How substance abuse is hijacking individual’s minds

July 16, 2015

How substance abuse is hijacking individual’s minds: How does it get there and how does is leave?

How substance abuse is hijacking individual’s minds and when this is done, users of various drugs can do very crazy thing all in the name of satisfying their addiction.

The brain is the engine that drives life and the moment it stops, life equally stops. This is one organ which by all means must not suffer from any kind of pressure. However the kind of life we live today is exacting a lot of pressure to the brain. The prevalence of substance abuse is not helping either in keeping the good health of the brain and this is what we want to engage the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center on. This is a facility that was the brain child of doctor Dalal Akoury and its formation was primarily to offer solutions to people who are struggling with addiction. Therefore doctor Akoury is going to help us understand how substance abuse is hijacking individual’s minds even as it causes other chronic health problems to the body.

How substance abuse is hijacking individual’s minds: New understandings into a common problem

Owing to the consequences that comes with substance abuse, Ideally nobody would on a voluntary basis wants to desire to develop an addiction, however many people get caught in its snare from very humble beginnings. And today looking at the prevalence of addiction it is amazing that drug use is almost getting out of hand. Take for instance the latest statistics from the government America where nearly 23 million Americans are addicted to either alcohol or other drugs representing a worrying figure of one in every ten being an addict. The statistics also indicate that more than two-thirds of people with addiction abuse alcohol. While the top three drugs causing addiction are marijuana, opioid (narcotic) pain relievers, and cocaine.

In the past the perception about addiction was not right and people who developed signs of addiction were actually seen as people with questionable character and lacking in willpower. As such the remedy was punishment since they were considered wrongdoers besides that they were also encouraged making peace with the community by turning away from their bad habits. Nonetheless a lot has currently been done and scientific findings are changing this old perception of addiction. Today addiction is recognized as a chronic disease that changes both brain structure and function. Just in the same way as cardiovascular disease damages the heart and diabetes impairs the pancreas, addiction hijacks the brain. This happens as the brain goes through a series of changes, beginning with recognition of pleasure and ending with a drive toward compulsive behavior.

How substance abuse is hijacking individual’s minds: Pleasure principle

One of the functions of the brain is to registers all pleasures in the same way, irrespective of their origin. That is whether they are associated with a psychoactive drug, a monetary reward, a sexual encounter, or a satisfying meal. The fact is in the brain, pleasure has a distinct role which is the release of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the nucleus accumbens, a cluster of nerve cells lying underneath the cerebral cortex. Dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens is so consistently tied with pleasure that neuroscientists refer to the region as the brain’s pleasure center.

All drugs of abuse, from nicotine to heroin, cause a particularly powerful surge of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens. The likelihood that the use of a drug or participation in a rewarding activity will lead to addiction is directly linked to the speed with which it promotes dopamine release, the intensity of that release, and the reliability of that release. Therefore addictive drugs provide a shortcut to the brain’s reward system by flooding the nucleus accumbens with dopamine. The hippocampus lays down memories of this rapid sense of satisfaction, and the amygdala creates a conditioned response to certain stimuli.

How substance abuse is hijacking individual’s minds: Learning the process

Previously it was believed that an experience of pleasure alone was enough to compel people in to consistent seeking of addictive elements or activities. However new research findings indicates that the situation may be more complicated. This is because dopamine’s are not only responsible for the experience of pleasure but are also playing a role in learning and memory which are the two key elements in the transition from liking something to being addicted to it. Currently the philosophy about addiction is that dopamine interacts with another neurotransmitter, glutamate to take over the brains system of reward related learning. Remember that this system has an important role in sustaining life because it links activities needed for human survival (such as eating and sex) with pleasure and reward.

It may interest you to note that he reward circuit in the brain may include areas involved with motivation and memory as well as with pleasure. Addictive substances and behaviors stimulate the same circuit and then overload it. And therefore repeated misuse of any addictive substances or behavior will cause nerve cells in the nucleus accumbens and the prefrontal cortex (the area of the brain involved in planning and executing tasks) to communicate in a way that couples liking something with wanting it, in turn driving us to go after it. That is, this process motivates us to take action to seek out the source of pleasure.

How substance abuse is hijacking individual’s minds: Development of tolerance

By nature, rewards usually come only with time and effort. And like I had mentioned before, addictive drugs and behaviors provide a shortcut, flooding the brain with dopamine and other neurotransmitters. Our brains do not have an easy way to withstand the onslaught. Addictive drugs, for example, can release two to 10 times the amount of dopamine that natural rewards do, and they do it more quickly and more reliably. In a person who becomes addicted, brain receptors become overwhelmed. The brain then responds by producing less dopamine or eliminating dopamine receptors—an adaptation similar to turning the volume down on a loudspeaker when noise becomes too loud.

As a result of these adaptations, dopamine has less impact on the brain’s reward center. People who develop an addiction typically find that, in time, the desired substance no longer gives them as much pleasure. They have to take more of it to obtain the same dopamine “high” because their brains have adapted and that is what is known as tolerance.

How substance abuse is hijacking individual’s minds: Compulsion takes over

At this point, compulsion takes over. The pleasure associated with an addictive drug or behavior subsides—and yet the memory of the desired effect and the need to recreate it (the wanting) persists. It’s as though the normal machinery of motivation is no longer functioning.

The learning process mentioned earlier also comes into play. The hippocampus and the amygdala store information about environmental cues associated with the desired substance, so that it can be located again. These memories help create a conditioned response—intense craving—whenever the person encounters those environmental cues.

Cravings contribute not only to addiction but to relapse after a hard-won sobriety. A person addicted to heroin may be in danger of relapse when he sees a hypodermic needle, for example, while another person might start to drink again after seeing a bottle of whiskey. Conditioned learning helps explain why people who develop an addiction risk relapse even after years of abstinence. And that is why keeping close touch with the experts is very important. If you have any concern about addiction, you can schedule for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury today for the commencement of your recovery process.

How substance abuse is hijacking individual’s minds: How does it get there and how does is leave?

Medical consequences beyond highs of drug addiction

July 10, 2015

Medical consequences beyond highs of drug addiction: It is never too late to quit

The threats of substance abuse are real and Medical consequences beyond highs of drug addiction speaks for themselves

Drug addiction is no respecter of persons and people who are struggling with addiction can attest to this. The most painful thing with addiction is that even when help is within reach, many times the individuals are in denial and are very secretive. Keeping secretes of this problem only succeed in compounding the problem both to the direct and indirect victims. It is therefore worthy that timely action is taken to have this problem arrested in good time before it escalates to serious medical consequences beyond highs of drug addiction. Speaking to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury MD and founder of the facility, it is evident from the professionals point of view that the individuals who are struggling with addiction have multiple complain of medical issues including lung or cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, and mental disorders. These are not simple health condition and can be very fatal if not addressed in good time. The bad news is that the problem does not end there, findings from tests and scans, chest X-rays, and blood tests reveals damaging effects of long-term drug abuse throughout the body. Like for instance studies have established that tobacco smoke causes cancer of the mouth, throat, larynx, blood, lungs, stomach, pancreas, kidney, bladder, and cervix. In addition, some drugs of abuse, such as inhalants, are toxic to nerve cells and may damage or destroy them either in the brain or the peripheral nervous system. Wait a minute, is that the kind of life you want? Not really, the medical consequences beyond highs of drug addiction are not your portion and that is why doctor Akoury is here to offer remedies that will permanently deal with all these complications associated with drugs. Talk to us today by scheduling for an appointment with the experts for the real solutions.

Medical consequences beyond highs of drug addiction: The impact of addiction can be far-reaching

Just like I have mentioned the impact of drug addiction on human life can be very frustrating owing to the diseases that come with addiction some of which may include the following:

Cardiovascular disease
Stroke
Cancer
HIV/AIDS
Hepatitis B and C
Lung disease
Mental disorders

Medical consequences beyond highs of drug addiction: Does drug abuse cause mental disorders?

Doctor Akoury is very categorical that drug abuse and mental illness often co-exist. In some cases, mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, or schizophrenia may precede addiction and yet in other cases, drug abuse may trigger or exacerbate those mental disorders, particularly in people with specific vulnerabilities. Therefore the right response to the question is drug abuse causes mental disorders and when that happens treatment must be sought for immediately.

Medical consequences beyond highs of drug addiction: How can addiction harm other people?

Beyond the harmful consequences for the direct addiction victim, drug abuse can cause serious health problems for others in three very devastating and troubling consequences of addiction as follows:

Negative effects of prenatal drug exposure on infants and children – Take for example a mother who abuses heroin or prescription opioids during pregnancy can cause a withdrawal syndrome (called neonatal abstinence syndrome, or NAS) in her infant. It is also likely that some drug-exposed children will need educational support in the classroom to help them overcome what may be subtle deficits in developmental areas such as behavior, attention, and thinking. Ongoing research is investigating whether the effects of prenatal drug exposure on the brain and behavior extend into adolescence to cause developmental problems during that time period.

Negative effects of secondhand smoke – Secondhand tobacco smoke also called environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is a significant source of exposure to a large number of substances known to be hazardous to human health, particularly to children. According to the Surgeon General’s 2006 Report, The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke involuntary exposure to secondhand smoke increases the risks of heart disease and lung cancer in people who have never smoked by 25–30 percent and 20–30 percent, respectively.

Medical consequences beyond highs of drug addiction: Hazard of Spreading Infectious Diseases

Increased spread of infectious diseases – Injection of drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine in unsafe environment with unsterilized needles is currently accounting for about 12 percent of new AIDS cases. Injection drug use is also a major factor in the spread of hepatitis C, a serious, potentially fatal liver disease. Injection drug use is not the only way that drug abuse contributes to the spread of infectious diseases. All drugs of abuse cause some form of intoxication, which interferes with judgment and increases the likelihood of risky sexual behaviors. This, in turn, contributes to the spread of HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B and C, and other sexually transmitted diseases.

At the beginning of the discussion I did mentioned that drug addiction is no respecter to persons and the problem of second smoke is just one of the many ways that we can be affected even if you are not using any drug directly. It therefore means that everyone is vulnerable and so action must be taken by all of use and not just the direct victims and their close confidants. This is a motivation for you and me to jump into the wagon of finding solution to bring up a healthy society.

Medical consequences beyond highs of drug addiction: The future of integrative addiction

In the journey of finding solution, doctor Akoury is not only addressing the direct victims but also the indirect ones including their healthcare professionals in various ways. In that respect AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, one of the leading pioneers in natural and holistic addiction treatment, will be conducting the first Educational, Functional and Integrative Addiction conference tailored for addiction professionals including doctors, counselors, nurses and addiction therapists. The conference is schedule for August 23-25 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. This new frontier in Addiction Medicine will be conducted by the most influential group of leading visionaries specializing in the latest advances in natural and integrative addiction medicine, under the theme “The Future of Integrative Addiction”. We all have a duty to fight this scourge and as professionals let’s join hands in this fight by attending this conference. For more information about the conference you can reach the event planner Sharon Philips on Tel: 954 540 1896 or drop an email with all your queries to sharon@integrativeaddiction2015.com, you can also login to the event web site www.integrativeaddiction2015.com

Medical consequences beyond highs of drug addiction: It is never too late to quit

Finding the valuable alternative treatments for addiction

July 8, 2015

Finding the valuable alternative treatments for addiction: The introduction of alternative medicine

Finding the valuable alternative treatments for addiction is not only helpful in treatment of addiction, but is also very economical for many.

The problem of drug addiction is one that is causing serious health threats to many people globally today. We cannot pretend that everything is alright when it is not. For this reason it will be noble to work together with one common goal of kicking out the problem of addiction out of our lives. It is true that today there are so many treatment methods both scientific and the alternative treatment methods. In order to defeat this problem besides the scientific medication, we must also embrace other treatment methods. That is why doctor Dalal Akoury and her team of experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center are working round the clock in finding the valuable alternative treatment for addiction that will supplement the scientific solutions being offered currently.

You may be wondering about the safety of some of these alternative medications, it that describes you then you are just right however I want to let you know that as things stand today, it is actually safe to say that alternative treatments for addiction are no longer alternative in the “outside of the mainstream” sense. These days, many treatment facilities and therapists offer an array of these types of “supplemental” therapies, including acupuncture, equine (horse) therapy, neuro-feedback, biochemical restoration, hypnotherapy, yoga, watsu (water therapy), meditation, ropes courses, sound therapy, and the list is endless. Nonetheless, research findings are providing real evidence that proves that experimental treatment with psychedelic drugs though still illegal in most states including U.S. can have profound effects on reducing cravings and preventing relapse.

There still remains controversy among many recovery professionals as to whether “alternative” treatments can hold their own. The dominant view in the profession is that such treatment modes can be highly effective complements to traditional treatment, helping recovering addicts and alcoholics to muscle through early sobriety. But these techniques can’t do the recovery job alone; a “holistic” therapy such as meditation, for example, should be used in conjunction with traditional treatment-as-usual approaches. Actually there is no known research finding that is supporting the sole use of holistic treatments for chemical dependency.

Even so, advocates of many of the treatment modes argue they can have a profound if not crucial influence on recovery. What follows is a guide to some of the dominant and most promising alternative treatment modes and the evidence of their effectiveness, either as stand-alone or supplementary treatment strategies. Doctor Akoury is going to be with us as we progress with the discussion of all the listed alternative addiction medication above, and so you do not want to left out in finding out more about this health information. Keep reading and stay on the link for more and more of these informative health solutions.

Finding the valuable alternative treatments for addiction: NAD (Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide)

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is a coenzyme derivative of vitamin B3 – also known as niacin which is commonly found in all living cells. NAD is a key agent in metabolism, as well as many other basic cellular processes. Because it is essential to the production of energy in our bodies, it has become a valuable resource for helping addicts, especially when used in mega-doses, for rapid detox. In many cases of substance abuse, the body’s reserves of protein and vitamins precursors to NAD are low, resulting generally in low energy.

Doctor Akoury says that the mega-dose treatment is in IV form. Experts believe that it is effective in reducing cravings and withdrawal symptoms in patients without using replacement therapies. Available statistics indicate that, it has been used successfully to treat addictions to prescription drugs including opiates, benzodiazepines, and stimulants, alcohol, cocaine, marijuana, suboxone, and methadone. Results may include improved mental clarity, increase in cognitive function, returned focus and concentration, more energy, better mood, and more positive outlook. I believe that as the discussion progresses, you are beginning to appreciate why it is important for everyone to take lead role in finding the valuable alternative treatment for addiction. Besides that advocates claim it opens addicts up to participate in effective therapy. Bill Wilson, the founder of AA, became an advocate of large doses of vitamin B and once claimed that it was the most effective help he had ever received. The AA board refused his appeal that AA should promote the concept to its members.

Finding the valuable alternative treatments for addiction: Neuro-feedback

According to the experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center neurofeedback is a process by which electroencephalography (EEG) sensors are attached to one’s head which allows the brain’s activity to be fed back into a computer that displays brain waves in real time. The subject can then interact with her brain waves in order to alter them, directly impacting their frequency.

The procedure is a form of biofeedback, and it has been used for treating a variety of conditions, including PTSD. Over the past years, neuro-feedback has been gaining traction as a form of alternative treatment at leading recovery and rehab centers. Some addicts claim that it helps with everything from anger to insomnia key triggers for relapse. The limited science on it is positive but funding for a range of credible controlled studies has been hard to come by.

In essence, neurofeedback can increase or decrease states of arousal—a level of neural activity linked to brain wave frequency. An anxious person would obviously aim for a calmer state (a lower frequency) in a neurofeedback session; someone depressed would seek to create higher frequency and more neural arousal. “It can help keep [addicts] from leaving treatment early.” While neurofeedback has a 40-year history, it is still in its infancy as a treatment form for substance disorders. Morgan says there is “no medication out there with such a wide [therapeutic] use.”

Finally we are going to continue further with this discussion in our subsequent article for you to get the full knowledge about defeating drug addiction. Remember that drug addiction is actually a process and not really a destination. Therefore if you have any problem, then you need to seek for immediate help by scheduling for an appointment with the professionals.

Finding the valuable alternative treatments for addiction: The introduction of alternative medicine

Warning signs and coping skills of relapse

July 6, 2015

Warning signs and coping skills of relapse: Relapse Prevention

Warning signs and coping skills of relapse are very instrumental in taking earlier treatment decision

One of the big impediments in dealing with substance abuse is relapse. This is a serious drawback to many recovering addicts not just in the US but across the globe. It is therefore very important that we are able to address this problem if we want to succeed in the fight against drug addiction. Before we can get to the business of eliminating relapse, we need to understand what are the warning signs and coping skills of relapse? This way we will have a good starting point in the successful journey of defeating drug addiction. According to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, relapse is a process that comes in different stages and that is going to be our starting point in this discussion. Doctor Dalal Akoury is going to take us through the discussion and therefore I want to ask you to stay on the link and be empowered in your individual fight against the scourge of addiction today.

Warning signs and coping skills of relapse: The Stages of Relapse

Relapse is a process, it’s not an event – Doctor Akoury says that in order to understand relapse prevention you have to understand the sequences of relapse. Being a process and not an event, relapse often starts weeks or even months before the event of physical relapse. In this page you will learn how to use specific relapse prevention techniques for each stage of relapse. There are three stages of relapse and they may include:

Warning signs and coping skills of relapse: Emotional Relapse

In emotional relapse, you’re not thinking about using – But your emotions and behaviors are setting you up for a possible relapse in the future unless something is done today and now. This is not a joke for it hit hard your health and can be very fatal. It is therefore very important that treatment is sought in good time. If you are wondering where to go to, then you need not to look any further, you can schedule for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury for her professional touch on your situation. In the meantime the following are some of the signs of emotional relapse which you need to be wary of:

Anxiety
Intolerance
Anger
Defensiveness
Mood swings
Isolation
Not asking for help
Not going to meetings
Poor eating habits
Poor sleep habits

The signs of emotional relapse are also the symptoms of post-acute withdrawal – If you understand what post-acute withdrawal is, then it will become easier to avoid relapse, because the early stage of relapse is easiest to pull back from. In the later stages the pull of relapse will get stronger and the sequence of events moves faster thereby confirming the important phrase of prevention being better than cure. Before we get into the discussion about the early relapse prevention, it is important to note that dealing with relapse is not an easy assignment. Many people often fall along the way because they do not have the skills or techniques of dealing with this problem. Realizing that there is a vacuum in dealing with drug addiction, Dr. 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. 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. Therefore if you are struggling with any kind of substance abuse and you are currently under a recovery program, then it is important that you begin early should you sport any of the relapse signs highlighted above. Doctor Akoury can be reached through that telephone number 843 213 1480 for any appointment needs.

Warning signs and coping skills of relapse: Early relapse prevention

In healthcare when a problem is diagnosed in good time, treatment becomes easier and economical to handle. We are all aware that prevention is often better than cure and the early this is done the better. Experts believe that prevention of relapse at an early stage is simply reorganizing recognizing that you’re in emotional relapse and appreciating the need of changing your behavior. It is also important to note that drug addiction and more so when you keep relapsing, then this will put you in isolation necessitating for the need to seek for help immediately which you will gladly get from the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center up on scheduling for an appointment with doctor Akoury MD and founder of the facility. Besides that you need also to recognize that you’re anxious and practice relaxation techniques. Recognize that your sleep and eating habits are slipping and practice self-care. Remember that failure to change your behavior at this earliest stage by staying too long in the stage of emotional relapse, you will certainly become exhausted and this can even elevate your desire to use more of the substance thereby leading into mental relapse.

Practice self-care – The most important thing you can do to prevent relapse at this stage is take good care of yourself. Sit and flush back why you use the substance you use. Are you using drugs or alcohol to escape, relax, or reward yourself? For example, if you don’t take care of yourself and eat poorly or have poor sleep habits, you’ll feel exhausted and want to escape. If you don’t let go of your resentments and fears through some form of relaxation, they will build to the point where you’ll feel uncomfortable in your own skin. If you don’t ask for help, you’ll feel isolated. If any of those situations continues for too long, you will begin to think about using drugs again. But if you practice self-care, you can avoid those feelings from growing and avoid relapse.

Warning signs and coping skills of relapse: Relapse Prevention

The best Tools of drug addiction Recovery

July 5, 2015

The best tools of drug addiction recovery: Sticking to the rules of recovery

The best Tools of drug addiction Recovery will be very instrumental in helping you leave behind you your old life and introduce you into a productive new one.

How well do you know your environment? Is your environment working in your favor concerning the well-being of your life health and family? Sometimes we go through a lot of challenges not because of anything we cannot handle, but just because of where we stay and the people we keep as friends. Currently the world is chocking with drug addiction and both the young and the old, men and women are all vulnerable to this problem of addiction in equal measure. What can we do to escape the wrath of substance abuse? We spoke to doctor Dalal Akoury the MD and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center about the magnitude of this problem and she is going to be very instrumental to us in this discussion helping us bring certain facts to perspective. Doctor Akoury says that to be on top of drug addiction, you must first desire to have the best tools of drug addiction recovery. In her view this is a war and like any other battle you don’t go to the battle field with your bear hands. Therefore when it comes to addiction you don’t recover from it by stopping using a given substance, but by creating a new life where it will become easier not to continue using the substance you have been using and others. If this is not done (creating a new life), then all the factors that brought you to your addiction will eventually catch up with you again irrespective the time lapse.

Having said that says doctor Akoury, you need not to crack your mind over what to change and how to go about it, because for sure you don’t have to change everything in your life because you want to kick out an addiction from your environment. Nonetheless, there are a few things and behaviors that have been getting you into trouble, and they will continue to get you into trouble until you let them go. Those are the culprits which must go because the more you try holding onto your old life in recovery the less well you will do in the recovery process. It will interest you to note that some of these things that you need to let go are not difficult after all. The following are some of the most common things that must be eliminated in order to achieve recovery:

The best Tools of drug addiction Recovery: Avoid High-Risk Situations

Some common high-risk situations are described by the acronym, HALT: that is H-hungry, A-angry, L-lonely and T-tired. Therefore ask yourself some of these questions:

How do you feel at the end of the day? – if someone was to ask you how you feel in the evening, you would mostly take it normal and probably just like a form of greetings, but when it comes to addiction, this feeling is loaded with so much that you need to let go. Hunger, anger, loneliness and being tired are common triggers of various forms of addiction. They often come in very simple and unsuspicious ways like you’re probably hungry because you haven’t eaten well. You’re probably angry because you’ve had a tough day at work or a tough commute home. You may feel lonely because you’re isolated by the people you call your friends. Remember that you really don’t have to be physically alone to feel lonely. And all these happenings make you feel tired. When the day is over and you carry with you these loads of hunger, anger, loneliness and tiredness, then it is at this point when you will be most vulnerable relapse because the triggers for craving are strongest at the end of the day. Besides that the following are also other common ways of identifying high-risk situations which needs to be avoided:

People. By this I mean those individuals whom you use to drink or smoke with or who are related to your addiction. People who you have conflicts with, and who make you want to get back to the old habits. People who you celebrate with by using drugs. People who encourage you to use drugs either directly or indirectly. They are risky situations which must be eliminated.
Places. Avoid places where you use to drink or where you get your drugs or alcohol.
Things. Things that remind you of your past habits.

How can you avoid high-risk situations? – Doctor Akoury says that these situations may be very difficult to avoid more so those that are not known to you. Therefore it would be wise to list them down and get to familiarize with them daily so that you are not caught off guard. With this information, you will be able to prevent any developing craving at the onset before it become too huge to avoid. And in all this take good care of yourself by feeding well on healthy food whenever you feel hungry and not necessarily breakfast, lunch and dinner. That doesn’t mean that you should not take the three triangular meals, but eat even before lunch time if hunger strike only ensures that you take smaller portions. This way you will not feel hungry at the end of the day.

Avoid your drinking friends, your favorite bar, and having alcohol in the house. Avoid people who you used cocaine with, driving by your dealer’s neighborhood, and cocaine paraphernalia. Remember that recovery is not all about one big change. It’s about lots of little changes. Avoiding those high-risk situations helps you create a new life where it’s easier to not use.

Make a list of your high-risk situations – Addiction is sneaky and pooling together is the only remedy that works. You may not be able to see everything by yourself. As a matter of fact sometimes of these high-risk situations may be hidden for you and you won’t just see them unless somebody points them for you. Therefore before you are cornered it is important that you learn on how to look and identify them. You can do this by making a list of your high-risk situations and keep it with you all the time. Go over the list with someone in recovery so that they can spot any situations that you might have missed. This is very important because by engaging someone else, you are actually saying I need help and so this person will be able to stand with you in this journey all the way. Remember the wise saying that together we stand divided we fall. Having said that it is also very important that besides support from family and friends are good but they may not be enough to have the problem sorted out and when this time comes, the intervention of the experts will be very necessary. That is when you need to consult with the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center for professional assistance. Up on scheduling for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury, she will handle your problem in the most professional manner that will deliver your life back and live it to the fullest.

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