The broad categories of addiction treatment and care

September 13, 2015

The broad categories of addiction treatment and care: Where does treatment occur?

The broad categories of addiction treatment and care includes among others group counseling which is very good for you and your family too.

The broad categories of addiction treatment and care normally occur in a variety of settings. These categories can be diversified and every individual patient has a choice to settle on any depending on the intensity of their addiction levels. Many people with addictions start their initial treatment at one level like for instance at the crisis services for detoxification and then move through the system until they can function as a productive and independent member of society. These treatment stages are not cast on stone and therefore can be changed according to convenience. Nonetheless when one is through with treatment and has attained the maximum benefits from the treatment experience, he or she can then be discharged says doctor Dalal Akoury (MD) who is a veteran addiction expert of many decades having been of great help to many people across the globe. Doctor Akoury says that it is important to appreciate that each category of care provides a different intensity of treatment provision and so expert’s opinion will be very vital in settling to any of the categories of treatment.

In the recent consolidation of alcohol treatment services and substance abuse treatment services into chemical dependence treatment services has resulted in four broad categories of care. We therefore want to focus our discussion on the four categories of treatment taking into consideration that currently even private licensed practitioners also provide alcohol and substance abuse treatment even though they are not reflected in the four categories. Now let us take a look at the summery of the four categories as follows:

Crisis Services (detoxification and withdrawal)
Inpatient rehabilitation
Residential Services
Outpatient Services

The broad categories of addiction treatment and care: Crisis services (Detoxification and Withdrawal)

According to the professional explanations given by the experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury, chemical dependence crisis services manage the treatment of alcohol or substance withdrawal, as well as acute disorders associated with alcohol or substance use. These services are often provided early in a person’s course of recovery and are relatively short in duration, and to be more specific, the process takes approximately three to five days, although some chemicals may require up to 30 days of managed withdrawal. It is also important to note that when administering crisis services it is most likely to lead to a referral for a continued care in a longer-term treatment setting. Crisis services may include medically managed detoxification in a hospital, medically supervised withdrawal in either an inpatient/residential or outpatient setting and medically monitored withdrawal in community-based settings. Doctor Akoury further says that while services will vary with the patient and the setting, in many instances such services may include:

Medical management of acute intoxication and withdrawal
Assessment
Stabilization of medical and psychiatric problems
Counseling
Pharmacological services
Determination of appropriate long-term care and
Referrals for other services.

The broad categories of addiction treatment and care: Inpatient Rehabilitation

Chemical dependence inpatient rehabilitation services provide intensive management of chemical dependence symptoms and medical management and monitoring of physical or mental complications from chemical dependence to individuals who cannot be effectively served as outpatients and who are not in need of medical detoxification or acute care. These services can be provided in a hospital or freestanding facility. Lengths of stay are usually in the 20-40 day range.

Providers conduct intensive evaluation, treatment and rehabilitation services in a medically supervised 24 hour/day, 7 days/week setting. Chemical dependence inpatient services include the following basic clinical procedures:

Individual and group counseling and activities therapy
Alcohol and substance abuse disease awareness and relapse prevention
Assessment and referral services for patients, families and significant others
HIV education, risk assessment and supportive counseling and referral
Vocational or educational assessment and
Medical and psychiatric evaluation

In addition, patients are given education about, orientation to, and opportunity for participation in, available and relevant self-help groups. These are very fundamental points that you and I must not take for granted by all means. We have since discussed the first tow treatment categories and we are certainly going to proceed with the remaining two in our next article. Therefore I want to encourage you to remain with us on the link and be the first to know of the broad categories of addiction treatment and care so that together we can all find lasting solutions to this scourge.

Finally even as we talk about the broad categories of addiction treatment and care, it is equally important to appreciate that this is not just any other treatment procedure. Many people often fail to realize their treatment objective because of various reasons including denial and ignorance. Doctor Dalal Akoury registers that in dealing with drug addiction, the biggest enemies of successful addiction treatment denial and ignorance are the biggest obstacle which must first be addressed. Many users often refuse to acknowledge that they have a problem which really needs to be fixed for them to live a normal and productive life. Therefore if you or anyone you know falls in this category of people who are struggling with any kind of addiction and are in denial, we want to help you get out of that cocoon so that you can be helped go through the recovery journey effectively. You may want to reach out for doctor Dalal Akoury for professional help. And remember that because of her passion in helping the addicts regain their lives back, doctor Akoury 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. Besides 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 and you can reach out for her help on telephone number 843 213 1480 by scheduling for an appointment for the commencement of your recovery journey today.

The broad categories of addiction treatment and care: Where does treatment occur?

What to expect at the addiction therapist office

September 10, 2015

What to expect at the addiction therapist office: The provision of quality long term addiction recovery?

We are always curious and so we have a lot in mind, however what to expect at the addiction therapist office is to find health tips that will help you regain your life back and be free from addiction

We have in the past stated that in order for us to achieve our dreams of eliminating the scourge of addiction, we must first get the basics right. It now obvious that detoxification is one of the key fundamental in laying foundation in the treatment of drug addiction complications. We are also informed that for any effective detox to be realized, the patient needs to be admitted in an institution where this service is offered professionally and that brings us to the focus of our discussion of “what to expect at the addiction therapist office”. Doctor Dalal Akoury a veteran addiction expert of several decades says that for an individual who has substance abuse and addiction issues, the use of those substances and the behaviors tied to that use can cause major disruption and dysfunction in their daily living and lifestyle. The addict does not only experience the physical, mental and psychological impairments due to their substance abuse, but also their relationships with family and friends can also be significantly impacted negatively along with loss of employment and trouble with law enforcement. For this reason doctor Akoury reports that the admittance of such individuals into an addiction treatment facility may be the most ideal option for the commencement of their recovery process. Therefore if the choice is made to enter treatment, it is important to appreciate that the rehab therapist or counselor will have to play an essential role in the quality long-term recovery of an addict on admission, and that brings us to our nest point of focus and we ask “what are the roles of a rehab therapist or counselor?”

What to expect at the addiction therapist office: What are the roles of a rehab therapist or counselor?

Doctor Akoury states that according to the specifications outlined by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, a rehabilitation therapist (or counselor) is a trained professional who assists people by providing support, education and most importantly provide nonjudgmental confrontation to those addicts yearning for sobriety and long-term recovery. And as for those recovering from substance abuse, the counselor can be their ally in the recovery process and provides to those addicted an understanding of their struggle as well as support. However it is important to note that the counselor acts as a guide through the initial stages of recovery and that the recovery process and the responsibility of recovery fall on the patient. It therefore means that a very huge assignment lies before the individual patient and for effective delivery of treatment the patient must give all their attention and focus to the treatment. In many instances this is normally the biggest challenge since many addicts are always in denial of the magnitude of the problem they are facing.

Therefore if this description suits your situation, we want to be of help to you and encourage you that it is normal to be in denial at the beginning. You can talk to us at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center. This is an addiction health facility that was established by doctor Dalal Akoury one of the most respected addiction expert in our time. It will interest you to note that the main objective of doctor Dalal Akoury 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. You can therefore call her on telephone number 843 213 1480 to schedule for an appointment with her for further professional consultations about all your health concerns and you will not regret it one bit.

What to expect at the addiction therapist office: What does a counselor strive to do in treatment?

Under normal circumstances counselors will strive to achieve a balance between directive and allowing the patient to be directive. Therefore when counselors take the lead, they will provide the structure of their therapy sessions and provides feedback regarding the course those sessions is taking and the progress of recovery. The counselor may also direct the patient to change behavior that may be problematic and could lead to relapse. Besides that the counselor may also put the onus of direction on the patient such as in role play where the patient explores how best to handle situations where using may be prevalent in social situations. In those situations where the recovering individual takes the lead, the counselor’s responsibility is to note as signs of regressive behavior and provide continual acceptance in regards to things as they are in the present.

What to expect at the addiction therapist office: The goal of alliance

Ultimately, there should be the goal of a therapeutic alliance between both the counselor and the recovering addict. In this alliance, the key components are both collaboration and partnership. This ultimate goal of partnership starts with the knowledge base of the counselor’s knowledge of addiction and the lifestyle associated with addiction. Even with that knowledge, the counselor realizes or must realize that the recovering addict is the expert on their own life and experiences. When those initial concerns are met, the counselor should then be able to forge the alliance with the newly recovering individual.

The underlying mechanisms of this alliance are based on empathy, active listening and the avoidance of passing judgment. It is important that the counselor’s personal views and experiences don’t cause conflict with the patient’s goals and outcomes. The environment the counselor creates should be one of honesty and candor so it gives the patient an avenue to share their feelings openly and honestly. The focus in treatment is on the patient, so the counselor needs to be careful of too much self-disclosure. Ultimately, the counselor must be creative in their approach as well as flexible since each patient has different backgrounds, experiences and needs.

What to expect at the addiction therapist office: The provision of quality long term addiction recovery?

Parents role in handling their addicted teens

September 9, 2015

Parents role in handling their addicted teens: Management of teens substance abuse professionally

Parents role in handling their addicted teens is very important as it will contribute immensely in the reduction of the damages caused by drug use by teens and collage going youths

While we were handling the teens substances abuse professionally in our previous posting, we noted that there four fundamental elements that parents need to be well equipped with if this war of drug addiction is to be warn in the lives of our teens and children. We want to progress from where we left and look at the remaining three points to consider even as we explore the parents role in handling their addicted teens. Doctor Dalal Akoury is very much concern particularly with young people getting into drugs. She says that getting into drugs at these early stages of life is very dangerous and complicates treatment in the long run. Professionally it is very difficult to rehabilitate one who started using drugs in their youthful ages. Nonetheless she is quick also to put the record straight that despite the above concern, it does not necessarily justify the fact that it will be well if one start using drugs and alcohol in their mature ages. Drug addiction is a chronic problem that everyone must run away from by all means and this must be done not tomorrow but now says doctor Dalal Akoury (MD) a veteran addiction expert and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center where real time solutions of substance abuse is professionally realized. Now after getting the necessary education and you have laid good foundation in terms of preparation in helping your teen get properly rehabilitated from their drug addiction, you can then move to adopting the following procedures.

Parents role in handling their addicted teens: Development of a strategy and work plan

Doctor Akoury says that the moment a parent has established that his or her child is into alcohol or drug abuse the most immediate thing to do is to get information about drug addiction by way of being educated on the subject and this must be done by addiction professionals and experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center can be of great help in this respect. The moment that is done, it’s now time to create an actionable plan. In other words, as a parents you need to come up with workable plan on how you are going to professionally confront your teen with the news of your discovery of his/her substance abuse habits, this will most likely involves you pre-emptying some of the anticipated possible responses and reactions and deciding how best to address them even before they come. When the confrontation occurs, teens will likely deny the accusations initially due to the fear of reproach and punishment; however, when reaching the point of finally admitting to the problem he or she will likely make excuses for the behavior so as to be held in the least possible amount of accountability. The following are some of the common excuses that are likely to be given by teens abusing substances; stress from parents’ marital discord, the influence of peers, and feeling depressed or anxious. In other words they will try to justify their substance abuse behavior as being their reaction to external stimuli and, therefore, not really their fault.

Besides that the other part of the plan should include deciding upon the consequences. If the teen has abused alcohol and drugs in the past and the present instance is a repeat offense, there must be some sort of immediate consequence as well as consequences for the future if the behavior continues.

Parents role in handling their addicted teens: Choose the right environment and confront the teen

It’s important for the confrontation to occur in an environment that offers safety from distraction and intervention from third parties. Moreover, it should be a place where the teen would feel comfortable and safe, which would likely be the family’s home in a communal living area. Privacy is also important so siblings and other individuals should not be present during the exchange. During the confrontation, parents should refrain from being too aggressive and accusatory as it will make the teen less likely to participate in the conversation. Compassion and understanding are essential as it will make the teen feel as though the parents are trying to empathize and see the situation from the teen’s point of view. Parents should remember that the most central goal of the confrontation is to understand the factors motivating the teen’s substance abuse behavior whether due to his or her social group, feelings of depression and anxiety, or some other inner turmoil so that those factors can be addressed in order to prevent additional substance abuse.

It is important that during the discussion, parents should explain to the teen the dangers of substance abuse, including the health risks and potential sacrifices made in the course of active addiction. Addicts often lose their jobs, financial stability, homes, relationships, and many other prospects, leaving them with only their expensive substance abuse habits. Additionally, parents of teen substance abusers should outline the consequences for substance abuse progressively. In dealing with teens it is worth noting that a teen’s substance abuse problem can be an emotional one and trying time for a family; however, if handled correctly the parents and teen could gain a better understanding of other perspective of substance abuse and result in the family’s becoming a more united unit.

Parents role in handling their addicted teens: Explore substance abuse treatment options today

Finally if you or someone you love is suffering from a substance abuse disorder and would benefit from addiction treatment, the experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury can be of great help. At this facility, we have a team of recovery specialists available in every discipline offering professional consultations and assessments in order to match those suffering from chemical dependency to the therapies that will allow them to regain their sobriety and health. Therefore if you are considering the option of exploring substance abuse treatment, then this is the place to be, all you have to do is to schedule for an appointment with doctor Akoury and your situations will be settled in the most professional way that will be more fulfilling leaving you to enjoy the life ahead of you with great comfort and satisfaction.

Parents role in handling their addicted teens: Management of teens substance abuse professionally

Protect your family from effects of smoking

September 4, 2015

Protect your family from effects of smoking: Tobacco use affects every body

If you are really sick and tired of smoking, then stand out ans protect your family from effects of smoking

It is no longer in doubt that smoking is one of the most dangerous and health hazardous activity in the twenty first century. We are also away that all smoke able substances including marijuana, cigarettes, heroin and cocaine are very addictive and not easy to leave when one begins using them. Listening to my introduction, you will notice that I have only mentioned that once addicted to these substances, quitting is not very easy. That is bad news and can also be a statement of hope in the sense that quitting is still possible the only challenge is that it won’t be easy. It therefore means that there is hope and you can still protect your family from the effects of smoking by quitting this dangerous habit today. And like we have mentioned the journey of quitting will not be an easy one and that is why we are engaging the services of real addiction experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury to help us put to perspective some of these facts. We are therefore happy to have you on board even as we progress into the discussion with this able team of professionals.

You may not just realize it the dangers you are putting your loved one into by you smoking habit. When you send you son or daughter for a packet of cigarette to you now it may be normal after all they are your children and they are brought up knowing that obedience is a virtue. So you children will in humility be the link between you and your suppliers but have you ever thought of the implication of that seemingly harmless act of obedience from your children? In plain black and white you are progressively introducing them to drugs and you will not have any moral ground to correct them when they become of age. Remember that these are your loved ones whom you need to protect from all sorts of dangers of which drug addiction is one of the greatest. Doctor Dalal Akoury a veteran addiction expert and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center say that even though smoking is that dangerous, but nonetheless your decision to quit smoking will go a long way in protecting the people in your life something that you really owe them. Remember that smoking harms both you and the ones you love and this include any other person who in one way or the other will come into contact with the smoke from your habits. Doctor Akoury recommends that before you do anything, it is important for you to visualize the effects and also think about how quitting will make the people you care about happier and healthier. From the video in your mind you are able to see a healthier and happier family from that single act of quitting. This is one of the ways you can use to motivate yourself as you consider beginning your journey of quitting this unhealthy habit. Now to help you evaluate the benefits further, you may want to consider responding to the following concerns:

Protect your family from effects of smoking: How does my smoking impact others?

This is a worth concern since the effect of secondary smoke is equally dangerous for health. According to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, the major way through which smoking hurts non-smokers is by inhaling the secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke is the combination of smoke that comes from your cigarette and smoke you breathe out while smoking. Breathing in any amount of secondhand smoke is dangerous. Take for instance the dangers you are exposing your wife to by kissing, what about holding your three month old baby while smoking? Has it ever occurred to you of the magnitude of the problem you are bringing to your entire household by your smoking habits? Professionally doctor Akoury states categorically that the one and only best way to protect your family from secondhand smoke is to quit smoking.

Protect your family from effects of smoking: What are the health effects of secondhand smoke?

To the adults – being subjected to inhaling of secondhand smoke over a period time can cause a number of health problems for non-smokers. Such victims of secondhand smoke are likely to suffer from the following health complications:

Cancer
Heart disease
Breathing problems
A harder time getting pregnant
Colds and flu
Irritated eyes, nose, and throat

If this is what secondhand smoke victims will go through, the question that now begs for an answer would be, how much more will the direct smoker suffer if they don’t quite?

To the pregnant Women and Children – Secondhand smoke is especially dangerous for pregnant women, babies, and children. Pregnant women who breathe in secondhand smoke over time are more likely to:

Lose their babies
Give birth to smaller and under weight babies
Have their babies die prematurely due to the complications of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome)
Have babies who are cranky‚ restless‚ and get sick more often
Have babies with both present and future learning problems

Besides the pregnant women, children who breathe in secondhand smoke over time are more likely to have:

More severe asthma attacks from time to time
Bronchitis, pneumonia, and other breathing problems
Coughing and wheezing
Ear and lung infections

Protect your family from effects of smoking: Other ways smoking impacts others

As a fun and an addict of smoking, you may not realize it, but the truth is that your smoking habits affect the people in your life in ways beyond their health. Remember that when you smoke, you may miss out on several things including:

Spending time with your family and friends owing to the frequency with which you light your cigarette
Having more money to spend on the people you love
Setting a good example for your children. Did you know that children who are raised by smokers are more likely to become smokers themselves? You are most likely if not definitely going to lose your position of being a good role model for your children.

Finally nothing will ever come out of smoking no matter how best you defend it. You owe your family the duty of care and the time of quitting is now and not tomorrow. If you are experiencing any challenges, then seek audience with doctor Dalal Akoury for further professional guidance.

Protect your family from effects of smoking: Tobacco use affects every body

What will you become after quitting smoking

September 4, 2015

What will you become after quitting smoking: A non-smoker or an ex-smoker?

What will you become after quitting smoking? You will certainly regain your health and become more resistant to some of these complications that are associated with smoking.

What will you become after quitting smoking is full of great expectations and many at times our expectations often fail to materialize and we feel disappointed. While some of these “disappointments” are expected since the journey of recovery is never a smooth one, it normally doesn’t erase those expectations we once had. Therefore for a better understanding of this topic of discussion, we employ the expert services of professionals from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center. This is an addiction treatment facility that was founded by doctor Dalal Akoury (MD) a well-respected addiction experts of more than two decades now. Together with her team of experts, she is going to help us understand more about this for a couple of articles that we are going to be posting on this platform. Doctor Akoury says that in order to appreciate what you will become after quitting smoking, it is first very important that we understand how to handle withdrawal symptoms and trigger when one decides to quit smoking in its entirely. And to do that, let us progress into the discussion by responding to the following questions:

What will you become after quitting smoking: Withdrawal symptoms which are associated with quitting smoking?

Like I had mentioned before, when one desires to start the journey of quitting smoking, such a person must be very committed, dedicated and make certain sacrifices because it will not be a smooth sailing. Being addictive the challenges will be many and difficult depending on the intensity and duration of usage. Therefore doctor Akoury registers that quitting smoking may cause certain short-term problems, especially for those who have smoked heavily for many years. These temporary changes can result in withdrawal symptoms and the following are some of the common withdrawal symptoms which are associated with quitting cigarette smoking:

Nicotine cravings (nicotine is the substance in tobacco that causes addiction).
Anger, frustration, and irritability.
Anxiety
Depression
Weight gain.

Cigarette and smoking of other substance is something which has been under serious and intensive studies for a very long time now. From the various studies conducted professionally, it has been established that about half of the population of smokers report experiencing at least four withdrawal symptoms (such as anger, anxiety, or depression) when they quit. Besides these, other people have also reported other symptoms like dizziness, increased dreaming, and headaches. These are just but a few of the challenges that you are likely to meet from time to time. However doctor Akoury says that the good news is that there is much one can do to reduce cravings and manage common withdrawal symptoms. She adds that in the process of recovery even without medication, it is important to note that the withdrawal symptoms and other problems will often subside over time. It may also help to know that withdrawal symptoms are usually worst during the first week after quitting. From that point on, the intensity usually drops over the few weeks. However having said that, it is also very important to appreciate the diversity of people in responding to treatment, for sure everyone is different and unique meaning that some people may have withdrawal symptoms for several months after quitting and not just for a few weeks.

What will you become after quitting smoking: What are some of the triggers for smoking?

In addition to nicotine cravings, reminders in your daily life of times when you used to smoke may trigger you to smoke. Triggers many include different elements including the moods, feelings, places, or things you do in your daily life that turn on your desire to smoke. The following is a sample of some triggers that you need to be careful about:

Being around and hung out with smokers.
Starting the day.
Feeling stressed.
Being in a car.
Drinking coffee or tea.
Enjoying a meal.
Drinking an alcoholic beverage.
Feeling bored.

Knowing your triggers helps you stay in control because you can choose to avoid them or keep your mind distracted and busy when you cannot avoid them.

What will you become after quitting smoking: What can I do about nicotine cravings?

As a smoker, you get used to having a certain level of nicotine in your body. You can bring to control that level of nicotine by how much quantity of cigarette you smoke, how deeply you inhale the smoke, and the kind (or brand) of tobacco you use. Therefore when you quit, cravings develop the moment your body begins demanding for the missing units of nicotine since the body system is no longer getting the supply as it used to. Ordinarily this will take some time to break free from nicotine addiction and during this duration, a lot of determination and patient will be highly required of you. Also, when you see people smoking or are around other triggers, you may get nicotine cravings. Cravings are real. They are not just in your imagination. At the same time, your mood may change, and your heart rate and blood pressure may go up as well.

The urge to smoke will come and go. Cravings usually last only a very brief period of time. Cravings usually begin within an hour or two after you have your last cigarette, peak for several days, and may last several weeks. As the days pass, the cravings will get farther apart. Occasional mild cravings may last for 6 months. Finally the following are some tips you can apply in the management of cravings:

Always remind yourself that they will pass.
Keep distance and avoid situations and activities that you used to associate with smoking.
As a substitute for smoking, try chewing on carrots, pickles, apples, celery, sugarless gum, or hard candy. Keeping your mouth busy may stop the psychological need to smoke.
Try taking simple exercises like for instance you may take a deep breath through your nose and blow out slowly through your mouth. Do this repeated at least 10 times daily or whenever you crave for the stick.
Always consult with your doctor about nicotine replacement products or other medications. This is very important because in order to defeat all these challenges, professional input from the doctors will be very necessary and if you have no one to consult you can schedule foe an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury today and she will be of great help to you.

Tag Archives: Doctor Appointments