Tag Archives: Brain and Stress

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Substance abuse mental health complications

May 12, 2016
Substance abuse mental health

Substance abuse mental health complications characteristics

Substance abuse mental health complications: Addiction

Drug addiction is never friendly for anyone. When one member of the family is struggling with addiction, the whole family unit suffers. This can become even more complicated when the victim is also struggling with another health problem. And that introduces us to this discussion of substance abuse mental health complications. Doctor Dalal Akoury of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center acknowledges the complexity of the two conditions put together in an individual’s life. She says that having drug addiction problem coupled with mental health issues like depression, anxiety or bipolar disorder is medically known as dual diagnosis and sometimes also referred to as a co-occurring disorder. These are not simple complications to have in life. However if this description suits your situation, then you need not to be scared. Our team of experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center are well trained and fully equipped with all the skills to help you regain your life back and live it to the fullest.

Substance abuse mental health complications: The relationship between substance abuse and mental health

There are several links between these two chronic health situations. Like for instance doctor Akoury registers that in both cases, we have very unique symptoms capable of causing harmful alterations to one’s ability to function normally by way of addressing life’s difficulties and even in line with association with other people around you. This can further become complicated especially in the event that the mental health complication is not treated in good time. The consequence of that delay would cause the substance abuse problem to deteriorate further causing more harm to the addict. On the other hand when the use of drugs and alcohol increases, the mental health problems equally increases. It therefore means that to be safe all this conditions must never be allowed in an individual all at the same time.

Treatment must be sought for immediately for comfort and health to be appreciated. As we address that it is important that we are acquainted with the order of occurrence of these two conditions. We are all aware with the prevalence of addiction in our societies there is bound to be more people with mental health problems owing to their interrelationship. Nonetheless, even though substance abuse and mental health disorders are closely linked, ordinarily one does not in any way directly cause the other begging the question which one comes first?

Substance abuse mental health complications: Substance abuse vs. mental health

Substance abuse and mental health are two conditions which are complimenting each other to destroy and kill. Doctor Akoury in her campaign of creating awareness about drug abuse encourages that the public needs to be fully informed about these conditions. The following are some of the points worth nothing about the two conditions.

  • Alcohol or drugs are often used to self-medicate the symptoms of depression or anxiety. Unfortunately, substance abuse causes side effects and in the long run worsens the very symptoms they initially numbed or relieved.
  • Alcohol and drug abuse can make symptoms of a mental health problem worse. Substance abuse may sharply increase symptoms of mental illness or trigger new symptoms.
  • Alcohol and drug abuse also interact with medications such as antidepressants, anti-anxiety pills, and mood stabilizers, making them less effective.
  • Alcohol and drug abuse can increase underlying risk for mental disorders.
  • Mental disorders are caused by a complex interplay of genetics, the environment, and other outside factors. If you are at risk for a mental disorder, drug or alcohol abuse may push you over the edge.

Finally having understood the consequences of the two conditions, it is important that you take precaution to be safe by calling doctor Akoury today for a more professional treatment approach.

Substance abuse mental health complications: Addiction

 

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Fighting addiction begins in the brain effectively

September 28, 2015

Fighting addiction begins in the brain effectively: To fight addiction, feed your brain

Fighting addiction begins in the brain effectively

Fighting addiction begins in the brain effectively and this must be done with utmost care owing to the sensitivity of the brain. Essential nutrients must never be in luck

As the nerve center of human life, the brain is very essential in very many ways. Nothing will happen in the body without it being registered in and from the brain. The brain therefore plays an integral function in keeping the body communications to various parts of the body. Having known the importance of the brain, we now want to narrow our discussion to some of the specific role the brain play in fighting addiction. Therefore the focus of our discussion is going to be on the topic “fighting addiction begins in the brain effectively.” That topic begs to ask how is this possible and what do we know about the brain, addiction and effects of addiction to the brain? These are very fundamental questions of concern which we want to address progressively as we settle into the discussion. To help us in this, we are going to seek the professional opinion of experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury (MD) and founder of the same. To start us off, doctor Akoury shares with us her personal experience with her clients over the years as follows.

Fighting addiction begins in the brain effectively: Denial and denying the brain essential fats

As we have said time and again that denial is the biggest problem we all face when dealing with addiction, that fact is very evident in most clients that I have been privileged to help get through their addictive situations. At one point I was attending to a client who for purposes of confidentiality I will refer to as Miss XYZ. Ideally if you met Miss XYZ, you might presume she had everything to live for. And just to share briefly about her in her early thirties she was doing well as a junior executive who was married with two young children. Yet when XYZ opened up as she sat on my couch during a session, she narrated to me how her troubles at home and work had brought her, more than once, to put a killer knife at her wrist and imagine ending her emotional pain forever.

For over a decade Miss XYZ disorderly drank bottles of wine every night and regularly smoked marijuana alongside taking pain killers. Even though she knew her actions she denied it first to herself, her family and to me (her doctor) that substance abuse was a part of her problem. “I’m not an alcoholic,” she said with a lot of confidence. Because she was such a long way from even addressing her (conventional) addictions, I inquired about what else she was ingesting and so I ask “What did you eat for breakfast?” That question revealed to me that she wasn’t just intoxicating her brain but she was also starving it of the essential nutrients. It was almost a routine for her skipping breakfast most days and when she took it will be only a cup of coffee or glass of juice once in a while. According to her, she put soy milk in her coffee because she thought that all dairy and meat products were unhealthy. She also avoided fat in all her foods because she believed fat would make her fat (are you like her?). What she didn’t know is that the brains rely on healthy fats for their functioning and for that reason two fats, EPA and DHA, are particularly known for their mood-boosting qualities. By avoiding any fats she was literally avoiding foods that would provide her brain with these naturally essential and therapeutic molecules.

Doctor Akoury continues that realizing all these she asked her to go to a local lab for some blood test. We talked about her making some dietary changes, especially the merits of nutrient-rich brain foods, such as eggs and fish. She admitted in a guilty whisper, “I’ve been craving a hamburger” and you will agree with me that wasn’t really surprising. Like a good number of other women of reproductive age, her there was great deficiency of iron in her blood further explaining what was lucking in her body to function well. With this deficiency she actually felt listless; she lacked the energy to cope with her demanding job and a family as well.

Fighting addiction begins in the brain effectively: Certifying the brains nutrient needs

With so many challenges standing in the way of recovering from addiction, the simplest first step is to stop depriving your brain of good and necessary food and nutrients. Experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center are very categorical that recovery will partly depend on developing new chemical pathways by which the brain overcomes habitual behaviors. This we want to emphasis that you owe it to your recovery as it will nourish the brain to poise it for better learning, stable moods and less intrusive cravings. Even though there are so many bad things Miss XYZ did, the good news is that eating to support recovery need not be a deprivation: It can be delicious and remember that when you feed your brain with essential nutrients from their natural sources, you are taking better care of yourself, which is a fundamental step in rebuilding your brain and your self-esteem. A diet geared to stabilize mood and minimize cravings will be high in omega-3 fats from fatty fish, folates from leafy greens, vitamin B12 from eggs and meat, and the many brain-healthy nutrients amply found in colorful fruits and vegetables. Instead of the sugar (dopamine) rushes from eating simple carbohydrates, the sustained feeling of fullness from healthy foods can fortify you in your recovery.

Finally when Miss XYZ changed her diet, her moods stabilized and her suicidal thoughts dissipated. The killer knife was now used properly for cutting meat, fish, and vegetables. The conclusion of my therapy with her was that a better-nourished brain and taking control of her eating habits were very instrumental steps in addressing her alcohol and drug problem. At this point she could now listen to the concerns of family members about her addiction. She became more responsible and registered with a support group. She stuck with her diet and got in the habit of regular exercise instead of daily sugar or alcohol. Miss XYZ is now celebrating many years of sobriety a recovery journey that began when she took her first bite of real food for breakfast. You can also benefit from the same by scheduling for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury today for the commencement of your recovery program.

Fighting addiction begins in the brain effectively: To fight addiction, feed your brain

 

 

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The power of addiction and stress in life

July 31, 2015

The power of addiction and stress in life: The dangers of mixing stress with drugs

The power of addiction and stress in life

The power of addiction and stress in life can be the reason of your endless frustrations and discomfort in life. Real time action should be taken to correct any mess that may have been created by addiction and stress in your life

What kind of life is this? Why must be always me? Will I ever overcome these challenges? When will all these end? I am tired and frustrated with this kind of work? It is now time for paying bills and I don’t have money how will I face my landlord? These and many more are some of the questions that illustrate the kinds of life we live today, a life full of demands with very limited resources in a fast moving society. People are discouraged, lost in thoughts and ideas on how to make ends meet. The result of this is living a very stressful life full of worries, temptations, anarchy and wishes. I wish I had this, did that and so on. The question that begs for an answer is how do you cope with situations like these? Many people often resort to using drugs as relief providers. They just want to have everything behind them thinking that they will indeed succeed in doing so by taking drugs or alcohol. This is not always the case because the power of addiction and stress in life are not limited to drugs. We spoke to doctor Dalal Akoury who is an expert in addiction for well over two decades and she acknowledges that substance abuse is one way through which many people think of when it comes to relieving of their stressful moments.

She says that even though this is the common practice across the globe, it is the worse anyone can do for him or herself. By resorting to drugs you are indeed adding more problems into your life instead of eliminating them. It is true that when under the influence of drugs, you are not really yourself and as long as the substance is still controlling your systems you may not experience the effects of your stressful life. However the moment sobriety sets in, you pick up the pieces from when you left and this time it will even come with other additional complications. When you are overwhelmed you resort to drugs again and again and before you know it, you are addicted to that. It now means that besides the stress you were trying to escape from, you have added into your life the garbage of addiction to that specific drug.

The power of addiction and stress in life: Substance abuse as self-medication for stress

Like we have already mentioned self-medication is a situation where people turn to alcohol or drugs in an attempt to manage their problems. Depressants like alcohol produce a calming effect on the body, and so the individual will feel like they have escaped their difficulties. They may start to take these substances more and more as a way to manage their stress levels. This is dangerous because the cure can be far more damaging than the initial symptoms.

The power of addiction and stress in life: The dangers of using alcohol and drugs to deal with stress

If you understand the consequences of using drugs or alcohol in excess, then you wouldn’t use them when stressed. It may be true that using alcohol or drugs to deal with stress is at best a short-term solution but the resulting consequences are very dangerous because:

  • It can lead toaddiction. If this happens then the individual may find it difficult to stop. Addicts can end up losing everything including their possessions, health, friends, family, and self-respect.
  • Substance abuse only masks the problem and doesn’t eliminate it. It will be almost impossible for the individual to learn better ways of managing stress while they are still abusing alcohol or drugs.
  • Substance abuse increases the amount of stress in people’s lives. It makes it difficult to be effective at work, and it damages people’s ability to form meaningful relationships. The longer a person abuses these substances the more things they will have in their lives to feel stressed about. They can then get into a vicious circle of abusing drugs more and more to escape the stress that is being caused by their substance abuse.

The power of addiction and stress in life: Symptoms of stress

It is possible that sometimes people can be stressed and not even noticing therefore is important to have the understanding of some of the most common symptoms which may include:

  • Inability to sleep properly
  • Loss of appetite and discomfort when eating
  • Headaches
  • Feeling antsy
  • Indigestion
  • Stomach discomfort or ‘butterflies in the stomach’
  • Getting irritated easily
  • Luck of concentration– sometimes described as ‘fuzzy thinking’
  • Anxiety
  • Lack of energy
  • Thinking negatively most of time
  • Muscle tension
  • Evidence of an ineffective immune system – e.g. frequent colds
  • Loss of interest in sex
  • Feelings of frustration

The power of addiction and stress in life: Effective ways to deal with stress

It may not be possible for people to completely eliminate stress from their lives. Because of that fact it is important that we develop strategies for managing it. In those strategies substance abuse must never be part of the solution because they are not. The most effective solutions include:

  • Learning a meditation technique such asmindfulness. This teaches people to observe what is happening in their mind without taking it so personally. Just the simple technique of naming and observing stress can be enough to reduce it.
  • Relaxation techniques provide the body with the opportunity to let go of stress. This could include simple breathing techniques or visualizations.
  • Exercise is another good way to relieve stress. This is because itincreases the release of body chemicals that make people feel good. Just going for a long walk every day can be enough to keep stress levels under control.
  • Listening to music or spending time engaged in a hobby can also dramatically reduce stress levels.
  • Getting away for a few days can help people recharge and escape the usual stressors. A break away from normal living also provides the opportunity to reassess life.
  • Keeping a journal provides the opportunity to vent about stressors. These annoyances tend to be more damaging when they are internalized. Just writing about them on paper can diminish the strength of these stressors.
  • Talking about problems to other people is another good way to reduce stress levels

Finally it is necessary that when people continue to struggle with chronic stress for unnecessarily too long, they should advice from a therapist immediately. Talking to doctor Dalal Akoury the founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center will go a long way in finding lasting solution to all your addiction or stressful life concerns. Call her today on Tel:  843 213 1480 to schedule for an appointment right away.

The power of addiction and stress in life: The dangers of mixing stress with drugs

 

 

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The illusion that substance abuse offers stress relief

July 31, 2015

The illusion that substance abuse offers stress relief: Substance abuse provides temporary relief from stress

The illusion that substance abuse offers stress relief

The illusion that substance abuse offers stress relief is one that should not be taken seriously because the consequences can be life threatening.

Over the years research has established that the effects of stress on human life can damage individual’s mental and physical well-being. Despite of this establishment, we are somehow bound to be stressed in life owing to the nature of life’s demands today.  Experts are very categorical that stress will always be there and reasonable stress may not be bad anyway however, our inability to deal with stress effectively when it strikes is the problem we need to work on. Ordinarily and this is where we all miss the point, when we are faced with stressful situations and circumstances we often go for the wrong elements of solutions. Doctor Dalal Akoury a respected drug addiction experts registered that one of the ways that people often run to for help is the use of alcohol or drugs. Whereas this type of self-medication can provide temporary relief, it however important to note that this is ultimately self-defeating. The consequences is that the individual will have more stress in their life than ever before and besides that they will lose their strength and ability to handle it progressively. Therefore the illusion that substance abuse offers stress relief is misleading and dangerous. Nonetheless there are so many different techniques that people can use to better manage stress effectively. We will be discussing some of those ways as we progress into the discussion and therefore I request you to stay on the link to the conclusion of this article and you will not regret it.

The illusion that substance abuse offers stress relief: Stress Defined

People often struggle to give the precise definition of stress yet in their life this word is used almost on a daily basis. A lot of us will give numerous examples of what stress does in an attempt to define the adjective however giving the precise specification of what stress is remains an uphill task to many a challenge that we want to pull off your shoulders now. Ideally stress is very subjective and people are even struggling to agree primarily on which things are stressful and those that are not. Like for instance so many people will be taken off gourd and fell stressed when they are asked to make a public speech, and yet again for others this won’t be such a big deal. We are all different as to what stressed us but we all have the common fact that despite being different on how and what stress us, we are all getting stressed at one point or another.

Therefore we can make several definitions of stress and one way of defining stress would be to simply register that it is the body’s way of dealing with a demand at any given time. This will involve the release of different chemicals in the body in preparation to taking action. It is also important to appreciate that the fight or flight response is produced by the body when there is a sense of danger. We may not shy away from the fact that stress has developed a bad reputation in our lives and societies, but the again it is also somehow essential for survival. That is because if people didn’t react to external events they would be in great danger from those events. Besides that stress can also be highly beneficial when it comes to preparation for exams or other important events. Does that surprise you? If it does I will explain for your understanding. From various studies it has been established that stress can encourage people to put in a lot of effort and it keeps them focused to their ultimate goal whether it is an exam or any other thing they want to excel in. now that we are all at par with what stress is, let us further into the discussion by addressing some of the elements that triggers stress.

The illusion that substance abuse offers stress relief: Stressors – Triggers of stress response

Anything that triggers the stress response is referred to as a stressor. Therefore some of the most common stressors include:

  • Sudden death of a loved one
  • Consistent conflicts at work or home
  • Chronic Illnesses
  • Overwork and undue targets
  • Poor time management
  • Legal problems
  • Major life changes such as changing house or job
  • Relationship breakdown
  • Unhealthy habits such as substance abuse

It may not be possible to put all the stressors here on paper because they are many and diversified but these are just a few that may help you know what are likely to cause you stress so that you can take action accordingly.

The illusion that substance abuse offers stress relief: The dangers of chronic stress

According to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury (MD) and founder of this health facility, it is important to understand that the moment people spend a lot of time feeling stressed, a lot of changes will take effect in their lives. Like for instance when one is stressed he or she can begin to feel the effects of stress which can cause damage both physically and mentally. This is because the chemicals associated with the stress response are only meant to be in the bloodstream for short periods. Those who are chronically stressed will have such chemicals working overtime. Therefore, the following are some of the dangers of chronic stress that we need to take note of:

  • Chronic stresscauses the immune system to become less effective. This is because stress forces the immune system to release chemicals so that they end up being overused. Instead of helping people fight off infections, these chemicals begin to damage the individual’s own organs. This can increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes among other chronic complications.
  • Chronic stress leads to fatigue and depression. Those who are dealing with a lot of stress in their lives will have poor mental health.
  • It can increase the risk of developing ulcers and digestive problems.
  • Many people who are dealing with chronic stress will turn to substance abuse.

Finally we will certainly continue with this discussion in our subsequent articles but in the meantime, it is important that if you are stressed and using the wrong substance for relief, it is time for you to choose life and live it in a healthy way. Doctor Akoury is an expert in all lines of addiction and your stressful life is one that she will help you fix in the most professional way if only you can schedule for an appointment with her today for the commencement of your treatment and full recovery.

The illusion that substance abuse offers stress relief: Substance abuse provides temporary relief from stress

 

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Drug seeking and cravings to the brain

July 18, 2015

Drug seeking and cravings to the brain: Addictions effect on the brain’s reward system

Drug seeking and cravings to the brain

Drug seeking and cravings to the brain. Ideally drugs are a serious threat to your health and the brain is one of the organs affected the most.

Drug seeking and craving to the brain is very interesting more so when we consider 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.

Drug seeking 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 unfortunately the very same reward system that ensures your survival also rewards drug use. Doctor Akoury says 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.

Drug seeking and cravings to the brain: Mesolimbic pathway

We now have a basic understanding of the purpose and functioning of the brain’s reward system. Let’s interrogate it a little bit further. The circuit most associated with pleasure and reward is the mesolimbic pathway which is located in the brainstem. The objective of this area of the brain is primarily concerned with basic survival. Within the mesolimbic pathway is an area called the ventral tegmental area (VTA). The VTA projects to the nucleus accumbens (thought to be the reward center). The neurotransmitter most commonly linked with the mesolimbic system is dopamine. Many people consider dopamine to be the driving force behind the human pursuit of pleasure. The release of dopamine is a pleasurable sensation. The release of dopamine motivates us to repeat behaviors or activities that prompted this release. This system’s purpose was to promote survival by rewarding life sustaining behaviors such eating and procreation.

All addictive drugs and activities release varying amounts of dopamine into the nucleus accumbens with stimulant drugs like cocaine and methamphetamine releasing the most. However when it comes to drugs like alcohol or heroin, the brain’s own opiate system (endorphins) also gets involved. Doctor Akoury further says that even though different forms of addictions have different effects in the nucleus accumbens, they share one common denominator that they all activate the reward system which in turn motivates us to repeat those behaviors, even though they may be harmful. Besides what we have discussed about the concepts of reward, pleasure, and craving together, it is however very important to appreciate that there is a distinction between pleasure-seeking and drug seeking. Note that pleasure-seeking is all about the pleasurable, rewarding aspect of addiction while drug-seeking refer to the craving aspect of addiction. Dopamine may be more involved in drug-seeking (craving) component of addiction. The opiate (endorphin), GABA, or glutamatergic systems may be more involved in pleasure-seeking aspect of addiction too.

Pleasure-seeking and drug-seeking (cravings) are inter-related, yet distinct. Research has established that natural rewards (food, water, sex) typically lessen their influence on the reward system over time. As a behavior occurs more often, dopamine levels tend to decrease in the process. Psychologists call this habituation. This makes sense. Once you’ve eaten enough food, you don’t need to be rewarded for eating more food. Then you would be eating too much, or too much of one type of food. Therefore everyone needs to take heed of keeping the brain free from all attacks be it from substances or otherwise. Talking to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury should be your starting point. Call and make that appointment today for the commencement of your journey to full recovery from your addiction.

Drug seeking and cravings to the brain: Addictions effect on the brain’s reward system

 

 

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