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Brain changes effected by drug addiction

September 30, 2016

Brain changes effected by drug addiction. Curing the addicted brain from the effects of drug addiction

Brain changes effected by drug addiction: The prefrontal cortex

When the brain changes effected by drug addiction is wearing you down, there will always be some remedial actions to be taken. The prefrontal cortex will enables us to make rational, sound decisions. It also helps us to override impulsive urges. If acted upon, these impulses urges can cause us to act without thinking. This is usually not in our best interest. For instance, suppose I’ve had a bad day at work. I may have an impulsive urge to tell my boss exactly what I think of her. To act on this impulse is not in my best interest. Fortunately, my prefrontal cortex is functioning quite well. I still have my job!

Obviously, this ability to inhibit impulses is very helpful. It enables us to function well in society. It protects us from harm by allowing us to consider the consequences of our actions. However, when the pre-frontal cortex is not functioning correctly, the opposite occurs. Addiction causes changes to the prefrontal cortex. These changes account for two characteristics of addiction: impulsivity and compulsivity.

Impulsivity is the inclination to act upon sudden urges or desires without considering potential consequences. Sometimes people describe impulsivity as living in the present moment without regard to the future. On the other hand, compulsivity is a behavior that an individual feels driven to perform to relieve anxiety. Once a person performs the compulsive behavior, the anxiety goes away and restores comfort. Thus, the presence of these behavioral characteristics in addicted persons indicates that changes to the prefrontal cortex have occurred. Unfortunately, these changes also make the discontinuation of drug use more difficult.

When we talk of addiction changes brain structure and their functions, the message being delivered is that an addiction is a process that coordinates the transition from impulsive to compulsive behavior. Impulsivity occurs during the early stages of addiction. During this phase, people impulsively act on powerful urges to experience the pleasure of their addiction. Anxiety is not associated with the urges during these early stages. Instead, addiction reflects acting on impulsive desire to receive immediate pleasure from the drug or activity. People are not considering the future consequences.

Brain changes effected by drug addiction: The shifting progress of addiction

As addiction progresses a shift begins to occur. At this point, the compulsive aspect of addiction takes hold. When this shift occurs, people are no longer pursuing their addiction solely for pleasure. The compulsions compel them to participate in their addiction to relieve anxious, uncomfortable feelings. These may rise at the mere thought of stopping addiction for any reason (supply shortages, lack of opportunity, etc.). At this later compulsive stage, “pleasure” comes in the form of relief from these anxious, uncomfortable feelings. Thus, despite the negative consequences of addiction, the addictive behavior continues in a compulsive manner.

Finally although addiction damages the brain’s brakes (pre-frontal cortex) this is not to say there is a complete loss of control. We are not slaves to our biology. We have a tremendous amount of control over our actions. This is true even when impulsive and compulsive forces are operating. This recognition is vitally important if someone wishes to recover from addiction. When a person consciously decides the costs of addiction outweigh its benefits, they become motivated and able stop. This allows them to actively counter the effects of addiction on the frontal cortex and other brain regions. Therefore if this description suits your situation, then you are in the right path and calling doctor Akoury today will go a long way in helping you solve all the addiction problems you may be having.

Brain changes effected by drug addiction: The prefrontal cortex

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Understanding depression pain complications

September 30, 2016

Understanding depression pain complications in totality alongside being mindful about the solution for stress will go along way in finding lasting solution

Understanding depression pain complications: What happens with chronic pain and depression?

Understanding depression pain complications is a worthy concern for anyone struggling with both chronic pain and depression. From an expert point of view, it will interest you to note that depression is one of the most common psychological issues facing people who are suffering from chronic pain. This problem if not addressed timely can really complicates the patient’s conditions and treatment. The most worrying thing is that prevalence of these problems is escalating on a daily basis. Like for instance according to the American Pain Foundation, they have registered that about 32 million people in the U.S. alone have had pain lasting longer than one year. And about one quarter to more than half of all the population that complain to their doctors registering depression. And on average up to 65% of those depressed individuals are also complaining of pain and yet again those people whose pain limits their independence are especially likely to get depressed. These statistics are a reflection of how depression and pain are a serious threat globally. It has now become an epidemic that must be addressed from all quarters if we want to enjoy comfort in life says doctor Akoury.

Understanding depression pain complications: Is there a cycle of depression and pain?

One would not be punished for saying that pain is a trigger of depression. In fact it has been established from various studies that pain can provoke an emotional response in everyone. Like for instance if you are struggling with some pain, you may also have high anxiety, irritability, and agitation. These are very normal accompaniment feelings when you are hurting. Even though this is so, the good news about all this process or relations is that under normal circumstances, as pain subsides, so does the stressful response. However with chronic pain, you are likely to constantly feel tense and stressed. That is to say, with time, the constant stress can result in different emotional problems associated with depression. Doctor Akoury MD, who is a veteran addiction expert and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center says that if you are suffering from these chronic pains and depression then you are likely to experience some of the problems: Altered mood, work issues, fatigue, physical deconditioning, financial concerns, chronic anxiety, weigh gain or weight loss, anger, social sleep disturbances, isolation, legal issues, confused thinking, family stress, reduced sexual activities, fear of injury, decreased self-esteem and irritability.

Finally looking at the list above, it is obvious these are not health experiences one should go through. You can therefore make wise decisions today to be safe from all these by scheduling for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury for a one on one professional advice and treatment that will help you have your life reinstated to normalcy.

Understanding depression pain complications: What happens with chronic pain and depression?

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Pursuing drug usage and cravings to the brain

September 30, 2016

Pursuing drug usage and cravings to the brain

Pursuing drug usage and cravings to the brain: Addictions effect on the brain’s reward system

Pursuing drug usage and craving to the brain can be very interesting more so when considering how the brain functions. It is true that the brain has evolved over time in a way that ensures human survival. And in fact our brain’s reward system is part of that survival system. In many instances we often experience an urgent need for food whenever we are starving and generally have a powerful desire for sex too. According to doctor Dalal Akoury MD and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, the brain’s reward system rewards food and sex because they ensure our survival. Unfortunately, drugs of abuse operate within these reward systems which leads people to experience an urgent need or powerful desire for drugs or addictive activities.

The brain’s reward system has ensured our species survival. You may have not known but food, water, and sex are some of the elements that activate the reward system. Therefore when the brain’s reward center is activated, it releases dopamine. Dopamine then creates a pleasing, enjoyable sensation which then motivates us into repeating these behaviors which are necessary for our survival. The reason why this is happening is because dopamine has rewarded us with a pleasurable feeling. Doctor Akoury recommends that from an evolutionary standpoint of view, it is very helpful to have a reward system that works. Like for instance, imagine that there is very little food and you’re wandering about looking for food. When you finally find something to eat, this triggers your reward system. This pleasing feeling (dopamine “reward”) will become associated with whatever behavior that led you to that food. This causes you to want to repeat that behavior. Moreover, the reward system is closely tied to emotional and subjective memories. If you were successful and found food in a particular place for instance, in the future you will want to look for food in the same location. This reward system increases the likelihood that you will be successful in finding food there the next time. This is because your brain chemicals are rewarding you with a pleasing sensation. It also helps you to remember how and where this pleasant feeling occurred.

Pursuing drug usage and cravings to the brain: The negative dopamine reward sensation

It will come to you as a surprise that the element that motives your survival is the very same reward system that ensures your survival and also rewards drug use. Doctor Akoury reiterates that all addictive substances and activities will trigger the release of dopamine which rewards us with a pleasant sensation thereby succeeding in motivating us to continuously indulge in these harmful behaviors. It is nowadays common knowledge that peoples with addiction problems will all it takes to get their drug of choice and in the same way, they continue with their addiction despite the harm it causes to themselves or their loved ones. It is therefore very important to note that all these characteristic of addictive behaviors arise from the brain’s pleasure and rewards centers. Therefore seeking for lasting solutions becomes a must to do for all victims. This may not be a very popular thing owing to the addictiveness of some of these drugs, but nonetheless it is the best option if you want to have a healthy life that is free from all sorts of addiction. You can schedule for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury for the commencement of your journey to recovery.

Pursuing drug usage and cravings to the brain: Addictions effect on the brain’s reward system

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Amygdala effects on emotions and memories

September 30, 2016

Amygdala effects on emotions and memories that may facilitate addiction

Amygdala effects on emotions and memories: The formation of drug abuse

All of us have memories about various events in our lives which can either be bad or good memories and these memories and emotions can be affected by amygdala. The amygdala effects on emotions and memories can be can be categorized as good or bad depending on the emotional states that happen during those events we are remembering. It is therefore very important to appreciate that these memories are formed from the brain and up on their formation, they are kept still within the brain along with the emotional attachment that occurred during those events. Let’s use an illustration to bring it closer to our understanding take for example when you smell the sea air or feel the ocean breeze and hear the seagulls, you will have a pleasant memory and emotional experience alongside. This is because these things have been repeatedly associated with relaxing and enjoyable times. The memory of the sea is stored along with a pleasant emotional state.

It therefore means that you can merely visualize the sea in your mind without necessarily being there and you will experience a pleasant emotional state. In the same way an addicted person may only need to visualize about engaging in his addiction and that will be enough for him to experience pleasure. In that case, the memory of engaging in the addiction is stored with a pleasant emotional state and hence the pleasing memories of engaging with an addiction can lead to repeating those behaviors and eventually forms a habit. This is what we must deal with owing to the enormous consequences that come with the formation of an addiction. When you realize that such experiences are happening in your life, you must seek for an immediate treatment from the experts. Doctor Dalal Akoury a veteran addiction experts and her team of experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center will be of great help to you if only you can schedule for your appointment with her today and your life will never be the same again.

Amygdala effects on emotions and memories: Cue anticipation

Besides that, emotional memory also has another role in the development of addiction known as cue anticipation. This is the environmental cues that can initiate or elevate craving. And because cravings often lead to relapse they are often called relapse. The environmental cues (relapse triggers) can be anything that is associated with the addiction. It could be a certain time of day, a place, a person, or an activity.

Finally, the brain may also form an association between unpleasant emotions and a memory thereby forming a “bad” memory. For your information, these negative emotional memories play an important role in withdrawal. The negative emotional memory of anxiety becomes associated with the physical signs of withdrawal. And as withdrawal begins, the symptoms trigger an unpleasant emotional memory. This increases the negative experience of withdrawal. What we have discussed here may not be conclusive and therefore you may want to schedule for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury for more health insight about addiction and the brain.

Amygdala effects on emotions and memories: The formation of drug abuse

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Drug alterations of the brain structures and functions

September 28, 2016

Drug alterations of the brain structures and their functions. In fact stabilizing the brain is actually stabilizing the whole person’s health

Drug alterations of the brain structures and their functions: Effect on the Cerebral Cortex

The brain as an organ is a single unit which is driving the whole body daily operations. It is composed of many different parts otherwise known as regions and structures. The brain’s main role is that of transmitting effective communications to various parts of the body. This communication system enables the various regions and structures to coordinate their activities well. Each of these regions and structures are independent and serves different purposes. One of the biggest enemies to these regions and structures is the problem of drug addiction. The drug alterations of the brain and structures does not go well with proper brain functionalities. In this article, we are going to discuss the regions and structures that are affected by the addictive process. It is therefore very important to appreciate that addiction changes brain structures and their functions in very many ways. And going forward, we will be relying on the expert opinions from doctor Dalal Akoury and her team of experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center in reviewing the brain’s role in some of the commonly observed problems associated with addiction including the following:

Impaired decision-making, impulsivity, and compulsivity
Drug-seeking and cravings
Habit formation, craving, withdrawal effects, and relapse triggers and
Stress regulation and withdrawal

Drug alterations of the brain structures and their functions: Impaired decision making, impulsive and compulsivity

The cerebral cortex is the outer most layer of the brain. The cerebral cortex is further divided into four areas. These four areas are: the frontal lobe (or frontal cortex), parietal lobes (left and right), temporal lobes (left and right), and occipital lobes (left and right). Each area is associated with certain brain functions: One area of the frontal cortex is called the prefrontal cortex. It has a vital role in higher-order functions. These functions include language, spatial learning, conscious thought, judgment, and decision-making. The process of addiction can negatively affect this area and alter its functioning. That is why we must always ensure that the brain is well protected from all the harms of drugs.

And to effectively address the drug alteration of the brain structures and functions, doctor Dalal Akoury MD 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. This is the place to be for all your addiction related problems and you will surely have your life back. All you have to do is to schedule for an appointment with doctor Akoury on telephone number 843 213 1480 and your problems will be in safe hand for total recovery.

Drug alterations of the brain structures and their functions: Effect on the Cerebral Cortex

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Tag Archives: brain and drug addiction

Brain changes effected by drug addiction

Understanding depression pain complications

Pursuing drug usage and cravings to the brain

Amygdala effects on emotions and memories

Drug alterations of the brain structures and functions

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