Tag Archives: Drug addiction and crime

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Addiction stinging strains in relationships

July 30, 2016
Addiction stinging strains

Addiction stinging strains in relationships causes more damage along the way

Addiction stinging strains in relationships: The harm affects everyone

I am always very disturbed listening to people surrounding victims of addiction. Many at times drug addicts are seen as criminals and people with lose morals. This is a serious way of defeating any effort being made to kick substance abuse out of the communities. People who are struggling with any kind of addiction does not cease to be members of our families or communities because of their situation. Alcohol and drug abuse are a disease like any other and must not be seen as moral inadequacy on the part of the victim. As a matter of facts the pain that comes with addiction of a member of the family is a serious problem to the whole family unit. Doctor Dalal Akoury MD and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center reiterates that people may ignore but addiction stinging strains in relationship is very costly.

Addiction stinging strains in relationships: Being poor role model

Take for example just to explain how this is a family problem. When you being the head of the family is smoking cigarette, your children who are very good student of observation are learning from you. And to them what daddy does is always the correct thing. If these children were to be told otherwise, they are likely to ignore the voice of truth and stick to the observation they have made from their father who is their most immediate teacher, protector and role model. Look at that are you still considering your position of this being the problem of the direct victim alone and not of the whole unit of family? The problem here is that children brought out in such kind of environment are serious candidates of addiction to all the substances they may have seen being abused by their parents. And when they start using the same substances, their parents may not have the oral authority of stopping them. At this point it leaves the corridors of the family and escalates to the society.

Addiction stinging strains in relationships: Finding lasting solution to all kinds of addictions

Even as we turn our focus to finding solutions, it is important to note that the addiction stinging strains in relationships can impact on your health too. With the family straining and relationships falling apart, people are likely to become anxious, mistrustful and tired. Besides that an overwhelming sense of hopelessness can set in too and because addiction hurts the whole family, it is therefore very essential that solutions are tailored to restoring the whole family which therefore means that even as we seek for professional solutions, recovery process from addiction will greatly depend on the commitment and willingness of the family.

That is true but professionally on our part under the leadership of doctor Akoury who made a passionate decision of creating 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. Ours is to stand in the gap with medical solutions for those who are going to come seeking for help. Doctor 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 we believe that this is all you need to be whole again. You can talk to us on telephone number 843 213 1480 and your problems will be addressed professionally.

Addiction stinging strains in relationships: The harm affects everyon

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Drug addiction mutilates brains health

May 30, 2016
Drug addiction mutilates brains health

Drug addiction mutilates brains health leaving serious problems behind

Drug addiction mutilates brains health: What is drug addiction?

You probably have heard this statement that “your health is your wealth” and didn’t take it seriously because you are so much rooted in search for the physical wealth. Your health is much valuable than any asset you can talk of anywhere in the world. That may not make sense now but wait until drug addiction mutilates brains health. Addiction has been defined in very many ways but for the purpose of this article, it is a chronic brain disease that causes users of alcohol and drugs to compulsively seek for those substances, regardless of the harm associated with them. From the experts’ opinion at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, when one is first introduced to drugs, it’s usually a free choice made without any form of duress. And as the individual continues to use the substance, the brain becomes the first casualty. The brains functions get altered and the user of drugs gets motivated to continue using the drugs even despite knowledge of the consequences attached.

Doctor Akoury says that when drug addiction mutilates brains health, the result can be very devastating. Some of the consequences may include: loss of job, theft, violence and other physical or mental problems like depression, stress and anxiety. In her over two decades of experience, doctor Akoury advises that the following are some of the effects to be careful about:

Drug addiction mutilates brains health: Pleasure Effect

The pleasure effect is one of the notable cause where drug addiction mutilates brains health. This is mostly associated with several drugs including drugs of abuse like nicotine, cocaine, marijuana, and others. What these drugs do is that they affect the brain’s “reward” circuit, which is part of the limbic system that responds to feelings of pleasure by releasing the neurotransmitter dopamine. Take note that dopamine also creates feelings of pleasure. Drugs take control of this system, causing large amounts of dopamine to flood the system. This flood of dopamine is what causes the “high” or intense excitement and happiness also known as euphoria linked with drug use.

Drug addiction mutilates brains health: The repeat effect

The repeat effect happens because our brains are tuned in such a way that we will remember to repeat healthy activities, like eating, by connecting those activities with feeling good. Whenever this reward circuit is triggered, the brain immediately remembers that something important is happening that needs to be done. Besides that, it also teaches us to do it continually, without thinking about it. In the same way, since drugs of abuse come in and “hijack” the same circuit, users will learn to use drugs in the same way.

The effect of that is that after repeated drug use, the brain begins to adjust to the flows of dopamine. Neurons may also begin to reduce the number of dopamine receptors or simply make less dopamine. The result is less dopamine signaling in the brain like turning down the volume on the dopamine signal. As a result, the ability to feel any pleasure is reduced. The person feels flat, lifeless, and depressed, and is unable to enjoy things that once brought pleasure. At this point the person needs drugs just to bring dopamine levels up to normal, and more of the drug is needed to create a dopamine flood, or “high” an effect known as “tolerance.” This is now being in the high way of destruction and treatment needs to commence right away. Doctor Akoury will be waiting for your call today.

Drug addiction mutilates brains health: What is drug addiction?

 

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Moral failing has no link with drug addiction

November 25, 2015

Why drug addiction is not a moral failing: Addiction medicine, new medical specialty

Why drug addiction is not a moral failing

Why drug addiction is not a moral failing? Research has established that drug addiction is a disease like any other and must be addressed medically without any form of victimization morally or otherwise.

Traditionally if you had problem with drugs and alcohol, the society would see you as one who is not morally upright. We are also told that old is gold but is this perception productive in anyway? And would you consider it as gold in the present generation? Those are some of the points we want to consider in this discussion and that is why we are choosing the topic “why drug addiction is not a moral failing by all standards? To be more specific with this tradition doctor Dalal Akoury MD, founder and also the President of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center is a veteran addiction expert who has helped in the transformation of millions of people across the globe with their addiction complication is going to help us understand the variance between the old perception and the new scientific understanding of the complications relating to misuse of alcohol and drug addiction. She says that up until the early twentieth century it was common to view addiction as a moral failing. It is regrettable that those individuals who fell into cage of such behaviors were viewed as bad people who were willfully doing wrong. As time goes by and with new research studies revelations, this view begun to change in the early 1940s with the arrival of groups like Alcoholics Anonymous. This brought a new dispensation and people began to look upon addiction as a disease that could be treated if the right professionals are engaged. And according to the available statics we can now confirm that over the last few decades the medical professionals’ establishment has further endorsed the idea that such behaviors are a brain disease by creating a new specialty to treatment of addiction.

Moral failing has no link with drug addiction : Relationship between medicine and addiction is not a new one

We are all aware that western medication has been predominantly involved in the treatment of addiction for many years with some little restrictions in the applications. The explanation to this is that many alcoholics have traditionally sought their physician expert’s opinion from time to time when they decided to get help for their addiction and the complications that come with it. Under normal circumstance during such visits, the physician would in most cases refer them to other specific professionals such as psychiatrist, addiction therapist, or self-help group. Things are changing and now the medical establishment is viewing addiction as a disease that they can treat. This has led to the rise of a new specialty of addiction medicine. And according to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, doctor Akoury is registering that in the past it was not unknown for physicians to be highly knowledgeable about addiction. As a matter of fact, those who are regularly dealing with such patients may decide to do additional courses so as to increase their ability to help. The American Society of Addiction Medicine has been on the leading front in providing this training to those who willing to benefit from it. It is therefore important to appreciate that those groups that have also been the driving force for ensuring that addiction medicine became a recognized specialty had their dreams realized in 1988.

Why drug addiction is not a moral failing: Need for addiction to be a medical specialty

One clear fact that needs to be understood is that addiction has consequences that cut’s on both sides of the divide. That is to say that everybody has his or her portion of pain whether you are a direct or indirect victim. And remember that at the moment there are many different professionals involved in providing care for addicts and some of those professionals may include:

  • Addiction therapists
  • Addiction counselors
  • Psychiatrists
  • Psychologists
  • Social workers
  • Psychiatric nurses
  • Public health professionals

Even though a lot of progress has been made with the treatment of addiction patients, much more is still need to be done because of the following reasons:

  • There is increasing evidence that alcoholism is a physical disease – a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory and related circuitry. If it is a medical condition then it is only natural that there should be a medical specialty that is focused on offering the most effective possible treatment.
  • High resonance imaging shows that addiction does actually cause damage to the brain meaning that it is a medical problem.
  • There are now a number of medical institutions across the globe including in the US offering accredited one year programs where doctors can gain the knowledge they need for the treatment of addiction – in the past such courses were not accredited. This means that these physicians will be in a much better position to offer the help their patients need.
  • Information is power and the lack of it about addiction is certainly going to be a gap that needs to be filled and this can be done by creating an addiction specialty in medicine to help in breaching the gap.
  • Addiction is viewed as similar to other chronic conditions such as diabetes. When it is not possible to offer a cure the focus should be on medical management of the symptoms.
  • The medical management of addiction can focus on relapse prevention. By getting somebody to stop abusing alcohol or drugs. This must be appreciated that this is just half the battle and the real task is to help them stay stopped.
  • There are a number of pharmaceutical drugs that people can use to overcome their addictions and of particular interest are drugs that may reduce the intensity of cravings or help the individual pass through withdrawals easier.
  • Sending addicts to psychiatrists might not always be the best course of action because many of these individuals do not have psychiatric problems although a high percentage of them do.
  • Physicians often feel helpless to help addicts. The growth of the specialty of addiction medicine means that they can do more than merely patch them up and send them back out to the world.
  • The physician is often in a good position to recognize the symptoms of an addiction.

Moral failing has no link with drug addiction: Future of addiction treatment

Finally with this fact that addiction has become a bona fide medical specialty out of the box, we need to start seeing real time improvements in the care of addicts such including the following says doctor Akoury:

  • There will be an increasing number of physicians who have a good understanding of addiction and treatment. These professionals will be able to help ensure that addicts who pass through the medical system receive adequate treatment.
  • It is likely to mean that there will be increased research into pharmaceutical and other treatments that may be of value to those struggling with addiction.
  • It should mean that physicians can do more than just pass the addict onto another specialty.
  • Physicians will be able to play a key role in relapse prevention.

All these are tailored towards ensuring that addiction victims get the best and this best can only be realized when you as a victim of an addiction schedule for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury today for further professional guidance.

Moral failing has no link with drug addiction: Addiction medicine, new medical specialty

 

 

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Understanding the basics of eliminating substance abuse

September 25, 2015

Understanding the basics of eliminating substance abuse: What to do in the process

Understanding the basics of eliminating substance abuse

Understanding the basics of eliminating substance abuse is very important and this can effectively be done at the support group levels.

One of the most important basics in fighting drug addiction is the acquisition of knowledge about what can be done in situations where addiction is knocking on the door of your life. Ideally this is not going to be the very first time for us talking about this topic, but because of the nature of addiction and the seriousness with which it affects our lives, we will be doing ourselves a lot of injustice if we don’t face this problem head on. In doing so, we want to focus this discussion on the power of understanding the basics of eliminating substance abuse in our lives. And to help us in doing that we are going to relay on the professionalism of experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury.

Just to bring you up to speed with the person behind the formation of this undisputable health institution, it will further interest you to note that after making critical observation on the sufferings of people from all walks of life, doctor Dalal Akoury made an informed decision to formulate 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 finding their own inner healing power which is very essential for any meaningful treatment program. Alongside with the aforementioned it is worth bringing to your attention that doctor Akoury’s practice focuses primarily on personalized medicine through healthy lifestyle choices that deal with primary prevention and underlying causes instead of patching up symptoms. Over this discussion we are going to share with you some of the things that you need to do to have this scourge kicked out of your life in its entirely. We therefore request you to remain with us on the link and for you to get the best applications in this fight. In the meantime if this description suites you then you can reach out for help from doctor Dalal Akoury on the telephone number 843 213 1480 to schedule for your appointment with her in the most professional way.

Understanding the basics of eliminating substance abuse: Reach out for support

When considering this, it is important that the approach should be very inclusive and that is to say that the treatment approach you choose should have a solid support system. Remember that the more positive influences you have in your life, the better your chances for recovery. Recovering from drug addiction isn’t easy, but with inclusivity you can turn to experts for encouragement, guidance, and a listening ear, this way it becomes a little less tough. The following are some of the hints you could adopt for a break through:

Lean on close friends and family – Having the support of friends and family members is an invaluable asset in recovery. If you’re reluctant to turn to your loved ones because you’ve let them down before, consider going to couples counseling or family therapy.

Build a sober social network – If your previous social life revolved around drugs, you may need to make some new connections. It’s important to have sober friends who will support your recovery. Try taking a class, joining a church or a civic group, volunteering, or attending events in your community.

Consider moving in to a sober living home – Sober living homes provide a safe, supportive place to live while you’re recovering from drug addiction. They are a good option if you don’t have a stable home or a drug-free living environment to go to.

Make meetings a priority – Join a recovery support group and attend meetings regularly. Spending time with people who understand exactly what you’re going through can be very healing. You can also benefit from the shared experiences of the group members and learn what others have done to stay sober.

Understanding the basics of eliminating substance abuse: Learn healthy ways to cope with stress

Even once you’ve recovered from drug addiction, you’ll still have to face the problems that led to your drug problems in the first place. Did you start using drugs to numb painful emotions, calm yourself down after an argument, unwind after a bad day, or forget about your problems? After you become sober, the negative feelings that you used to dampen with drugs will resurface. Doctor Akoury recommends that for treatment to be successful and sustain sobriety, you’ll need to resolve these underlying issues progressively. Remember that conditions like stress, loneliness, frustration, anger, shame, anxiety and hopelessness will always remain in your life even when you’re no longer using drugs and so you must devise healthy ways of dealing with them from time to time. The good news is that this time you will be in a much healthier position to finally address them and seek the help you need.

Understanding the basics of eliminating substance abuse: Build a meaningful drug free life

Doctor Akoury advices that as a recovering addict you can support your drug treatment and protect yourself from relapse by engaging in healthy activities that provide meaning to your health. It’s important to be involved in things that you enjoy and make you have the sense of belonging. When your life is filled with rewarding activities and a high self-esteem, your addiction will lose its appeal and the following can be of help to you as well:

Get involved in your community – Replace your addiction with drug-free groups and activities. Volunteer, become active in your church or faith community, or join a local club or neighborhood group.

Look after your health – Regular exercise, adequate sleep, and healthy eating habits help you keep your energy levels up and your stress levels down. When you feel good, drugs are much less of a temptation. The more you can do to stay healthy, the easier it will be to stay sober.

Pick up a new hobby – Do things that challenge your creativity and spark your imagination, something you’ve always wanted to try.

Adopt a pet – Yes, pets are a responsibility, but caring for an animal makes you feel loved and needed. Pets can also get you out of the house for exercise.

Set meaningful and realistic goals– Having goals to work toward and something to look forward to can be powerful antidotes to drug addiction. It doesn’t matter what the goals are whether they involve your career, your personal life or your health, just ensure that they are important to you. Finally if after doing all these you still find drawbacks, then you can seek for more professional input by scheduling for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury today and all your concerns will be addressed effectively.

Understanding the basics of eliminating substance abuse: What to do in the process

 

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Treating sexual addiction and substance abuse concurrently

September 23, 2015

Treating sexual addiction and substance abuse concurrently: Treating multiple addictions

Treating sexual addiction and substance abuse concurrently

Treating sexual addiction and substance abuse concurrently will help you remove the element of shame that is always associated with sex and besides it will give you the new lease of life full of comfort and fulfillment.

Talking of addiction, people often associate addiction only with drugs and other substance of abuse. We have actually been brought up knowing that drugs both illicit and prescription drugs are the elements that qualify for abuse and so many people have narrowed their minds in that school of thought. But is it really the true position of the understanding of what addiction is all about? We spoke with the experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the leadership of a renowned addiction expert doctor Dalal Akoury about this subject and we want to share with you some of the outcome of that discussion particularly on the significance of treating sexual addiction and substance abuse concurrently. From the discussion we were able to establish that there are different kinds of addictions. One could be addicted to drugs and alcohol, or to certain behaviors or even both. Doctor Akoury explains that behavioral addiction may include addiction to sexual activities, gaming from the computer devices, gambling and many others. And like we had stated before that, one could be addiction to either one or both. Therefore take for example sexual addiction can be accompanied by other addictions or other substances of abuse. She continues to states 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.

Treating sexual addiction and substance abuse concurrently: Patterns of problematic substances

When examining patterns of problematic substance use in individuals seeking help for a sexual addiction, it becomes clear that the two are indistinguishably linked together. It is estimated from the various studies that between 40-60% of individuals struggling with sexual addiction also meet the criteria for alcohol or drug addiction. And according to the experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center it is evident that many individuals with sexual addiction problems have actually admitted to using substances in order to deal with, or escape 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 further explaining the significance of multi addiction. 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 take for example, 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 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.

Treating sexual addiction and substance abuse concurrently: Replacing the maladaptive coping strategies

Finally and 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 endeavor to learn on how to recognize 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.

Treating sexual addiction and substance abuse concurrently: Treating multiple addictions

 

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