Tag Archives: Brain

Amino Acids Therapy Used For Addiction Treatment

October 27, 2014

Intravenous Amino Acids Detoxification as Used in Addiction Therapy

Amino acid

Amino AcidS

Amino acids play a very important role in the body. The amino acids are the building blocks of proteins while proteins are essentials in building and repairing all body tissues. Therefore, the amino acids can be effectively used in detoxifying the brain and the neurotransmitters that are often affected by alcohol and other substance abuse. Addiction can be treated with the amino acids detox therapy.

The use of amino acid for detox was first thought of by an American doctor. His thought was to investigate on how the amino acids could be used in maintaining or achieving neurotransmitter balance in the brain in those who had suffered or were still suffering from mental disorders. One of the major effects of alcohol and substance abuse is that they cause an imbalance on neurotransmitters. This imbalance can be rectified by intravenous amino acid therapy.

Alcohol and drugs of addiction when used for a time will alter the balance between the neurotransmitters this is because the balance of the neurotransmitters in the brain is very delicate. Neurotransmitters are those chemicals that carry electrical impulses throughout the brain, and the central nervous system. When this delicate balance of neurotransmitters in the brain is altered, the brain functions that depend on impulses from these neurotransmitters will be altered. At some point there will be dependence on substances that cause the imbalance for brain to continue functioning. It is therefore not very logical to begin fighting addiction in a patient without detoxing the brain in order to achieve this balance between the neurotransmitters in the brain.

The role of amino acids in the brain is vital and that is why it is believed by many doctors that an imbalance in amino acids is a leading contributor to substance abuse and eventual addiction. In most cases the imbalance in amino acids is as a result of use of drugs of abuse and /or alcohol. In such cases, greater volumes of alcohol or drugs gradually result in a greater imbalance in neurotransmitters. To achieve the euphoric effects an addict will need to use more of the drugs and this leads to increase in dosages of the drugs that addict takes and this is known as tolerance.

Intravenous Amino Acids Is Safe

In most instances, an addict will suffer some side effects during detoxification. This is because of the imbalance in neurotransmitters. Even as the detoxification process continues the addict will have to deal with intense cravings for the substance of abuse. By using intravenous amino acid during detoxification the side effects are mitigated plus the cravings also stops since the intravenous amino acids will feed the brain what it seeks from the drug. In some cases during detoxification the cravings will increase even after the detoxification process is completed. When Amino Acids are used in the process, all will be safe since it will fight the craving for the drugs by restoring the imbalance in the neurotransmitters more efficiently. This occurs because of the side effects of drug and alcohol use. Unlike the use of other pharmaceutical drugs that are used in fighting addiction, intravenous amino acids do not cause withdrawal symptoms to addicts who are were using it.

Amino acids in therapy can help a recovering addict since the neurotransmitters of the addict will be supplied with amino acids intravenously therefore restoring the balance in the brain. During this process the intravenous amino acids may be accompanied by essential minerals and vitamins that will be of help to the addict. The use of amino acids in detoxification for addiction is not a new phenomenon as it has been used in the United States and the United Kingdom. It was used in helping opiate and alcohol addicts, in 80 percent of the cases it was used successfully.

DETOX WITH AMINO ACIDS

DETOX WITH AMINO ACIDS

Any addict who tries to stop using a drug will automatically suffer the withdrawal symptoms. When withdrawal begins, the intravenous solution which is composed of amino acids and other important minerals & vitamins is sent through the veins and directly to the brain. Feeding the brain directly stimulates it to rebalance itself. As withdrawal occurs the amino acids are building blocks and when they are mixed in right proportions with the minerals and vitamins the body will be vitalized to naturally fight addictive substances and balance itself.

Drug Addiction is should be treated personally for the patient that is suffering, that is why we at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center are committed to availing help to addicts and offering them a place to call home. It does not matter what kind of addiction you are wrestling with right now, just call on Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) today and begin your journey to victory against addiction.

Intravenous Amino Acids Detoxification As Used In Addiction Therapy

 

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The Prefrontal Cortex and It’s Executive Control In Addiction

September 20, 2014

Role of the prefrontal cortex and executive control in addiction

prefrontal cortexThe prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain that is the cerebral cortex, which covers the front part frontal lobe. PFC’s most typical psychological term for its functions is executive function. The prefrontal cortex has been associated with a person’s personality by more than one scientist. It is associated with decision making, planning complex cognitive behavior, expressing ones personality as well as controlling and moderating social behaviors. Decision making is a process that is carried out in the brain through the interaction of the prefrontal cortex and the subcortical regions involved in reward and motivation. As a result, it is common that failure in self-regulatory behavior, common in addicted subjects, could be dependent upon the alteration of the interactions between the prefrontal cortex and the subcortical regions.

The PFC has plays a great role in regulating and governing behavior. This function is achieved through a complex interaction of different areas within the prefrontal cortex together with the subcortical areas integrating cognitive and executive functions to produce the “optimal choice”. The result of this interaction can also result in dangerous decisions some of which are observed in drug addicts. The PFC functional abnormalities are very much attributed to the continued use of drugs or traumatic experiences. PFC plays a role in the onset and in the progression of psychiatric disorders associated with very poor decision making such as schizophrenia, attention deficit or the hyperactivity disorder, and depression all of which are very likely to be suffered by drug addicts after a prolonged period of drug and substance abuse.

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps control the brains reward and pleasure areas as well as regulating movement and emotional responses. Dopamine enables us to not only see the reward but to also take actions to move towards them. Addictive drugs such as cocaine, marijuana and nicotine cause an excess of dopamine in the brain. According to scientific theories, dopamine is released in the brain when something very important happens, whether that is an expected reward or an accident. Since it is involved in learning, memory and motivation, the chemical dopamine helps us to store the important information we need to survive as well as to remember it in the future. Drugs however hijack that process sending five to ten times more dopamine surging through the nucleus accumbens and forcing the brains motivational and attention mechanisms to focus purely on the drug. The drug therefore becomes the most important thing in the world which leads to addiction.

Improved performance  in cognitive tasks requiring working memory and inhibition have been observed in people that carry variations in the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene which degrade the catecholamine neurotransmitters dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. As a result, when the role of COMT is altered, there could be increased likelihood of making the drug addiction even stronger. Addiction is therefore as a result of a number of factors and the PFC circuitry contributes to the expression of several behaviors that are associated with it. A large number of addicted people do not seek treatment, mostly because they do not even recognize their condition as a disease that requires a medical attention. This condition is probably brought about by viewing the abused substance as an essential ingredient of their life regardless of the consequences of its use.

Imbalance between two separate but interacting neural systems can lead to addiction. These neural systems could be an immediate one that generates decision making, based on the impulsivity-related amygdala system for transmitting pain or pleasure of the immediate prospects and a reflective one, whose basis are for the signaling pain or pleasure of future prospects. The level of controlling behavior is challenged by the ability of cues associated with strengthening activities such as drug abuse, food or sex. Self-control efforts however involve increased activity in the regions of the PFC regulating emotions and cognition and reduced activity in the regions that are associated with reward processing and craving. PFC could be associated with long term outcomes whereas sub-cortical activity is associated with more immediate outcomes.

The PFC is also responsible for the decision to quit taking a certain drug after a period of addiction. Abstinence is a multiple component condition in which the lack of drug effects is highly associated with the inner struggle between the desire of the reward brought about by intake of the drug and the assessment of the consequences of that behavior in terms of money, social life and environmental involvement for example smoking marijuana. This will very fast lead to appearance of withdrawal syndrome that is characterized by depressed mood, irritability, mild cognitive deficits accompanied by other peripheral psychological symptoms as the PFC tries to adjust. Some addicts who struggle to go through the abstinence of a certain drug at times relapse to their old habits. This relapse can be categorized into three major types which are; drug induced relapse, reinstatement of self-administration behavior upon exposition to drug related cues and stress induced relapse. This is a major setback in the recovery of the addicts.

prefrontal cortex/

Research has shown that addicts of strong drugs such as marijuana or cocaine have more problems in their daily lives both physically as well as emotionally. Their health is also very much at risk as this drugs alter the working mechanism of the brain and especially the prefrontal cortex. They report lower life satisfaction, poorer mental and physical health, more relationship problems, and they also have less academic and career success compared to those who do not abuse drugs. Decision making becomes a problem for them and they tend to choose the easy way out which to them is the choice to keep using the drugs. Eventually, they could lose their mind all together as the brain function mechanism gets more and more accustomed to the drug effects.

Role of the prefrontal cortex and executive control in addiction

 

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Preparing the Brain and Mind For Safe Addiction Treatment

September 6, 2014

How To Ease The Brain, Calm The Mind Of An Addict To Initiate And Implement Safe Addiction Treatment

Getting the brain to alpha, gamma or delta wave before initiating addiction treatment to prepare the chaotic brain for safe addiction treatment

Recovery is in different steps, starting from the point where one decides to put down the drink or the drugs.it also involves living an honest, responsible and accountable life that is free of drugs and alcohol. Activities such as sex addictions and gambling can also harm a person. Drugs also alter the structure and functioning of the brain.

Addiction Treatment

Addiction is a complex disorder and each drug has different physical effects although they have one effect in common which is altering the brain’s functions. Taking recreational drugs causes a surge in the levels of dopamine in the brain which trigger feelings of pleasure. The brain remembers the feelings and wants them repeatedly. When one becomes addicted, the substance of addiction takes the same role as other behaviors that enable us to survive such as eating and drinking.

These changes in the brain affect one’s ability to think clearly, make sound judgments, control behavior and also affect the ability of one to feel normal without drugs. So, for one to be treated and hit the road to recovery, he should be put in a good frame of mind for results to be positive. The first step to recovery is acceptance. Recognizing that one has a problem is a key step to recovery.

A well planned intervention is designed to be of benefit to the addict, as well as his family. Interventions by professionals are controlled, organized and very effective. Preparing for a drug intervention involves bringing together close family members and friends that the person’s addiction has had an impact on. The meeting should be beforehand so as to plan on the best approach and to determine what is to be said.to help the addict, family members and friends should be positive in their tone. They should be loving and not attack the addict with words.

Action should then be taken immediately because any kind of delay can give the addict a chance to back out or have a change of mind.

Brain waves of addicts may be abnormal to some extent, and these abnormal brain waves may be the reason they got addicted in the first place. Therapists claim that they can use neurofeedback technique to help normalize brainwaves. Through participation in therapy, the addicts can retrain their brains to behave normally and by doing so reduce their compulsion to drug use.an example is a study which revealed that cocaine addicts were able to change their brain wave activity by using the neurofeedback technique. After the therapy, they showed a lesser craving for the drug, even when they were showed pictures of cocaine. But before the therapy, the pictures could have triggered their cravings.

Neurofeedback is a form of brain training and it takes one a lot of time to get used to.it involves the addict looking at a screen and being instructed by a therapist. When the user pulls his or her brainwaves into a proper alignment, the screen might show colors or music might be played. But as soon as the patient spins out of control, no feedback is given from the screen. After a while, the person can learn how to think in a way that he is more likely to be rewarded.

The good thing about neurofeedback is that it does not use drugs or needles and there are no tests involved in it. However, using neurofeedback takes long for one to see results, meaning that a lot of sessions are involved.

Addiction Treatment

Changes in brain function due to drug use can also have many behavioral effects, like the inability to control the urge to use drugs. This can be corrected by use of motivational enhancement therapy. This is a counselling approach whose aim is to initiate behavioral changes.it employs strategies aimed at evoking rapid and internally motivated change. This therapy starts by the therapist providing feedback to the initial assessment and simulating discussion about personal substance use and eliciting self-motivational statements. Motivational interviewing principles act to strengthen motivation and build a plan for reform. Therapists suggest ways of coping and adapting for risky situations and in the following sessions, the therapist monitors change as well as reviewing cessation strategies that have been put in place and continues to encourage commitment to sustained abstinence from drugs. Addicts sometimes bring their partners to the therapy. Research has shown that the effects of this therapy depends on the type of drug the patients used and the aim of the intervention. Doctors use this therapy successfully with alcoholics to improve their treatment engagement and reductions in problem drinking. Adults who are hooked on bhang make progress in recovery when using motivational enhancement therapies in combination with cognitive behavioral therapy. Patients using other drugs like heroin, cocaine, nicotine and for those who tend to use multiple drugs show mixed outcomes when undergoing motivational enhancement therapies. This therapy is more effective by engaging drug users in treatment than for producing changes in drug use.

Whether you need help on balancing adrenals or you are an addict who is looking for a natural way of gradually recovering from an addiction, Awaremed Resource And Wellness Center is your perfect solution. You are free to call us, for more go to www.awaremednetwork.com

How To Ease The Brain, Calm The Mind Of An Addict To Initiate And Implement Safe Addiction Treatment

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Effects of Heavy Use of Cannabis On the Brain and Body

August 15, 2014

Effects Of Chronic, Heavy Cannabis Use On The Executive Brain Function

What is cannabis?

This is a plant which is commonly known as marijuana and by many other names. Though this plant is sometimes used for medicinal value, it is commonly used for recreational purposes as a depressant. If the drug is taken in large doses it can be an hallucinogen.

What makes cannabis to have effects in the brain?

Heavy CannabisThere is a specific chemical which is found in the cannabis, and which is responsible for the effects that cannabis have in the brain. This chemical is called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). This chemical varies in quantity in the cannabis depending on factor such as the part of plant that is used, the plant variety, and the condition under which the plant was grown. This is what makes cannabis from different geographical areas to be different.

When this chemical enters in the brain, it causes the user to have a ‘high’ feeling. This is because the chemical (THC) enter the brain reward system and activates it. This occurs by stimulating the brain cells to release another chemical known as dopamine.

How does cannabis have medicinal value then?

Cannabis when taken in small doses may cause little or no harm in your body. When it is abused can have an intense negative effect on your body though. For medicinal value of cannabis, small doses are administered due to the properties of the chemical THC which emulates properties which make it have medicinal value. These properties are:-

  • Cannabis has shown to be effective as an anti-nausea drug.
  • It has also shown to be effective in the treatment of glaucoma, which is a very serious eye condition.
  • It has likewise shown to be valuable in stopping loss in weight, improving moods and also easing of pain. This is according to (National Task Force on Cannabis 1994:17)

What are the effects of using cannabis?

Just like we earlier mentioned, when cannabis is abused it can have effects on the user. These effects can be categorized as either short term or long-term effects. There are effects which will be witnessed after a short period of abuse, while there are others which may take quite long before they are witnessed on the cannabis user. In most cases, the short-term effects are the ones considered as effects of cannabis abuse.

The following are the general effects of cannabis abuse:-

  • Mood fluctuations – the person experiences mood changes occasionally, revolving around relaxed, ‘high’, sleepy, anxious depressed and many other mood forms.
  • Impaired memory and attention – the person faced difficulty in remembering as well as paying attention.
  • Stronger sensory experience
  • Increased heart beat rate may result
  • The person may be faced with dizziness and nausea
  • Cannabis abuse has been associated with abnormal hunger.
  • May cause dilated pupils and blood-shot eyes.
  • Other effects of cannabis abuse worthy mentioning are confusion, anxiety, hallucination, delusion, agitation and sometimes paranoia. In the long run, apart from these short term effects of cannabis, it may lead to smoking related cancers. This is in the most cases the respiratory system cancer. It may also lead to permanent memory loss and difficulty in learning.

What effects can cannabis abuse have on employees?

The effects of cannabis in employees may make the workplace an abyss. In any given workplace, teamwork is key, but how the employees relate determines whether teamwork will ever exist in a given firm. The usage of cannabis by either the employees or the CEO affects the workplace in the following ways:-

  • Poor interpersonal relations – the employees will not relate well, since the cannabis effect of ‘highness’ cause disrespect. The cannabis user rarely relates well with the other employees and hardly respects the authority.
  • Poor/ low output – the output of the employees who use cannabis decline. This is as a result of impairment in memory and retention of instruction. For instance, a person may forget how a given machine is normally operated, though he/she has been working with it before.
  • Activities such as meetings and time bound tasks will be negatively affected. This is especially the case with the person whose memory has been affected and cannot remember scheduled events like meetings.

Heavy Cannabis

  • Accident proneness – the employee who uses cannabis will be at a high risk of causing accident especially if he/she is working by use of machines which can cause accidents. For instance, if an employee was using an electrically powered machine, a small mistake may lead to shock or even loss of one’s live.
  • The levels of error are high- this can be a serious problem especially with doctors, where a small error may cost life of a patient. If a doctor is using cannabis, errors such as wrong prescription of drugs, inappropriate operation, misinterpretation of results etc. may occur, causing damage or loss of live of the patient. Imagine of a surgeon who is to do a surgery but he/she is in cannabis ‘highness!’ actually a serious damage may occur, since the surgeon cannot be keen with details.
  • Relationship with clients will be negatively affected. A cannabis user cannot maintain good relationship with the clients since his/her attention may be impaired. This causes clients/ customer decline in numbers over time and hence losses to the firm.

If you need help with cannabis addiction or know of a friend suffering from this addiction, call in live or email us and we will help you get trusted treatment and advice. We are true professionals with proven track records and are very reliable in treatment.

Effects Of Chronic, Heavy Cannabis Use On The Executive Brain Function

 

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Are there any Remedies for Serotonin Disturbances And Addiction Treatment?

August 12, 2014

Natural Remedies For Serotonin Disturbances And Addiction Treatment

What is serotonin?

This is a chemical which acts as a neurotransmitter. It helps in relays of signals from one region of the brain to the other. Serotonin is normally created from a biochemical conversion process in which it combines tryptophan, a protein component, with tryptophan hydroxylase which is a chemical reactor. When combined together they form 55-hydroxyltryptamine (5-HT), the substance which is also referred to as serotonin. This compound is sometimes considered to be a hormone, though looking at its functionality it actually reassembles a neurotransmitter.

Where does serotonin originate?

Serotonin is normally manufactured in the brain and in the intestines. It can be found in platelets and the central nervous system though majority of them are found in the gastrointestinal tract. It is important to note that serotonin cannot cross the blood-brain barriers and hence the serotonin that is used in the brain must be produced from within the brain.

serotonin syndrome

Serotonin is believed to be an important chemical that plays role in the body psychological functions such as mood and social behavior, sleep, memory, sexual desire among many others.

What causes serotonin syndrome?

This is a potentially serious drug interaction which occurs due to excessive accumulation of serotonin in the brain. This condition usually occurs when a given medication is started or increased. In most cases it occurs when two medications are taken together.

Normally, serotonin is produced by mind to help in regulation of activities such as digestion, blood flow, breathing and body temperatures. Medication that is normally prescribed to the addicted persons especially those intended to treat depression, pains, headache etc. if taken together they have been proven to cause this condition. Due to these side effects, we need to use more friendly methods in the treatment of addiction as well as when restoring serotonin.

What are the natural remedies for serotonin syndrome?

The natural ways of increasing the levels of serotonin and hence causing balance and treating the symptoms of serotonin can be achieved naturally by use of supplements. There are a number of supplements which through researches have been proven to work effectively in the increasing of serotonin levels in the body. Let’s now look at some of these supplements:-

  • 5-HTP – our bodies manufactures 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) from tryptophan and then converts it into serotonin. A supplement of this compound can be taken directly into the body in the form of 5-HTP. This supplement is absorbed into the body easily and is able to cross the blood-brain barriers unlike serotonin, and where after crossing the barriers it gets converted into serotonin. 5-HTP has been confirmed clinically to have stronger serotonin support than the other related compound, (L-tryptophan). It can therefore be very effective in the treatment of sleep disorders, depression as well as eating and panic disorders.

How is it taken? This supplement works best when taken while the stomach is empty between 3:00 – 4:00pm and again during bedtime. The dose should be started at low, preferably at 50mg and then gradually increased with time, until the point that is most appropriate.

  • L-Tryptophan – this is an amino acid which is required by the body in the process of synthesizing serotonin. Conversion of L-tryptophan to serotonin is a two-step process and in the process, 5-HTP is synthesized as an intermediate step. When L-tryptophan is used as a supplement, it enhances the synthesis of serotonin and also increases the levels of serotonin in the body. This supplement is generally considered to be gentle on the body than 5-HTP. It has been therefore used in the treatment of un-depressed, healthy people to be able to process information in a more positive way.

serotonin syndrome

How is it administered? Since this is a more light supplement than 5-HTP, its dosage is higher than that of 5-HTP. For optimum dosage, 3000 to 6000mg of the supplement is recommended per day. Just like with 5-HTP, the supplement best works when taken while the stomach is empty and thus it should be taken when one has not taken food for the previous one or two hours. The dosage can be incremented but this change must be gradual starting from a low dose.

  • SAM-e – this refers to S-edenosyl methionine, which is produced from amino acids. It is present in all the body cells and it is an essential component in many reactions. One of these reactions in which it is required is in the synthesis of serotonin. This supplement has been used for over 30years in the treatment of depression.
  • Saint John’s Wort – this is a natural medication which is obtained from an extract of the plant know as Saint John’s Wort. The extracts of this plant are known to exert their anti-depressant actions through inhibition of the reuptake of serotonin as well as norepinephrine and dopamine. This makes more of neurotransmitters available in the brain. This play an important role in the well-being of the person.

How is it administered? Just like the other supplements it works better when taken with the stomach empty. The optimal dosage rate per day is 600 – 1200mg, of the standardized herbal extract which contains around 0.3% hypericin.

Natural Remedies For Serotonin Disturbances And Addiction Treatment

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