Tag Archives: brain and marijuana addiction

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Brains communication system

Brains communication system

Brains communication system can be very vulnerable to drug addiction and needs to be free from any substances of abuse

Brains communication system: Addiction chemical alteration to the brains functions

New neural pathways are formed as an addiction develops. This is because addiction chemical alteration to the brain’s communication system takes effect with such intoxications. In other words, when you take drugs away, the brain will revert again to form new neural pathways. Neuroplasticity explains why the initial period of recovery is difficult and uncomfortable. But the good news is that this difficulty is only temporal. Speaking to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center about addiction chemical alteration, doctor Akoury MD registers that this piece of information is very helpful to especially when attempting recovery. From our previous illustration where a tree fell on the usual pathway and so you needed to navigate to get through, some difficulties could be experiencedd. In the same way, when undertaking the recovery journey in addiction treatment, it can be difficult and uncomfortable while these new neural pathways are forming. As long as the recovering person does not give up during this initial period of discomfort, new neural pathways will form that support recovery. These new pathways will become more established and better developed over time. As they do, recovery becomes easier and more comfortable thereby defeating any addiction chemical alteration to the functions of the brain.

Brains communication system: Effects of addictive substances

Going by the facts mentioned above about the adaptive and the dynamic qualities of our brains to ensure our survival, I want to be persuaded that you are now somewhere as far as keeping your brain healthy. The next point I want to raise on how addiction changes the brain’s communication pathways may be quite unfortunate. Why do I say so, it is because the brain’s ability to be so adaptive is also at the root of addiction. Doctor Akoury says that the brain has the ability to adapt not only to the harmless substances and activities but also to the strong effects of addictive drugs and activities. And when it does, there will be damaging changes happening in the brain regions which are associated with reward including the memory and emotion, decision-making and stress regulations. These changes to our brain make the repeated use of addictive substances or activities very compelling. The good news is that our brains’ neuroplasticity allows us to correct these changes! Therefore, although addiction chemical alteration leads to structural changes in the brain, we are capable of learning new coping skills. The brain’s plasticity allows these new coping skills to be imprinted.

Finally, we will be discussing these structural changes in the next series of articles and we want to urge you not to go away but to stay with us on the link and where possible invite a friend too. In the meantime having such powerful information about the most sensitive organ in your body the brain is very helpful in keeping you healthy. I am saying so because when you know, you will not do things that will cause harm to your health, and if you have already caused an injury, then you can take measures to remedy the situation by scheduling an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury to professionally take your through the recovery treatment process today.

Brains communication system: Addiction chemical alteration to the brains functions

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Behavioral Addiction and Brain Function

Dual diagnosis treatment solutions

Dual diagnosis treatment

Dual diagnosis treatment solutions is very critical and must be done professionally

Dual diagnosis treatment solutions: Mental health and drug addiction

Over the past, we have repeatedly addressed the difficulties addicts encounter during treatment. And if this is to be added to mental health problems, you can imagine how complicated that can be. For sure dual diagnosis treatment is very complicated and for it to be properly addressed, doctor Dalal Akoury MD, President, and founder of AWAREmed health and wellness resource center says that it will be very important to first address any life-threatening complications that are associated with intoxication. Like for instance, the following conditions may require immediate medical care in the confinement of a health facility:

  • Extreme cases of alcohol intoxication may prompt medical treatment and can result in death if not arrested in good time.
  • Use of amphetamines, crack, cocaine and other drugs can result in heart complications like arrhythmias, heart attacks, stroke and even death.
  • Use of benzodiazepines (e.g. diazepam, clonazepam), opiates (e.g., oxycodone, oxycontin) and other downers can result in extreme sedation and potentially death in overdose.

Dual diagnosis treatment solutions: Substance abuse withdrawal

Drug and alcohol withdrawal can lead to medical emergencies requiring immediate treatment. This can occur when a person who has been regularly using a particular substance has become addicted to that substance (the body has become physically dependent on the substance) and abruptly stops using. The following may necessitate immediate medical care in the hospital setting:

  • Alcohol withdrawal can result in heart problems (e.g., arrhythmias), seizures or delirium tremens (an acute delirious state), all which can be potentially fatal.
  • Benzodiazepine withdrawal can result in tremors (shakes), seizures and potentially death.
  • Under normal circumstances, opiate withdrawal is not considered to be life-threatening but it can be a very traumatic and painful experience.

People who are struggling with drug addiction and alcohol should seek for help through processes like inpatient detoxification either by admission to a hospital or a detoxification facility where appropriate medications can be done professionally. Studies have established that psychiatric treatments are effective in individuals who are not actively abusing drugs and alcohol meaning that with this, total healing from substance abuse must be achieved and once this is done treating all the underlying mental illness may be more successful. It is important to note that mental illness treatment is more effective when the patient is sober though it can still be done along detoxification process. And for a lasting solution over this, scheduling an appointment with doctor Akoury should be your starting point.

Finally, why should you choose on doctor Akoury? We are encouraged by her commitment to ensuring professional delivery at all cost. Because of this, she established this facility to primarily help in the transformation of every individual’s life through increasing awareness about health and wellness and by empowering individuals to find their own inner healing power. Besides that, it will interest you to note that doctor Akoury’s practice focuses on personalized medicine through healthy lifestyle choices that deal with primary prevention and underlying causes instead of patching up symptoms making the right professional for you.

Dual diagnosis treatment solutions: Mental health and drug addiction

http://www.awaremednetwork.com/

 

 

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addiction

Marijuana dried leaves and the addictive component

Marijuana dried leaves

Marijuana dried leaves and the addictive component complications. Actually, the designer drugs and synthetic marijuana are both serious substances of abuse irrespective of your state laws.

Marijuana dried leaves and the addictive component: How it affects human health

We are often encouraged by nutritionist to serve more of vegetables in all our meals for a healthy living and to keep our bodies strong and detoxified. There are several plants commercially produced for this purpose and great investment is being done by agriculturalist to ensure that this worthy objective is not only achieved but also sustained. While this is being done there are some few individuals who are in the business of doing the direct opposite. I am talking about those farmers who are commercially producing the herb called marijuana. This is not just an herb but a serious drug which is very illegal in most nations.  Marijuana dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds from the hemp plant Cannabis sativa, which contains the psychoactive (mind-altering) chemical delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), as well as other related compounds. This plant material can also be concentrated in a resin called hashish or a sticky black liquid called hash oil.

And according to the experts at AWAREmed health and wellness recourse center under the leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury MD, there is no doubt that marijuana is the most common illicit drug used in the United States and many other states globally. The biggest users of this substance are the young people. This has been very evidence in the last two decades where there has been steady increase of young people in relation to a diminishing perception of drug risk that may be associated with the increased public debate over drugs legal status. Although marijuana is illegal in most states some governments have passed laws allowing its use in treatment of certain conditions.

Marijuana dried leaves and the addictive component: Effects of marijuana to the brain

The THC will rapidly pass from the lungs into the blood streams when marijuana is smoked carrying with it the chemical into the brain and other vital organs of the body, besides smoking it can also be absorbed into the body slowly when ingested in food or drinks. When ingested, it will acts on specific molecular targets on brain cells, called cannabinoid receptors which are ordinarily activated by chemicals similar to THC that naturally occur in the body and are part of a neural communication network called the endocannabinoid system. This system plays an important role in normal brain development and function.

The highest density of cannabinoid receptors is found in parts of the brain that influence pleasure, memory, thinking, concentration, sensory and time perception, and coordinated movement. Marijuana over activates the endocannabinoid system, causing the high and other effects that users experience. These effects include altered perceptions and mood, impaired coordination, difficulty with thinking, problem solving, and disrupted learning and memory. Looking at the problems attached to this drug, we cannot burry our heads on the ground and pretend that everything will be alright. And as a way of taking remedial action, you can schedule an appointment with doctor Akoury who is a veteran addiction expert with vast experience of over two decades. Upon receipt of your request, she will evaluate your individual conditions and enroll you into the most effective treatment program that will deliver your health back in a record time.

Marijuana dried leaves and the addictive component: How it affects human health

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dopamine-5

Neurochemical reward and drug addiction effects

Neurochemical reward

Neurochemical reward and drug addiction effects on the brain may include certain pleasurable principle and that explains why the brain needs to be protected the most

Neurochemical reward and drug addiction effects: Addiction and the brain

Using addictive drugs floods the limbic brain with dopamine taking it up to as much as five or 10 times the normal level. With these levels elevated, the user’s brain begins to associate the drug with an outside neurochemical reward. Over time, by artificially raising the amount of dopamine our brains think is normal, the drugs create a need that only they can meet. Like for instance, when a drug produce increases in dopamine in these limbic areas of the brain, then your brain is going to understand that signal as something that is very reinforcing, and will learn it very fast so that the next time you get exposed to that stimuli, your brain already has learned that reinforcing instantly. Over time, the consistently high levels of dopamine create plastic changes to the brain, desensitizing neurons so that they are less affected by it, and decreasing the number of receptors. That leads to the process of addiction, wherein a person loses control and is left with an intense drive to compulsively take the drug.

According to experts the reason why dopamine-producing drugs are so addictive is that they have the ability to constantly fill a need for more dopamine. So a person may take a hit of cocaine, snort it, it increases dopamine, takes a second, it increases dopamine, third, fourth, fifth, sixth. So there’s never that decrease that ultimately leads to the satiety. Addiction has to do with the brain’s expectations. An emerging idea is that drugs basically hijack the brain’s normal computational enjoyment and reward mechanisms.

For example, let’s say you’re happy about a great chocolate ice cream and over time you learn to expect that the chocolate ice cream is really great and you have no more dopamine released in expectation of that when you receive it. Nevertheless, if you take an addictive drug you can never learn to expect it because the drug itself will release an extra kick of dopamine. And when that happens, the value of that drug keeps increasing because now you’re learning that wow my expectations were violated, therefore this must be much more valuable than what I thought before. So what ends up happening is that dopamine system gets hijacked by these drugs.

It must be noted that there are other components to addiction like genetics and age of exposure which is why not everyone who takes drugs becomes an addict. Approximately 50% of the vulnerability of a person to become addicted is genetically determined, and research indicates that if a person is exposed to drugs in early adolescence they are much more likely to become addicted than if they were exposed to the same drugs as an adult.

Neurochemical reward and drug addiction effects: Neurotransmitter dopamine

Doctor Dalal Akoury acknowledges that one of the key functions of the neurotransmitter dopamine is to create feelings of pleasure that our brains associate with necessary physiological actions like eating and procreating. We are driven to perform these vital functions because our brains are conditioned to expect the dopamine rush that accompanies them. Addictive drugs flood the brain with dopamine and condition us to expect artificially high levels of the neurotransmitter. Over time, the user’s brain requires more dopamine than it can naturally produce, and it becomes dependent on the drug, which never actually satisfies the need it, has created.

Finally, AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of Doctor Akoury is a facility run by experts headed by doctor Akoury, for proper care and healing of whatever kind of addiction and whatever the level of addiction you need caring experts who will focus on Neuroendocrine Restoration (NER) to reinstate normality through realization of the oneness of Spirit, Mind, and Body, Unifying the threesome. This kind of treatment can only be found at AWAREmed. Reach out for help and get your life back with real professionals.

Neurochemical reward and drug addiction effects: Addiction and the brain

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addiction

Marijuana dangerous effects to all users

Marijuana dangerous effects

Marijuana dangerous effects to all users and the solution to this calamity is prompt treatment

Marijuana dangerous effects to all users: The endless health implications

If you have not known what substance abuse is then you may want to start by understanding the marijuana dangerous effects to its users progressively as we interrogate this topic. The dangers are eminent and the most immediate ones may include rapid heartbeat, disorientation, lack of physical coordination accompanied by depression or sleepiness for the majority while others may suffer panic attacks and anxiety. In putting more emphasis in this, experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center reiterates that despite the aforementioned, that is not all, scientific studies have established that, the active ingredient in cannabis, THC, often remains in the body for weeks or even months. And to add more complications to health, doctor Dalal Akoury registers that marijuana smoke is loaded with between 50% to 70% more cancer-causing substances than tobacco smoke. No wonder one single cannabis joint could cause more damages to the lungs compared with cigarette smoking. The magnitude of this is that for every one joint of marijuana, it will take up to five regular cigarettes smoked one after another to experience the same effect. Long-time joint smokers often suffer from bronchitis, an inflammation of the respiratory tract.

Marijuana dangerous effects to all users: Brain abnormalities

Scientifically, it has been established that besides the effects on your physical health, marijuana use also contribute to the brain abnormalities. And because of that marijuana is one drug that can change the structure of sperm cells or deformity. The implication of that is often temporary sterility in men and disruption of women’s menstrual cycle. Alongside all those, this is one of the few drugs that causes abnormal cell division, thereby leading to severe hereditary defects. Meaning that a pregnant woman smoking marijuana or hashish periodically may give birth prematurely to an undersized, underweight baby. Now lest look at some of the short and long-term effects of this substance.

Marijuana dangerous effects to all users: Short-term effects

  • Hallucinations
  • Increased heart rate (risk of heart attack)
  • Increased risk of stroke
  • Loss of sense of personal identity
  • Lowered reaction time
  • Panic
  • Problems with coordination (impairing safe driving or playing sports)
  • Severe anxiety, including fear that one is being watched or followed (paranoia)
  • Sexual problems (for males)
  • Short-term memory problems
  • Up to seven times more likely to contract sexually transmitted infections
    than non-users (for females)
  • Very strange behavior, seeing, hearing or smelling things that aren’t there, not being able to tell imagination from reality (psychosis)

Marijuana dangerous effects to all users: Long-term effects

  • Addiction (about 9% of adults and 17% of people who started smoking as teens)
  • Antisocial behavior including stealing money or lying
  • Decline in IQ (up to 8 points if prolonged use started in adolescent age)
  • Financial difficulties
  • Greater chances of being unemployed or not getting good jobs.
  • Impaired thinking and ability to learn and perform complex tasks
  • Increased welfare dependence
  • Lower life satisfaction
  • Poor school performance and higher chance of dropping out
  • Potential development of opiate abuse
  • Relationship problems, intimate partner violence

Finally the primary goal of posting these blogs is to help you re-arrange your life if you are struggling with marijuana or any other drug addiction problem. This may not be easier but doctor Akoury will make it much easier if only you can call her now.

Marijuana dangerous effects to all users: The endless health implications

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