lot of seriousness it deserve. Take for example a country like America with a population of about 50 million people living with chronic pain this should be a serious point of concern. With such a huge population struggling with pain living a full and active life may be compromised and may seem like an impossible dream. If this is troubling you, then we want to give you hope that all is not lost and giving up must never be an option. Doctor Akoury says that in the event that the pain treatment you have tried doesn’t provide relief as you would want it to be, a pain clinic may help.

If you are wondering what a pain clinic is, then worry no more this is a health care facility that focuses on the diagnosis and management of chronic pain. Your specific pain will be addressed professionally in such facilities where professionalism is the practice. It is important to note that some of these facilities specialize in specific diagnoses or in pain related to a specific region of the body which can be an added advantage to your specific needs. These health facilities are also known as pain management clinics. Most of these pain clinics often use a multidisciplinary approach to help people take an active role in managing their pain and regaining control of their life. These programs are focused on the total person needs and not just the pain.

Seeking the experts opinion about pain management: What does a pain clinic do?

This is a very good question. Therefore it is important to note that even though pain clinics may differ in their respective focus and offerings, most of them involve a team of health care providers that can help you with a variety of strategies to manage your pain. These health care providers are likely to include doctors of different specialties and gifting’s as well as non-physician providers specializing in the diagnosis and management of chronic pain. These providers may include psychologists, physical therapists, and complementary and alternative therapists such as acupuncturists or massage therapists. Together, they will put together a pain management plan for you.

Seeking the experts opinion about pain management: Strategies for pain relief and management

When you visit any of the pain clinics your therapy plan will be tailored to your specific needs, circumstances, and preferences. And just for your consumption, depending on the cause of your pain, the administration of treatment may include one or more of the following:

Medications in many cases, patients are prescribed treatment before receiving other forms of therapy. Medications for pain may include:

Non-aspirin pain relievers – These drugs, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), relieve minor pain and are sometimes combined with other drugs to provide greater pain relief.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) – These are available over the counter or by prescription, these drugs may include ibuprofen (Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn) are used to treat pain and inflammation.

Corticosteroids – Available only by a prescription, these cortisone-like drugs are used for more severe inflammatory conditions.

Opioid pain medications – this morphine-like drugs are often prescribed short term for acute pain or for cancer pain. Occasionally, doctors prescribe them for chronic, non-cancer pain.

Antidepressants – Originally designed to treat depression, these drugs can be useful for relieving certain types of pain. Antidepressants may also promote sleep, which can be difficult when you are in pain.

When you are struggling with certain pain and you are seeking for treatment, it is important for you to appreciate that many at times it is not going to be medication alone. Ideally medications alone may not be enough to treat chronic pain. Other treatments may be more effective than medications, and medication may be more effective when combined with other treatments. Therefore the other available treatments offered by pain centers may include:

Injections – Local anesthetics, sometimes combined with a corticosteroid, may be injected around nerve roots or into muscles and joints to relieve irritation, swelling, and muscle spasms.

Nerve blocks – If a group of nerves, called a ganglion or plexus, causes pain to a specific organ or body region, injections with local anesthetics may be useful for blocking the pain in that area.

Physical and aquatic therapy – A physiatrist (doctor specializing in rehabilitation medicine) or physical therapist may prescribe a specially tailored exercise program to increase function and decrease pain. Other physical therapy options at pain clinics may include whirlpool therapy, ultrasound, and deep-muscle massage.

Acupuncture – This ancient Chinese practice involves inserting very thin needles at specific points on the skin to relieve pain.

Psychological support and counseling – Although pain is a physical sensation, many people in pain suffer emotionally with feelings of anger, sadness, and hopelessness. Dealing with unrelenting pain can affect your ability to hold a job, maintain a home, meet family obligations, and relate to friends and family members. Psychological support, along with medical treatment, can help you manage your condition.

Relaxation techniques – In addition to counseling, mental health professionals can teach you self-help techniques such as relaxation training or biofeedback to reduce stress and relieve pain.

Surgery – Although sometimes surgery is clearly necessary to relieve a problem that is causing pain, it is often a treatment of last resort. If pain has not responded to any other treatment, surgery on certain nerves may offer relief and allow you to resume normal activities.

Seeking the experts opinion about Pain Management: How to Find a Good Pain Clinic

If you decide you want to try a pain clinic, your doctor should be able to refer you to one that offers services to help your specific pain problem. If your doctor cannot help you, try the following:

Your local hospital – Ask your local hospital or medical center if they have or are affiliated with a pain treatment center. If the hospital does not have one, ask to speak with their department of anesthesiology, which may have doctors on staff who can refer you to a different hospital.

Organizations – Organizations that support pain research or advocate for pain patients may be able to help. Like for instance, you may call the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA).

Because there are many forms of pain treatment and not all centers offer the same services, it’s important to do your homework before you consent to treatment. Find out what types of pain therapies are offered, what the specialists’ credentials are, and if they have successfully helped others with your type of pain. Finally if you have any concern about pain doctor Akoury will be able to help you out in the most professional way call her today.

Seeking the experts opinion about Pain Management: Pain management health center

Dealing with depression and chronic pain specifically

July 21, 2015

Dealing with depression and chronic pain specifically: The best ways of managing pain and depression

Dealing with depression and chronic pain specifically is a sure way of restoring the comforts of life for absolute happiness and life enjoyment to the fullest.

Dealing with depression and chronic pain specifically can be a tall order for many people owing to the many life demands and challenges. But all the same we must all do something about these two conditions despite those known challenges. That is why we as professionals from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury we are on the front in creating awareness to all people about depression and chronic pain so that people can take timely actions to defeat all the consequences that comes with late responses of these conditions. Therefore it would be very important for all of us to appreciate that depression doesn’t only affects our brains and behavior but it also affects our entire body. Doctor Akoury says that depression has been linked with other health problems like chronic pain and therefore if we have to address depression, then it would mean that we will be dealing with more than one health problem at a time which can be very difficult at times, but all the same it must be done professionally for timely treatment. Besides these it is important to note that depressive disorder or depression is a serious mental illness which can interfere with your daily activities, life and routine by impacting negatively on the quality of your life.

Pain on the other hand can also come in different kinds. The major types of pain we have include acute and chronic pain:

Acute pain – this kind of pain can be intense and short-lived, in which case we call it acute pain. Acute pain may be an indication of an injury however when the injury heals the pain usually goes away.

Chronic pain – this sensation lasts much longer than acute pain. Chronic pain can be mild or intense (severe). Therefore knowing how to deal with these conditions is very important and to get more about the approaches to take, we are going to respond to some of the questions that have been raised so that we can be up to speed with the modalities of dealing with depression and chronic pain specifically as we progress into the discussion.

Dealing with depression and chronic pain specifically: Is there a whole-life approach to treating pain and depression?

Like we had mentioned before, chronic pain and depression can affect a person’s entire life. Consequently, an ideal treatment approach addresses all the areas of your life that are affected by chronic pain and depression. Because of the connection between chronic pain and depression, it makes sense that treatments for these conditions overlap.

Dealing with depression and chronic pain specifically: How do antidepressants help both chronic pain and depression?

Because chronic pain and depression involve the same nerves and neurotransmitters, antidepressants are used to treat both chronic pain and depression. Antidepressants work on the brain to reduce the perception of pain. There is adequate evidence of the effectiveness of tricyclic antidepressants such as Elavil and doxepin. However, because of side effects, their use is often limited. Newer antidepressants known as serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (Cymbalta, Effexor), on the other hand, seem to work well with fewer side effects.

Dealing with depression and chronic pain specifically: How can physical activity help both chronic pain and depression?

Many people with chronic pain avoid exercise. But, if you don’t exercise, you get out of shape and have an increased risk of injury and worsened pain. Consult with a physician to design an exercise plan that’s safe and effective for you. Remember that exercise also helps in easing depression by releasing the same kind of brain chemicals that antidepressant medications release.

Dealing with depression and chronic pain specifically: Why is taking control important for healing?

Chronic pain affects your ability to live, work, and play the way you’re used to. This can change how you see yourself sometimes for the worse as you feel victimized by the pain and depression. Getting busy and taking control of your life is important. Working with a health care provider who refuses to see you as a helpless victim but sees you as a healthy person with pain is important.

Dealing with depression and chronic pain specifically: How does talk therapy help chronic pain and depression?

Research clearly shows that, for many people, certain kinds of mental training can help improve chronic pain. Like for instance, cognitive therapy is one approach. In cognitive therapy, a person learns to notice the negative “automatic thoughts” that surround the experience of chronic pain. These thoughts are often distortions of reality. Cognitive therapy can teach a person how to change these thought patterns and improve the experience of pain. Besides that cognitive therapy has also been proven as an effective treatment for depression and can reduce symptoms of anxiety in those with chronic pain.

Dealing with depression and chronic pain specifically: What’s the best way to manage chronic pain and depression?

The best way to approach managing chronic pain is to consult regularly with a pain specialist or even your family doctor to create a treatment plan. When chronic pain and depression are combined, the need to work with a doctor is even greater. When you visit your doctor’s office, tell him/her that you want to gain control over your chronic pain and depression. As you develop a plan, keep in mind that the ideal pain management plan will be multidisciplinary, which means it will address all areas of your life that are affected by the pain. Therefore empower yourself by tapping into available resources such as the American Chronic Pain Association, the American Pain Foundation, and the Academy of Cognitive Therapy. It is important that when you’ve started the treatment process, you must stay committed to the treatment plan until you feel in control of your pain and depression and can fully live your life, doing the activities you enjoy.

Finally to defeat this problem, don’t wait for too long but find a cognitive therapist near you with experience in the treatment of chronic pain. If you are in doubt then you can locate one by contacting AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center or alternatively you could settle for any of the cognitive therapists’ professional groups mentioned above.

Dealing with depression and chronic pain specifically: The best ways of managing pain and depression

Drug abuse and treatment for skin picking disorders

June 11, 2015

Drug abuse and treatment for skin picking disorders: How Drug Abuse Affects the Skin

The rough Road of Quitting Heroin Addiction

Drug abuse and treatment for skin picking disorders. the two conditions can destroy ones life if not addressed from the beginning

With the increasing demand for beauty globally a lot is being done to improve the quality of our skin to keep looking as youthful as possible. The worry is, even as positive efforts are being done, a lot more bad things are also being done to destroy the youthfulness and beauty of your skin. Upon discovering that there is great need to tame the problem of substance abuse which has been seen to be the primary obstacle in sustaining the beauty of your skin, doctor Akoury made a decision 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. In this facility a lot is being done to restore the lost dignities, self-confidence of many people who are struggling with drug addiction. In our previous article, we noticed that skin picking disorders are some of the consequences that come with drug addiction and especially heroin addiction. Therefore in this article, we want to look at drug addiction and treatment for skin picking disorders as a way of finding lasting solutions.

Drug abuse and treatment for skin picking disorders: The skin picking disorder

The problem of skin picking disorders are becoming very common in today’s generation due to the continuous abuse of heroin. When one is suffering from this disorder, the beauty of such a person is seriously affected owing to the effects of the heroin addiction. To deal with this condition, doctor Akoury recommends that treatment must be done to the victim for both condition (heroin addiction and the infections on the skin as a result of the same). She further says that even though treatment of addiction is very difficult and full of obstacle, the good news is that with determination, this can be done conclusively. It is therefore advisable that if you are struggling with any form of addiction you can schedule for an appointment with doctor Akoury who will professionally carry out an extensive assessment on you to evaluate your psychological soundness before taking any treatment action on you. And like I had indicated before it must be noted that this substance is very addictive and a comprehensive psychiatric assessment will always be very vital. Doctor Akoury says that under normal circumstances an initial, personalized assessment should cover the following areas:

Identification of what triggers the behavior?
Getting to know the benefits individual is getting from the behavior
Finding out if the individual have co-occurring mental health problems, like anxiety or depression
Does the individual have an alcohol or drug problem?
Does the person have a family history of mental illness?
Has the person tried any medications or therapies in the past?

Even though a lot more still needs to be done when it comes to the treatment for this condition due to the fact that at the moment the, U.S. Food and Drug Administration have not yet approved any medications specifically for the treatment of BFRBs, there are clear evidence that several drugs have been used in the past successfully to control the impulse to pick or scratch the skin and the following are some of the medications which can be essentially helpful:

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as fluoxetine (Prozac) and escitalopram (Lexapro), have been approved for the treatment of depression and/or obsessive-compulsive disorder
Tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline (Elavil) and imipramine (Elavil)
Opioid antagonists, such as naltrexone (ReVia), are used to reduce the pleasurable effects of alcohol and certain narcotics
Neuroleptic medications, such as olanzapine (Zyprexa) and risperidone (Risperdal), are used to treat repetitive, compulsive behaviors

Doctor Akoury reiterates that along with medication, behavioral modification therapies like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) can help reduce the urge to self-mutilate. These therapies have also proven to be valuable in the treatment of drug addiction.

Drug abuse and treatment for skin picking disorders: Hope for Compulsive Behaviors

Skin picking and hair pulling, like drug or alcohol abuses are not conditions to be taken lightly because the consequences of not taking immediate action can be very destructive. Because we are dealing a very delicate organ, when strong substances like heroin are a bused, the effect on the skin can be very wanting. I encourage you to take the beauty restoration of your skin seriously by scheduling for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury today for an elaborate treatment procedure. Dr. Akoury will be waiting for your call to help you regain the life of your skin. Remember that the main objective of doctor Akoury and her team of experts 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 is very interesting to note that Dr. Akoury’s practice focuses on personalized medicine through healthy lifestyle choices that deal with primary prevention and underlying causes to ensure that your health is completely restored back to normalcy so that you can live life to the fullest.

Finally dear reader when fighting addiction, it is never a one man’s job, all of us needs to pool together to defeat this problem. On her part besides offering lasting solutions to patients, doctor Akoury is also reaching out for the professionals in this discipline of addiction through offering her exclusive NER Recovery Treatment to other physicians and health care professionals through training, clinical apprenticeships, webinars and seminars. In fact this year AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center is organizing the first ever Integrative Addiction Conference 2015. The conference will be held in August 23-25 at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and the mission of this conference is to provide prevention education, awareness, options and support to patients and physicians dealing with addiction.

It is also tailored to empower physicians to be involved in determining their personal “best answer for addiction” and promoting physician/patient awareness of a natural, yet profoundly effective, addiction treatment options that result in you “thriving while surviving” during treatment and recovery. Nonetheless the Integrative Addiction Conference 2015 will cover topics such as addiction as a holistic body ecosystem derangement, the interaction between stress, survivorship, pain and addiction, the role of hormonal imbalance in the disease of addiction, the genetic and epigenetic influences on the disease of addiction, psycho neuroendocrine immune restoration essential to reverse addiction as well as new and future therapies in the horizon for addiction treatment including stem therapy for psycho neuroendocrine immune restoration. This is a must attend conference for all professionals and you can get more information by login to www.integrativeaddiction2015.com or email sharon@integrativeaddiction2015.com.

Drug abuse and treatment for skin picking disorders: How Drug Abuse Affects the Skin

How to Boost Dopamine Levels Naturally

May 20, 2015

Boosting Dopamine Levels Naturally

Dopamine is a vital brain chemical that is responsible for crucial functions. Dopamine allows for feelings of bliss, pleasure, euphoria, drive, motivation, focus, and concentration. Dopamine is involved in the frontal cortex in executive functions like attention and feelings among others. In the rest of the body, dopamine is involved in nausea, in kidney function, and in heart function. Though only relevant to most people when it comes to such aspects as motivation, addiction, attention or lust, dopamine is a crucial neurotransmitter that also does vital functions in different pathways. As a neurotransmitter the hormone transmits messages from nerves. When a nerve releases dopamine, it crosses a very small gap called a synapse and then attaches to a dopamine receptor on the next nerve. So when dopamine is depleted the impulses sent by the nerves can’t be transmitted and hence may impair brain functions such as behavior, mood, cognition, attention, learning, movement and sleep.

dopamine

Here are some ways to naturally boost dopamine

Adopting a healthy diet– healthy eating helps in solving most health problems. By adopting a healthy diet you are taking a good leap into naturally boosting your dopamine levels. Foods rich in carbohydrates, vegetables, whole grains, whole grain pasta, rice, broccoli, spinach, lettuce among other healthy foods can go a long way in boosting dopamine levels. Eating fat processed foods will do the opposite. You may also eat sweet foods like chocolate, only a couple squares of good quality chocolate with a high percentage of Cocoa in it can raise these chemicals. You can also get an adequate supply of B vitamins, folic acid and vitamin C because these vitamins play a role in transmitting brain chemicals. Spicy foods like chili peppers and jalapenos are also good for the course. The heat triggers the release of endorphins, so the spicier the better. You may get help from a nutritionist who may give you a list of foods that may be of benefit.

Acupuncture – acupuncture has been used for a long time and has been very effective in restoring the flow of energy in the body. Among the Chinese acupuncture is a highly regarded ancient treatment of complex diseases. Apart from boosting the flow of energy it helps in the release of dopamine and endorphins and this explains why many therapists use acupuncture to help their patients who are struggling with addiction to drugs and other substances.

Eating animal proteins- foods that are rich in animal proteins are good for boosting the levels of dopamine in the body. This includes many varieties of fish, chicken, turkey and other forms of poultry. It also applies to most types of meat as well as eggs. These tyrosine-rich foods offer an effective way to maintain or increase dopamine levels. For vegetarians there are vegetable sources of proteins that can help in the same way, these may include; sesame seeds, almonds, peanuts and legumes.

Eat fruits especially bananas.

Eating fruits especially the ripe bananas help in regulating dopamine because they have a high concentration of tyrosine. Other food sources of tyrosine include almonds, apples, watermelons, cherries, yogurt, beans, eggs and meats. It is important to note that foods alone generally do not have the therapeutic amino acid levels necessary to boost dopamine levels for someone experiencing major depressive disorder. Therefore, to boost your dopamine levels adequately, tyrosine supplementation is often needed.

dopamine

Meditation– meditation has been practiced for a long time, thanks for its therapeutic effects. Through meditation the fatigue in the nervous system is mitigated and so their performance is enhanced. Doing meditation right helps in production of dopamine at required levels. Meditation is a common practice in Asia especially among the Chinese. There are therapists who can help you achieve this. At AWAREmed Dr. Dalal Akoury will help you achieve this.

Herbal supplements – Some herbs like St John’s Wort, 5-HTP and L Tyrosine can all increase dopamine in the brain. These herbal supplements will even help restore the levels of dopamine after use of drugs such as opiates.

Exercise – when you exercise there are lots of benefits that you can reap from exercise. Exercise is one of the best natural ways to produce serotonin, dopamine and endorphins. however to enjoy the benefits of exercise and help boost dopamine levels and other vital neurotransmitters you need to do more vigorous exercise as stronger the physical demand you place on your body, the greater the release of endorphins. You should try weight training and high and low intensity exercises. Hit the gym and reap big.

Sex – sex is helps in boosting the dopamine. A long session can dramatically increase dopamine. When a person is suffering from withdrawal effects of drugs and dopamine is at lows then sexual intercourse can be a good remedy.

These are some of the many ways to help boost your dopamine levels naturally, there are other ways of boosting dopamine but you need to discuss with your doctor if you want to be safe as some of the supplements will cause you great harm; not everything bought over the counter as natural supplement is harmless. In fact to get help in case you have been using drugs of abuse that have since led to the erosion and depletion of dopamine levels in your brain you are advised to seek the help of an integrative doctor who will evaluate which option will best fit your condition. Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) is an expert at this. Call her on (843) 213-1480 for help

Boosting Dopamine Levels Naturally

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