Tag Archives: Drug Abuse

female sex addiction2

Simultaneous treatment of sex and drug addiction

March 26, 2016

Simultaneous treatment of sexual addiction and drug abuse: Multiple addictions solutions

Simultaneous treatment

Simultaneous treatment of sexual addiction and drug abuse is very fundamental if recovery is to be meaningful and sustainable.

The trend with which addiction is changing is one that needs all the stake holders to join hand together and fight the problem from one common front. For a very long time all we have known is the monolistic addiction where one could be seen to be struggling with only one kind of substance say being an alcoholic. Things are now changing and multiple addictions are becoming the order of the day. This has necessitated experts including those from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury to think outside the box on the best treatment approach. In most cases multiple kind of addiction will involve substance abuse and sexual addiction. Therefore experts are now applying the simultaneous treatment where a number of addiction are treated all at the same time a patient enroll in addiction medical facility for treatment.

Looking at addiction critically, we have actually been brought up in the full knowledge that drugs whether illicit or prescription drugs are actually all candidates for abuse and because of this upbringing many people wallowing in that school of thought. The question that follows next is that really the true position of the understanding of what addiction is all about? Let’s get some expert opinion from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center. From the discussion with the experts from this facility, it is very obvious that there are different kinds of addictions. That is to say that one could be addicted to drugs and alcohol, or to certain behaviors (e.g. sex) or even both. And just for clarity it is important to note that behavioral addiction may be so many and that may include addiction to sexual activities, gaming from the computer devices, gambling and many others. We are therefore at risk of either becoming victims of either of them or even both and that is when simultaneous treatment becomes relevant. Simultaneous treatment is very important in the sense that while on the surface, different addictions seem to be associated with their own unique set of behaviors they are often fueled by the same underlying feelings of guilt, shame, avoidance and trauma. Addictions interact within the individual making it difficult to tease them apart.

Simultaneous treatment of sexual addiction and drug abuse: The trends of problematic substances

When examining the trends of problematic substance use in individuals seeking help for a sexual addiction, it becomes clear that the two are indistinctly linked together. The available statistics also indicate that majority of people who are struggling with sexual addiction also meet the criteria for alcohol or drug addiction. Studies have also established that many individuals who are struggling with sexual addiction problems have actually admitted to using substances mostly to help them in dealing with, or escaping from, the pain that is caused by their sexual behavior. Besides that it is also very common that many people are currently using substances to get over their inhibitions in order to engage in sexual behaviors that might be uncharacteristic for them if they were not drunk or high. This further explains the significance of multi addiction and the need for simultaneous treatment.

We must therefore seek for information by way of investigating how multiple addictions can feed into one another. This is very important because it is possible that individuals may use one of their addictions to mask or dismiss the other addiction and this could be influenced by various reasons including fear and shames especially those elements that are considered shameful addiction. Like for instance, an individual may deny having a problem with sexual addiction and insist completely that their problematic sexual behavior is only caused by intoxication. However, the truth of the matter in this case may be that the drugs or alcohol are merely concealing the pain and shameful acts that are associated with the sexual addiction thereby helping the person to be spared from the emotional consequences of his or her actions. By the same token, both addictions may work on intensifying one another in such a way that the person only engages in their sexual addiction under the influence of alcohol or drugs. These rituals then serve to protect the addiction and ensure that patterns of use are stable and predictable and this can be very dangerous if not dealt with expeditiously.

A major concern with treatment of substance use disorder alone is that any untreated sexual addiction often precipitates a relapse of substance use. Dealing with one addiction while ignoring the other may end up intensifying the problem that has not been addressed. A good example would be when a person in early recovery from a substance addiction turns to sexual performance enhancers in order to continue the ritualized sexual behavior that was previously enhanced by the substance use. This sexual behavior can continue to be problematic for the individual. The individual may continue to feel a sense of shame and pain. Therefore recovery is about addressing the entire addictive process, not just those associated with a particular substance or behavior. The addictive process, whether it be related to sexual behavior or substances is often characterized by a pattern of secrecy, cognitive distortions and rituals. Therefore recovery from addiction regardless of type, would involve embracing and attempting to live a life of honesty, authenticity and emotional growth.

Fortunately, many underlying similarities between multiple addictions mean that the underlying framework for concurrent treatment is quite effective. According to a recent study conducted at Bellwood Health Services confirms that individuals with a comorbid sexual addiction and substance use disorder attending the same treatment centre as those with only sexual addiction, have comparable treatment outcomes at six months follow-up. Both groups demonstrated substantial improvement not only on measures of substance use and sexual impulse control but also on self-reported measures of well-being and quality of life.

Simultaneous treatment of sexual addiction and drug abuse: Replacing the maladaptive coping strategies

Finally, looking at some of the past psychological trauma, sexual abuse, abandonment and neglect, doctor Akoury reiterates that these are some of the very important issues that need to be addressed in treatment. Therefore any recovering addict must commit to learning on how to identify the signs of being actively involved in the addictive process and work hard primarily at replacing all the maladaptive coping strategies with positive and affirming ones. Moreover the individual addict needs to be empowered and be given the necessary tools to be able to function effectively in their environment and successfully meet all life’s challenges without turning to substance use or problematic sexual behavior. We know that this can be very difficult to some of you and if you’re that person, then you need not to give up because there is help on the way upon calling doctor Dalal Akoury today to schedule for a one on one meeting with her and your life will never be the same again thereafter.

Simultaneous treatment of sexual addiction and drug abuse: Multiple addictions solutions

http://regenerativepotential.com/integrativeaddictionconference/

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female sex addiction2

Female Sex Addiction and Drug Abuse

February 2, 2016

The Challenges of Female Sex Addiction and Drug Abuse

There is not much known about Female Sex Addiction and Drug Abuse.  Very few numbers are available, and there are few places that treat women who present with both conditions.  It is estimated that between 6% and 10% of Americans of both genders suffer from sex addiction and that between 10% and 20% of those are women.  The DSM-5 does not at this point recognize that sex addiction is an addiction.  However, there are several studies which confirm that the brains of sex addicts react in the same way as do the brains of drug addicts.  This means that drug addicts and sex addicts suffer from much the same dysfunction in their brains. So women usually with female sex addiction are usually treated as though they have both female sex addiction and drug abuse.

 There has been work done on a diagnosis which has resulted in a screening test to distinguish between the normally sexually active person and the sex addict.  The main point of the screening is that if a woman’s sexual activity has ever caused pain to yourself, put you in danger, or resulted in financial or social consequences, then you probably have female sex addiction. A counselor will have further tests which can distinguish between the different types of sexual addiction and can then prescribe appropriate treatment.

 female sex addiction2

This treatment can be complicated if the woman has both female sex addiction and drug abuse.  The drug of choice is also important, but the primary problem is that both the addictions need to be treated at the same time.  Otherwise the female sex addiction and drug abuse will reinforce each other. This means that the woman involved will have difficulty overcoming both the female sex addiction and drug abuse together, but will have even worse problems if the two problems are treated separately.

 

Approximately 80% of the time, the reason the two dependencies occur together is that the woman has at some point in her life experienced some form of abuse. The good part of having abuse in your past is that you survived it. The bad part is that abuse leaves a woman feeling unlovable, which is a recipe for severe depression.  The abuse was often traumatic enough that she also has PTSD. These two conditions can cause enough pain that the woman will seek to self-medicate, and may also try to make herself feel lovable and loved through a series of sexual relationships. This means that this woman who through no fault of her own was abused by others now has more problems than just the depression or the PTSD.  Since she has been self-medicating, she is now dependent on a drug like alcohol or some type of pill, and she is also a sex addict.

 Female sex addiction

This woman, and many like her, need special treatment in the center.  They need to be encouraged to look at themselves, not as objects to be used but as people with the right to have friendships and sexual relationships. They need to be encouraged to give up the drugs they have been using and to seek out and maintain healthy relationships. This is a very difficult task that these women have, and many who are initially successful in giving up the drugs will be tempted to use their female sex addiction to cover up or lessen the amount of pain they feel. This will be especially true in the beginning of their therapy, when they are still coping with the depression and the PTSD.

 

If they are treated for the depression and the PTSD and not for the female sex addiction and drug abuse the feelings about the female sex addiction and drug abuse may undermine any progress they make overcoming their depression and PTSD.  It is therefore imperative that they are  in the safest place they can find before doing any of this work and they need to be treated for all their problems at the same time.

 

The best places for a woman with female sex addiction and drug abuse to go to are those places that use a combination of approaches to treat those who want it. This woman needs a multi-pronged approach to deal with the drug abuse, the low feelings of self-esteem, the loneliness and the high anxiety levels at the same time.  Unfortunately, most therapists did not have the training necessary to recognize female sex addiction and drug abuse—let alone do anything productive about it.

 

This is about to change. The research that is being conducted at psychiatric hospitals and clinics has identified that female sex addiction and drug abuse is a verifiable condition that is causing pain to many people and they are now working on the best medications to treat female sex addiction and drug abuse.  That means that where these women had no hope, now they will be able to get the help they need to live normally.

The Challenges of Female Sex Addiction and Drug Abuse

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Addiction consequences

Ruined careers due to alcohol and drug abuse

November 30, 2015

Ruined careers due to alcohol and drug abuse: How celebrities recovered from drug and alcohol abuse

Ruined careers

Majority of ruined careers globally are as a result of alcohol and drug abuse. We are losing very good brains on account of substances and this must stop.

It is every ones dream to become somebody in life as they grow and make progress from one level to another. Meeting the challenges of life is such an uphill task in the current generation and so people have to work extra hard, smart and be consistent to realize the desired objectives. While this is a noble thing to do, it is always not a smooth sailing and many people have fallen along the way due to various reasons including misuse of alcohol and substance abuse. These substances have actually ruined careers, integrity, families, education, businesses, religion, health and many aspects of life. Because of the adverse effects of this, we want to seek the expert opinion of the professionals from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury to help us understand certain facts under the topic of “ruined careers due to alcohol and drug abuse.” Even though drug addiction and alcohol abuse does not discriminate on who to affect, we want to focus this discussion on the effects these substances has had on the celebrities and how they have overcome or recovered from the jaws of drugs and alcohol abuse. From the available statistics, it is evident that alcohol and drug abuse has claimed several lives of many talented musicians and artists across the globe. These are people in the society that have contributed immensely in the development of our social fabric and even in our economic live yet at the mentioned of alcohol and drugs, we are losing several of these young talented brains to addiction.

It is true that a lot is being done to contain the scourge of addiction and because of that and despite the enormous challenges that come with drug addiction we have quite a number of celebrities that have it into successful journey of recovery. And without mentioning names of some of the celebrities who recovered from alcohol and drug abuse, we want to focus on some of the applications they relayed on as strength to be consistent and to keep motivated without stopping until they could finally live an alcohol and drug-free life. That now brings us to the worthy question that we all need to find answer to and that is “how did they or how were they able to change their lives?” doctor Dalal Akoury and her team of experts in addiction treatment are going to share with us some of the steps that are applicable into the journey of substance abuse recovery:

  • Resilient commitment to stop substance abuse
  • Objectives to motivate change
  • Support from people around you

The three may not be conclusive but for the purpose of this discussion, we want to seek the experts’ opinions of doctor Dalal Akoury and her team of expert about these three guidelines as follows:

Ruined careers due to alcohol and drug abuse: Resilient commitment to stop substance abuse

Before one can consider this as a problem in their lives, there will be a lot of push and pull, denial and hiding and secretiveness on the part of the direct victims. Many would not want to come to the realities of the problem at hand for the commencement of treatment in good time. Nonetheless today many celebrities have acknowledged their problems and have not just considered this a big stepping-stone for change, but have also appreciated the consequences of their former habits and choices. And even as this great step is made, the most challenging part of this journey however, squarely lies in the individual commitment of the victim to the journey of recovery. This is because even with this resolution to seek for help, there may still be some traces of denial even after admitting the drinking or drug problem. Doctor Akoury explains that because of this it is important that the victims take time to learn and to be motivated on how to accept the problem and do something about it. Therefore is necessary that you assess your choices and weigh the benefits to strengthen your commitment to stay sober and be drug-free for the rest of your life. If you find this an obstacle, then you need to schedule for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury for further professional direction.

Ruined careers due to alcohol and drug abuse: Objectives to motivate change

Setting goals play a big role in quitting substance abuse and it is always very important that you work within some frame work in everything you do. Drug addiction and misuse of alcohol is no different. Therefore recovered and recovering alcoholics didn’t just make a big change overnight or stepped into rehab and got out after just a few hours, NO it is a process. Remember that the process is gradual and revolves around goals and objectives set to recover from substance abuse. According to the experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, the more realistic and specific your goals are the better and greater chances of your fast recovery. Because of that is only fare for every addict that they remain focus on these goals and document all the ideas you want to apply on how you can achieve the set goals. It’s also important to remain upfront about your limits so you can better accomplish them says doctor Akoury.

Ruined careers due to alcohol and drug abuse: Support from people around you

Finally in this journey of recovery we must always appreciate that alone we may not move far. Therefore emotional and mental support will always be very necessary as they play a big role in substance abuse recovery. It is also true that you can recover on your own however the chances of relapse may be greater without proper supervision and support. That is why letting your family members and friends know that you’re recovering from substance abuse is necessary. Doing this may also mean that you distance yourself from people who don’t support your effort your resolve to live a drug and alcohol-free life. And remember that this is only the beginning of your recovery journey. It’s also important to create a new purpose in life where drug and alcohol have no place. We appreciate that this is not easy and that is why we are always ready to help you anytime at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, on making that very important appointment with us, will make sure that you undergo the best treatment for an optimum recovery that will leave you enjoying your life objectively thereafter.

Ruined careers due to alcohol and drug abuse: How celebrities recovered from drug and alcohol abuse

 

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Mental health healing

Brain detox for successful addiction recovery

November 27, 2015

Brain detox for successful addiction recovery: The genesis of addiction treatment

brain detox

The reason why brain detoxification is essential for mental health is because the brain is the coordinator successful of all bodily functions. It is therefore important that drug abuse be treated across all age groups.

In life if you want to be successful in anything you do, you must be in good health for it to come to pass. When the brain is ailing the whole body will be ailing too and that is why when dealing with the complications of alcohol and drug addiction, the health of the brain is very essential. That is why we want to focus our discussion on the possibilities of brain detox for successful addiction recovery. Experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury says that detoxing from drugs or alcohol can be a grueling experience but all the same it must be done because it is actually the genesis of addiction treatment whose primary goal is breaking the cycle of addiction and saving the value of life. And because we are talking about life we must emphasize that the successful detox will mark the beginning of the recovery process and mental health plays a significant role in determining the outcome says doctor Dalal Akoury MD, President and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center.

Brain detox for successful addiction recovery: The dynamics that fuel complications related to addiction

Still on the role of mental health in successful detox, it is important to note that this will always come with certain challenges because addiction itself is not only a problem but also a serious mental health disease. It is important to note that the very dynamics that fuel the disease of obsession, compulsion, stress, depression and poor judgment just to list a few examples are laid bare during the detox process, this should therefore challenge the patient to withstand the discomforts of withdrawal as and when they come. That actually means that one of the key elements of success in early recovery is the individual attitude. Doctor Dalal Akoury in her over two decades in administering addiction treatment to people across the globe registers that having the wrong attitude can be a primary determinant in the outcome of a course of treatment. Patients are therefore encouraged to remain focus and to fight any signs of denial by all means so that together this problem can be defeated in tis entirely.

One very fundamental fact that we must stay focused on is that withdrawal is a process that can actually kill when not properly managed. This is a condition in which addicts can suffer severe damages and actually when in its most severe form, alcohol or any substance withdrawal can cause complications including but not limited to fever, extreme nausea, delirium, tremors and seizures. Long-term use of anesthetics, especially Benzodiazepines, requires medical intervention in order to successfully eliminate dependency which can effectively be done at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center up on scheduling for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury anytime any day of your choice. It is however important to note that the after-effects of withdrawal can last up to six months. Similarly, withdrawal from heroin or other opiates can cause extreme discomfort, and in the case of Methadone, can cause death. Meanwhile, detox from stimulants such as cocaine and methamphetamine poses fewer medical risks but can cause severe psychological discomfort.

The mental health component that treatment professionals hope for is the willingness to be compliant to cooperate in the brain detox process and hopefully have a goal in mind of long-term recovery. If this component is operative, then treatment can address both addiction and the underlying mental health issues. These underlying issues lie at the heart of addiction problem and are the key to solving it on a continuance basis. When these are identified and successfully addressed, the addict is less likely to feel that he or she must self-medicate in order to feel relief from an intolerable condition and that explains why brain detoxification is very essential in the whole process.

Brain detox for successful addiction recovery: Understanding drugs as one of the dark side of addiction treatment

Several drugs are administered in the treatment of addiction but this too can sometimes pose certain challenges. Like for instance just as an indicator of the scope of the current opioid addiction crisis, we can consider the following:

A single drug, intended to treat addiction, accounted for over one and a half billion dollars in sales annually. Originally billed as a safe alternative to methadone, buprenorphine primarily sold as Suboxone has a mixed history of success and unintended consequences in the world of addiction treatment.

Like methadone, Buprenorphine is an opioid. Opioids are substances that are classified as drug that includes any chemical that resembles morphine or other opiates in its pharmacological effects. The implication of that is that it produces a high besides causing dependency. This also appears to obey the law of diminishing returns in that using more of it does not produce a stronger high and the plateau effect is what makes Suboxone an attractive substitute for addicts seeking to manage their addiction. The inherent dangers of overdose, side effects from adulterants, and exposure to a criminal element when acquiring illegal drugs are all mitigated by taking a prescribed substance designed specifically to offer “harm reduction.” Alternatively, Suboxone is used to shift addicts’ primary addictions, after which a monitored tapering is employed with the ultimate goal of abstinence-based recovery.

Doctor Akoury is registering that although Suboxone, both as a maintenance drug and as an intermediary to abstinence, has had many successes it has its own dark side. The drug is often diverted from legitimate channels, and the profit motive has created a growing niche market. Clinics of dubious respectability dole out the drug with minimum restrictions, and people who don’t require or even like the drug personally buy it at the clinics and sell at a premium. There is enough of a euphoric high that there is a demand for Suboxone as a recreational drug, and now the safety of its use is being called into question. Those are just but a few dark sides of the drugs we often use and therefore we must all be on the look out to ensure that when looking at the role of mental health in successful detox, we do not slip into the dark side of the drugs we use. We all ore one another the duty of care by ensuring that drugs are only used for their intended purpose. You may want to get more clarifications from the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, by scheduling for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury today.

Brain detox for successful addiction recovery: The genesis of addiction treatment

 

 

 

 

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Correcting the brain damage from drug abuse

August 5, 2015

Correcting the brain damage from drug abuse: The generator of pathological activity

Correcting the brain damage from drug abuse

Correcting the brain damage from drug abuse must be every ones priority if we have to defeat addiction and its consequences

Did you know that drugs are the major cause of the death of the brain cells? The brain is one of the most sensitive organs in any human body where everything starts and ends. Death is always registered the moment ones brain stops functioning. Therefore we all have a duty to keep the good health we have by correcting the brain damages from drug abuse and doctor Dalal Akoury is going to take us through the discussion to unlock some of the sensitive things that we must do to keep the proper functionality of the brain. According to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury, this could be the worst damage they cause to the brain. And remember that the degree of the brain damage from drug abuse is always defined by the prognosis of recovery. Sometimes unfavorable changes in the brain of a drug addict are so much overwhelming that they are not even able to realize the problem let alone the need for treatment. And even if they are, the deformed psyche, expressed in loss of willpower, doesn’t allow them to complete the treatment and refrain from using the drugs. Nonetheless such situations often come to the extreme cases. Besides that under normal circumstances addiction often creates a center of addiction in the brain, or so-called a generator of pathological activity for drug craving.

To illustrate this, let us take an example of a condition we are all familiar with that of epilepsy. This disease is characterized by periodically recurrent seizure syndrome and when a small portion of the brain cells (it can be quite small in size), figuratively speaking, “going crazy”. From time to time they reach the level of excitation which covers the whole brain. As a result, a person loses consciousness, falls down, the total muscle spasms make him convulse. When he comes regains his consciousness, he doesn’t remember what happened to him. Medically these “haywire” cells are called the generator of pathological activity. Now the connection is that about the same generator is formed in case of a drug addiction. However in this case the generator is that of attraction to drugs, self-excitation of which with different periodicity may also cover the entire brain and cause an uncontrollable, overpowering desire to take drugs thereafter. The activity of the generator leads to a constant, obsessive thoughts about drugs. Without treatment, this generator can persist for years, even if the person does not use the drugs during that time. Along with the formation of the generator of attraction to drugs, there is another type of brain damage from drug abuse, to the nervous system of a drug addict.

Another reason why correcting the brain damage from drug abuse is necessary is because the regular drug poisoning leads to severe changes in metabolism in the cells of the nervous system and especially in brain cells. These cells contain neurotransmitters which are the active substances whose presence in the inter-neuron synapses provides the transmission of electrical impulses to effectuate the functions of all kinds of nervous activities, including the higher nervous activity of a man’s mind, emotions, feelings, willpower, and so on. Doctor Akoury reiterates that the constant presence of the outer psycho active chemical substances badly affects the processes of neuro-transmission in the brain.  And remember that the altered brain reactivity will reflects in the changes of well-being and behavior pattern of an addict. When this happens he becomes lethargic, listless, emotionally limited. Gradually he will begin to lose interest in life, his cognitive abilities dwindle. Against this background, frequent outbreaks of anger and irritability become regular.

It’s fair to say, that shortly after the “fix”, the deficit of neurotransmitters in an addict’s brain temporarily shifts back to “normal”, and the victim feels better for a while. However, with each subsequent dose of narcotic, the further infringements in neuro transmitter systems of the brain ultimately become more and more profound.

Correcting the brain damage from drug abuse: Drug withdrawal

During the “withdrawal” the most unpleasant sensations are connected with an abrupt plummet of content of neurotransmitters in the brain. For instance, the dopamine content due to severe lack of transmitters can’t be utilized in time and may exceed the normal level few times. The excessive amount of dopamine is a real poison to the brain.

Drug withdrawal (especially opiate withdrawal) physically and mentally is a very disruptive condition. It may last from few days to a few weeks. You can get more information about opiate (Heroin, Methadone) withdrawal by scheduling for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury today and she will be more than willing to help you find answers to all your questions today.

It is further important to note that during withdrawal some time will lapse and within a few days the level of neurotransmitters will gradually returns to normal even though this may not be completely done, but all the same the symptoms of drug withdrawal subsides. Besides that another danger will come in handy waiting for the patient. This is commonly known as “dry withdrawal”.  After some time, when seemingly all is over, sometimes without any reason, but mostly after the stress, the balance of neurotransmitters breaks down again. At this point the patient starts re-experiencing some mental discomfort, nervousness, sleep disorders, hot-and-cold flashes and aggravated attraction to drugs.

Drug addiction, like many other chronic diseases, is characterized by fluctuating course, with alternate “ups and downs”. Most of the failures happen exactly on the peaks of these “ups”. That is why all drugs have the toxic effects and damages the body’s cells. This damage causes some element of pain in an individual and to fight this pain the victim will have to take more drugs further causing addiction to that substance and the situation to becomes a vicious circle: that is to say, the higher dose of drugs the more pain they cause, the more pain the more need to take the higher dose. As a result, the euphoric effect of the drugs, which was so attractive at the beginning, quickly disappears and leaves an addict to continue taking the drug just to avoid the pain and let him somehow to function “normally”.

Finally from the discussion we have seen that drug addiction is a very complex disease, which is fixed in many levels of the organism. Simple and quick methods, such as coding or isolated psychotherapy are absolutely inactive. To this doctor Akoury says that professionally drug addiction requires a serious multi-stage treatment at all levels and that will be very helpful in correcting the brain damage from drug abuse effectively.

Correcting the brain damage from drug abuse: The generator of pathological activity

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