Natural Food Alternative to Adderall Treatment

August 10, 2014

Natural Food Alternative to Adderall Treatment

What is Adderall?

Adderall This is a medication that combines amphetamine and dextroamphetamine. These are chemicals which stimulate the central nervous system by affecting the chemicals in the brain and nerves that contribute to hyperactivity and impulse control.

This medication is used in the treatment of narcolepsy and also attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It also in some instances unofficially been used to treat obesity, severe depression and sleep related disorders.

Is Adderall friendly to my body?

Despite the fact that Adderall gives a medicinal value, it may cause more harm to you than benefit, especially when you abuse it. As we had earlier mentioned, Adderall works by affecting the brain and nervous system chemicals and causing stimulation. This stimulating effect can be habit forming and hence making the drug addictive and patients resulting dependent on the drug. This medication also has side effects which may make it difficult for some people to use it for medication.

Which side effects can Adderall have?

The side effects of this medication are arguably many and they vary from one person to the other. There are also side effects which are common and others that are rare. It is advisable that whenever you are using this medication and you find that you are have any of these side effects, you should stop taking the medication and report to your doctor as soon as possible.

Some of the rare side effects may include:-

Burning effect and pain when one is urinating
The heartbeats are high and irregular
Un usual talking and feeling of extreme happiness or sometimes sadness
Hallucination or tremor feelings
Unusual erection, which may be painful or lasts for long which may be up to 4 hours.

Apart from these rare side effects, there are some others which have been commonly reported from the users of the drug. These may include:-

Prolonged dryness in mouth
Nausea or loss in appetite and sometimes stomach pain.
The person may face sleeping problems (insomnia)
Irregular headache, weakness and dizziness, especially shortly after the medication is administered.

Nutritional Alternative To Adderall Treatment

The main reason why a doctor will prescribe an Adderall treatment is because there will be need to increase the level of neurotransmitters in the brain. As we have seen above, one of the likely prescriptions that the doctor may give is the Adderall treatment. Unfortunately, this medication has very many side effects and it is a habit forming and hence it can cause dependency or addiction.

A better alternative is to use a medication which addresses these symptoms while leaving little or no side effects at all. The medications that have proven to qualify this point are the herbal and nutritional treatments. In this case, let’s look at how nutrition can be a good alternative to cure the symptoms of similar to those cured by Adderall.

Choline

This is a vitamin B for ADD which is soluble in water and must be consumed with the foods that we eat for our bodies to remain healthy. This vitamin is essential in our bodies as it act as a precursor in the production of neurotransmitter acetylcholine which is highly involved in the functioning of the brain.

Which are the foods which contain this Vitamin for add choline?

Researches have shown that as we grow older, the general capacity of our bodies to output choline declines and at the same time, some other factors can also contribute to this decline. This eventually results to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or sometimes narcolepsy. It is advisable therefore to eat foods that contain choline to increase the production of acetylcholine and hence improve our brain power and mental focus.

Apart from boosting the brain effects of the foods rich in vitamin for add choline; they also have numerous health benefits which includes; allowing the cells to keep functioning properly, prevention of buildup of harmful chemical in the blood known as homocysteine which is associated with osteoporosis and cardiac diseases. Finally they allow nerves communication with muscles.

Adderall Treatment

These foods rich in vitamin for add choline include: –

Cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and also broccoli.
Peanuts
Soybeans
Black and kidney beans
Eggs can also be another goods source of this nutrient, especially the egg York.

Sugar And Its Side Effects

Researches have been done to find out whether sugar has any effects in our bodies. The recent researches have shown that sugar is a “new tobacco”, worse than many addictive drugs we know and a secrete killer! It is argued according to the research done by Dr. Mark Hyman et al, that sugar is over eight times more addictive than cocaine.

The negative effects of sugar may include; addiction, non-alcoholic liver disease, diabete, belly fat among many other negative effects.

Foods Rich In Tyrosine, L-Phenylalanine And Tryptophan

These are amino acids also known as Aromatic amino acids. They are essential nutrients and they should be present in our diets. They are known to be precursors of neurotransmitter which is an essential chemical in our brains.

Some of the foods rich in these nutrients are:- meat, fish, soy proteins, eggs, vegetables, fruits just to mention a few.

Natural Food Alternative to Adderall Treatment

Ritalin Addiction and Abuse

June 14, 2014

Ritalin Addiction and Abuse-Withdrawal and Treatment

Ritalin addiction affects the brain and can be very devastating.

Ritalin is a Central Nervous System (CNS) stimulant psychoactive drug which is generically known as methylphenidate. Stimulant psychoactive drugs hasten or speed up the brain and central nervous system activity; producing general effects of increased alertness, heightened senses, surges in energy etc. Ritalin is used to treat attention deficit disorders, attention deficit hyperactive disorder and narcolepsy (a strong desire to stay asleep which is not normal).

Other psychoactive drugs

Psychoactive drugs are those chemicals which the capability to influence and interfere with the normal functionalities of the central nerve system (CNS) and the brain. This interference comes in two different ways:

Drugs which hasten or speed up the functioning of CNS and brain are called stimulants and some of them may include drugs like Ritalin, crack cocaine, amphetamine, and crystal meth etc.
Drugs that slow the CNS and brain are called stimulants and in this group are opioids and opiates (Hydrocodone, buprenorphine, Opana, Demerol and Tramadol etc.) and alcohol.

The mechanism that these drugs use in functioning with the body is attaching to the receptacles or inducing production of endorphins which attach to brain and CNS receptacles to alter or inhibit successful signal transmission from other body organs to the brain and vice versa. This slows the body, generally reducing heart rate and in essence blood pressure, respiration and breathing etc.

The other category of psychoactive drugs are the hallucinogens/psychedelics this category tends to rearrange ones thinking, in other words they distort thinking completely, falsifying the person’s sense of pleasure, peace, or even threat etc., when realistically this is not the real situation happening. The drugs which fall in this category may include marijuana, PCP and MDMA these substances normally exhibit some traits and similarities of this category such as hallucinations, mood swings among many others.

Ritalin use

Ritalin is used in the body to offer functions like:

Attention deficit disorder patients lack the swiftness of mind and body to act and respond to stimuli in time.
They can be said to be slow and the presence of Ritalin boosts their energy, increases their sensory perception, self-awareness and alertness, which make them normal-like.
Narcolepsy on the other hand, being an unending sleepiness, is treated with Ritalin since in its working mechanism the drug reduces this sleep tendency and may even cause insomnia which is lack of sleep or sleep disturbances.
Like any other drug Ritalin is also prone to abuse, it is sometimes taken against prescription for leisure.
Those who seek leisure from Ritalin abuse it by taking more of it and in shorter frequencies to maximize its effects in the body and mind.
They might also use the drug together with other drugs that stimulate the brain, or drugs that make the effects of Ritalin take longer to wear off.
Abuse comprises not only the stated points above but also taking the drug when the body is already overactive, which makes the presence of the drug make automatic processes such as breathing, respiration, heart rate and blood pressure blow out of proportion.

Abuse

Like any other drug Ritalin is also prone to abuse, it is sometimes taken against prescription for leisure.
Those who seek leisure from Ritalin abuse it by taking more of it and in shorter frequencies to maximize its effects in the body and mind.
They might also use the drug together with other drugs that stimulate the brain, or drugs that make the effects of Ritalin take longer to wear off.
Abuse comprises not only the stated points above but also taking the drug when the body is already overactive, which makes the presence of the drug make automatic processes such as breathing, respiration, heart rate and blood pressure blow out of proportion.

Effects of Ritalin on the body and mind

As a stimulant Ritalin has various effects on the body and the mind of its users. These effects may be positive or negative depending on the use and they include:

Increased alertness and ability to focus
Energy surges
Numbing of pain
A boost in self-awareness and self esteem
Hastened automatic processes in the body, such as heart rate, breathing and respiration rates etc.
Sweating induced by a rise in body temperature
Grandiosity and invincibility
Heightened senses
Loss of appetite
Headaches
Insomnia

Side effects

Depression
An unending craving for the drug
Hypertension: due to increased heart rate
Cardiac arrest
Hyperthermia may destroy some body cells, reducing their effectiveness in normal functioning, which might induce organ failure
Increased threat perception due to heightened senses
Rapid breathing
Extreme pupil narrowing which alters vision
Intense headaches
Anorexia – lack of appetite and poor eating habits
Poor health due to poor eating habits
Dryness of the skin, which might be marked by rashes and itching
Sleep disturbances
Extreme hallucinations and schizophrenia
Mouth or nose bleeding due to cavity destruction by the drug’s powder and smoke Involuntary twitching of muscles

Addiction

Use of Ritalin to treat narcolepsy or ADD/ ADHD or the abuse of the drug for leisure does not exempt it from developing addiction. Prolonged use of the drug (meaning long durations of use and somewhat increased dosages taken) reduces the body and brain’s response to the drug, forcing more intakes of the drug and in higher dosage to achieve the same effects that were achieved with lesser amounts. This is called increased tolerance for the drug. Abuse comprises taking the drug without any caution whatsoever, and this means that higher quantities and shorter durations, as well as faster means of administration are employed to intensify the effects of Ritalin.

This develops tolerance very fast. Tolerance is succeeded by physical dependence, which means the body is now used to the drug for its regular functioning. Addiction is an amplified version of physical dependence and is a perpetual physical and psychological compulsion for the presence of the drug in the body and mind and it goes beyond the will or conscious desires of the individual. Any absence of the drug, whether temporary or permanent, elicits withdrawal symptoms (most of which are fatal if not properly managed).

Withdrawal

This is the process of quitting or reducing the intake of the drug. This is sometimes intentionally carried out for the many negative effects it has on the individual and on society.

Ritalin withdrawal symptoms

These may include:

Slowed heart rate and reduced blood pressure
Intense headaches
Extreme hallucinations
Paranoia
Vomiting
Abdominal pains
Malfunctioning organs (liver, kidney etc.) and the list continues.

Ritalin overdose

A Ritalin overdose occurs when Ritalin levels in the blood reach lethal levels. It may be characterized by a ruptured heart or blood vessels, due to the very high heart beat destruction of the kidneys, liver, lungs and other organs, bluish skin due to lack of circulation, slowed heart beat and weak pulse, an indication of a failing heart, falling into a coma, realistic hallucinations etc. all these points only communicate one point that addiction is a scourge in the society which must be rooted out soonest.

Talking of rooting addiction out it is important that we seek the services of not just professionals but experienced ones. For instance Dr. Dalal Akoury is not just a professional in her own right but an experienced one for that matter. She is the founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, a facility that has been very helpful to many addiction victims globally. Remember we want to kick out this scourge out of our society therefore a visit to this facility and meeting doctor Akoury and her team of experts will be the best you can do not just for yourself but to the society as well. Dr. Akoury is offering her exclusive NER Recovery Treatment to everybody including physicians and health care professionals through training, clinical apprenticeships, webinars and seminars. Welcome and be part of the endless list of beneficiaries in this truly successful and fast addiction recovery treatment.

Ritalin Addiction and Abuse-Withdrawal and Treatment

Prefrontal cortex in addiction: The Executive Brain

April 5, 2014

Prefrontal cortex in addiction-Effect of Right and Left PFC

Studies around problems in the brains prefrontal cortex have been associated with Impulsive action; a trait of addictive behavior.

The prefrontal cortex in addiction (PFC) is that portion of the brain located in the very front of the brain, just behind the forehead. It’s in charge of abstract thinking and thought analysis it is also responsible for regulating behavior. This includes mediating conflicting thoughts, making choices between right and wrong, and predicting the possible outcomes of actions or events. This brain area also governs social control, such as suppressing emotional or sexual urges. Since the prefrontal cortex is the brain center responsible for taking in data through the body’s senses and deciding on actions, it is most strongly implicated in human qualities like consciousness, general intelligence, and personality

Prefrontal cortex in addiction-Function

This vital region of the brain regulates thought in terms of both short-term and long-term decision making. It allows humans to plan ahead and create strategies, and also to adjust actions or reactions in changing situations. Additionally, the PFC helps to focus thoughts, which enables people to pay attention, learn, and concentrate on goals. This area is also the part of the brain that allows humans to consider several different yet related lines of thinking when learning or evaluating complex concepts or tasks. The prefrontal cortex in addiction also houses active, working memory.

The Prefrontal Cortex in Addiction

Chemical addiction is classified as a mental illness, such that addiction changes the brain in fundamental ways. An addiction disturbs a person’s normal hierarchy of needs and desires and substitutes new priorities connected with using drugs or alcohol. The resulting compulsive behaviors that override the ability to control impulses despite the consequences are similar to hallmarks of other mental illnesses.

Prefrontal cortex in addiction-Signs of Prefrontal Cortex Damage

Studies around problems in the brains prefrontal cortex have been associated with Impulsive action; a trait of addictive behavior.
Lack of dopamine in the prefrontal cortex is also associated with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD).
Lack of serotonin is a common problem with juveniles who lash out.

Some believe that impulsive behavior says more about an addicts approach to their addiction rather than the addiction itself. If one asked, “Why would anyone use drugs knowing that they lead to suffering?” The impulsiveness argument is a good answer, because it suggests that the thinking person is not in control, which reinforces the argument that the addict is powerless.

Prefrontal cortex in addiction-Signs of Addictive Behavior

Addicts differ in their capacity to exercise judgment and inhibit impulses.
The brain’s prefrontal cortex helps to determine the adaptive value of pleasure recorded by the nucleus accumbens and checks the urge to take the drug when it would be unwise.
If the prefrontal cortex is not functioning properly, an addictive drug has more power to monopolize the reward circuit.

Prefrontal cortex in addiction-Depression

Though depression involves an overall reduction in brain activity, some parts of the brain are more affected than others. In brain-imaging studies using PET scans, depressed people display abnormally low activity in the prefrontal cortex in addiction, and more specifically in its lateral, orbitofrontal, and ventromedial regions. And the severity of the depression often correlates with the extent of the decline in activity in the prefrontal cortex.

Orbitofrontal cortex
Lateral prefrontal cortex
Ventromedial cortex
Limbic system

The prefrontal cortex in addiction is known not only to be involved in emotional responses, but also to have numerous connections with other parts of the brain that are responsible for controlling dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin, three neurotransmitters that are important in mood regulation. More specifically, the lateral prefrontal cortex seems to help us choose a course of behavior by letting us assess the various alternatives mentally. The orbitofrontal cortex seems to let us defer certain immediate gratifications and suppress certain emotions in order to obtain greater long-term benefits. And the ventromedial cortex is thought to be one of the sites in the brain where we experience emotions and the meanings of things.

The two halves of the prefrontal cortex in addiction also seem to have specialized functions, with the left half being involved in establishing positive feelings and the right half in establishing negative ones. And indeed, in depressed people, it is the left prefrontal cortex that shows the greatest signs of weakness. In other words, when people are depressed, they find it very hard not only to set goals in order to obtain rewards, but also to believe that such goals can be achieved.

In healthy people, the left prefrontal cortex might also help to inhibit the negative emotions generated by limbic structures such as the amygdalae, which show abnormally high activity in depressed patients. In patients who respond positively to antidepressants, this over activity is reduced. And when the amygdalae remain highly hyperactive despite antidepressant treatment, the likelihood of a patient’s relapsing into depression is high.

It is also interesting to note that when someone’s left prefrontal cortex is operating at full capacity, the levels of glucocorticoids in their blood are generally very low. This follows logically, considering the harmful effects that high levels of glucocorticoids have on mood.

Brain-imaging studies have also shown that in patients with severe depression, the volume of the two hippocampi is reduced. This atrophy may be due to a loss of neurons that is also induced by the toxic effects of the high levels of glucocorticoids associated with recurrent episodes of depression. The extent of atrophy in the hippocampus even seems to be proportional to the sum of the durations of the episodes of depression, and depressions that are treated rapidly do not seem to lead to this reduction in hippocampal volume

Prefrontal cortex in addiction-Effect of Right and Left PFC

Tag Archives: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder