Drug addiction ruins staff performance in workplaces

November 24, 2015

Drug addiction ruins staff performance in workplaces: The focus of alcoholism

When staff use drugs before, during or after working hours the impact of alcohol and drugs at workplace will be felt across the board. The truth is clear that drug addiction ruins staff performance in workplaces

We are not living in isolation and so we are able to see what is happening around us. A lot of good things are happening and a midst those good things, bad ones also happen. It is healthy to associate with a working society and it is very much comforting and productive to belong and even take active roles in the development of your society. This is often done in very many ways including self-employment and labour employment where you offer services to an organization and you are reworded for the services rendered. All these takes place within a given work environment known as the office which can either be private or public. One of the most devastating things that can happen in a work station is the involvement of employees in addictive substances. Drug addiction ruins employees performances and this does not only impact negatively to the organization but also to the health of the individual users of those substances. The cost of this habit at workplace can be very heavy on both the organization and the individual employee and to help in reducing the cost, we want to focus this discussion on how “drug addiction ruins staff performance in workplaces.” We earlier spoke to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury MD and also the founder of the establishment. They are therefore going to help us understand some of the impact of alcohol and drugs at workplace. This is very important for both the employee and the employer and I want to request you to keep on the link even as we bring this discussion to its logical conclusion.

Even though this is a common problem across the globe, we are going to take the USA as our point of reference throughout the discussion. Doctor Akoury is registering that from the various studies conducted by experts in the recent past, it was estimated that out of millions who hold full time employment in the United States, a staggering population of about fifteen million are heavy drinkers of alcohol thereby exacting a high cost on work organizations primarily because employees who drink a lot are often absent themselves from work, they also suffer from persistent health complications, and are at a greater risk of harming themselves and their colleagues as well.

Drug addiction ruins staff performance in workplaces: Direct and indirect problems of alcohol and drugs

According to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center the significance of alcoholism and drugs in work environment are many and can be classified in four major areas of greater concerns as follows:

Premature death as a result of fatal accidents
Increased injuries and accident rates
Absenteeism or absconding work occasioned by extra sick leave
Loss of production as a result of a weak work force.

The four mentioned above are the major issues that come with the problem of alcoholism and substance abuse in our work stations; however that is not the end of the complications. The other additional problem areas that are associated with alcoholism and drug addiction at workplace may include:

Tardiness and consistency in sleeping on the job
Theft
The cost of poor decision making
Loss of efficiency
Lower morale of co-workers particularly those who are not drinking because they will have to work extra to cover for their weak colleagues
Increased likelihood of having trouble with co-workers, supervisors or tasks
Higher turnover
Training of new employees
Disciplinary procedures

Drug addiction ruins staff performance in workplaces: Where it hurts the most

Doctor Akoury is registering that even though the effects of alcoholism and drug addiction can affect and be felt in any industry and any organization irrespective of the size whether big or small; workplace alcoholism is especially prevalent in certain establishments and these particular industries may include the following:

Food service
Construction
Mining and Drilling
Excavation
Installation, maintenance and repair

This article is only meant to give guidance and therefore by mentioning some key industries it does not necessarily mean that is actually what happens. Various organizations including the sectors mentioned herein have put in measures that curbs down on the effects of alcoholism and drug addiction at workplaces says doctor Dalal Akoury. As we continue into the discussion, it is very important that before we bring this section to its conclusion, we need to appreciate that this habit hurts the most in two specific ways. The two specific kinds of drinking behavior that significantly contribute to the level of work-performance problems include:

Drinking right before commencement of working hours or during working hours and that includes drinking during break times like at lunch and at company functions.
The second way is drinking heavily the night before resumption of work the following day. This is commonly characterized with hangovers and even feelings of dizziness during working hours the next day.

Finally in this article we have mentioned alcohol quit repeatedly and that doesn’t necessarily mean that it is only the alcoholics who can generate problems in the workplaces. That is a myth which must be ignored because from the research findings it has been demonstrated that the majority of alcohol-related work-performance problems are associated with non-dependent drinkers who may occasionally drink too much not exclusively by alcohol-dependent employees. And besides, family members living with someone’s alcoholism also suffer significant job performance related problems- including poor job performance, lack of focus, absenteeism, increased health-related problems and use of health insurance

And now in conclusion the problem of alcohol and drug abuse is genuinely unproductive in our workplaces. This must not be allowed to continue and therefore we want to offer you as employers and employees across the globe, that you can regain your high level of productivity by seeking for professional help from the home of addiction solutions. I am talking about you scheduling for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury today for your organization or just as an individual. When you make that bold step, doctor Akoury will come in and take you back to your much desired level of productivity by offering the best and timely treatment for your employees while exercising high standards of professionalism. So don’t hesitate to call us today.

Drug addiction ruins staff performance in workplaces: The focus of alcoholism

Why medical detox is necessary to addicts

Good nutrition and diet for a recovering person

November 23, 2015

Good nutrition and diet for a recovering person: Post-acute withdrawal symptoms

Good nutrition and diet for a recovering person is very essential in the ultimate success of addiction treatment process

When it comes to proper management of alcohol and drug addiction, nutrition will always play a very significant role in the whole process. If you have been with us for a while now you must have read our postings concerning the post-acute withdrawal symptoms and how well they can be managed as a means of keeping the scourge of addiction to manageable levels. This is what we want to progress on while concentrating on the good nutrition and diet for a recovering person (addict). When considering nutrition, three things come to mind almost immediately and that is to say that there must be three well-balanced meals daily, at least three nutritious snacks daily and of course ensuring that there is no sugar and caffeine in our menu. Doctor Dalal Akoury a veteran addiction expert is very much concerned with what is going round in our societies today. She says that we are living in a very stressful society where everybody is running up and down because of the magnitude of stressful lives that they live. Because of this, this topic has become very necessary and doctor Akoury is not missing her words, she says that hunger produces stress.

I hope we are in agreement with you on that and so we must collectively and individually to seek for solutions to contain hunger and bring stress to manageable. From her many years of experience, doctor Akoury is advising that in order to live a healthy life based on good nutrition, the following will be very necessary:

Try to plan your eating schedule so that you do not skip meals and so that you can have periodic nutritious snacks
Do not eat candy, donuts, soft drinks, potato chips, or other high calorie, low nutrient foods
You should specifically avoid foods that produce stress such as concentrated sweets and caffeine. Both of these produce the same kind of chemical reaction in your body as being frightened or overly excited.
Concentrated sweets such as candy, jelly, syrup, and sugar-sweetened soft drinks will give you a quick “pick-up,” but you will experience a let-down about an hour later accompanied by nervousness and irritability.

With the application of these tips you are certainly going to see a big difference however, remember that your reason for eating a snack should be to combat fatigue and nervousness and having a nutritious snack before you feel hungry to prevent a craving for sweets will be very ideal say doctor Dalal Akoury. Just to further make emphasis on that let me share with you briefly what good nutrition can do and has done to other people. According to one of my patient who is a recovering alcoholic, she was in the habit of eating a large quantity of ice cream every night. She often talked about the craving for it she felt, and believed that by eating it she was reducing a craving for alcohol. The next morning she always felt sluggish and irritable. Throughout the day her stress increased until it was relieved by the ice cream. When one day out team of professional counselors suggested for her that she needs to remove the ice cream from her diet she felt she could not get along without it. When our counselors examined her diet it was evident that she consistently skipped breakfast and was not getting adequate nutrition throughout the day. She later agreed to try eating a balanced diet and to eliminate the ice cream on a trial basis. By and by she discovered that when she ate a balanced diet and ate regular meals and several nutritious snacks throughout the day her craving for ice cream disappeared and she could easily eliminate it from her life. What does communicate for you? Good nutrition and diet for a recovering person works and your situation is no different.

As you consider that it is also important to note that caffeine also causes nervousness and restlessness. It may also interfere with concentration and your ability to sleep. Loss of sleep or irregular sleep causes irritability, depression, and anxiety. These can be corrected in various ways including: Exercise, Relaxation, Spirituality and Balanced living. For the purpose of this article, we are going to make emphasis on the benefits of exercise and progress with the next three in our next article. This is going to be a continuation of this and so you don’t want to miss it. Therefore keep on the link and let us learn objectively together.

Good nutrition and Diet for a recovering person: Exercise

Even though many people don’t embrace exercise, physical activities are very essential in rebuilding the body and keeps it functioning properly while at the same time reducing stress. One of the goodness of exercise among other things is that it produces chemicals in an individuals’ brain that make them feeling pleasantly good. These chemicals are nature’s own tranquilizers to relieve pain, anxiety and tension. It is however important to note that different types of exercise are helpful for different reasons, like for instance stretching and aerobic exercise will probably be most helpful for your recovery.

Stretching exercises help to keep your body limber and to relieve muscle tension.
Aerobics are rhythmical and vigorous exercises for the large muscles. They are intended to raise your heart rate to 75% of its maximum rate and maintain that rate for at least 20-30 minutes.

Professionally we recommend regular use of aerobic exercise e.g. jogging, swimming, jumping rope, and cycling are common aerobic exercises, or you might want to join an aerobics class. Dancing can also be aerobic, but remember that it must be done vigorously. Many recovering people coming out from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center will testify to the value of exercise in reducing the intensity of PAW symptoms. After they exercise they feel much better, find it easier to concentrate and remember, and are able to be more productive. Doctor Akoury therefore advices that for you to succeed in the journey of addiction recovery, it is important that you choose a form of exercise that is fun for you so that you will stick with it. Most doctors and health books will tell you to exercise three or four times a week which is fine, nonetheless we want to add and recommend that recovering people should actually make time exercise at least daily owing to its value in reducing stress. Any day that you do not exercise is a day that you are cheating yourself of a way to feel more relaxed, be more productive, and have more energy. Whatever exercise you choose, remember not to over-do it! And if it hurts stop doing it and seek guidance from the experts on a possible replacement. Take note that the theory that in the old adage “no pain, no gain” is not true for recovering people. Under this consistency and regularity are the key words for the recovering person.

Good nutrition and diet for a recovering person: Post-acute withdrawal symptoms

Eliminating drug addiction by leading from the top

October 17, 2015

Eliminating drug addiction by leading from the top: Pooling together from all angles

All leaders ores their subject the duty of care in offering guidance and leading by example when it comes to eliminating drug addiction.

In normal day to day life there will always be people in the position of leadership and subjects to be lead. These are positions that we will always have in life and there is very little we can do to avoid them. And if you think you can then you are wrong, take a look at this illustration of a family where there is the husband (male) and wife (female) and their children, in such a setup there will be some elements of leadership in different roles performed by each member of the family. That is just to explain why some people will be leaders and others will be the subject to be lead. Now in any good leadership, leading by example from top is always the secret to success. In this article however, we want to look at how best eliminating drug addiction by leading from the top can be made possible. This could be applicable everywhere including workplaces, families, learning institutions and many more. Our focus is however going to be on the taking good leadership about eliminating drug addiction in our work places. Previously we dealt with addiction in workplaces but now we want to see how good leadership can be an effective tool for effective management of the scourge of addiction. Experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury says that any effective health and safety performance in a work environment can only come from the top trickling down.

Doctor Akoury says that in an organization where there is the board of directors as the top decision making organ, it is always very important that members of the board have both collective and individual responsibility for health and safety as one of the pillars of the organizations’ policy. When it comes to alcohol and substance abuse, directors and boards need to examine their own behaviors, both individually and collectively, against the guidance given and, where they see that they fall short of the standards set by them as policy makers, then they must held themselves accountable to change what they do to become more effective leaders in health and safety matters. This is the only way through which they can be good implementers of the policies they formulate and that explain why they should always be seen to be leading by example from the top on addiction and any other matters of policy.

Eliminating drug addiction by leading from the top: Why directors and board members need to act

The question as to why the senior officers of any organization should and must always be on top of everything in terms of offering good leadership is one that many leaders often want to ignore by hiding under the umbrella of delegation. I agree that delegation is one of the leadership and management strategies, but it is important to note that the person delegating is responsible for any failures that may occur. Therefore the policy makers bear the greatest load in ensuring that all the health and safety policies are observed to the latter. The following are some of the reasons why directors and board members must lead from the front:

By doing so they will be protecting the health and safety of employees or members of the public who may be affected by the illicit activities including alcohol and drug addiction. This is an essential part of risk management and must be led by the board.
Failure to include health and safety as a key business risk in board decisions can have very serious catastrophic results. Many high-profile safety cases over the years have been rooted in failures of leadership.
Health and safety law places duties on organizations and employers, and directors can be personally liable when these duties are breached. Like for instance, members of the board have both collective and individual responsibility for health and safety.

Eliminating drug addiction by leading from the top: Strong leadership and workers involvement from the top

When an organization is based on strong leadership and the involvement of the workers is trickling down from the top, the following are possible:

Visible, active commitment from the board;
Establishing effective ‘downward’ communication systems and management structures;
Integration of good health and safety management with business decisions.
Engaging the workforce in the promotion and achievement of safe and healthy conditions;
Effective ‘upward’ communication;
Providing high quality training.

Leading by example from the top on addiction: Assessment and review

Identifying and managing health and safety risks including the alcohol and drug abuse
Accessing (and following) competent advice
Monitoring, reporting and reviewing performance.

Addressing health and safety should not be seen as a regulatory burden: it offers significant opportunities. Benefits can include:

Reduced costs;
Reduced risks;
Lower employee absence and turnover rates;
Fewer accidents;
Lessened threat of legal action;
Improved standing among suppliers and partners;
Better reputation for corporate responsibility among investors, customers and communities;
Increased productivity, because employees are healthier, happier and better motivated.

We must appreciate that the power to succeed is in the ability and willingness of your work force to deliver. This willingness can be impaired by alcohol and drug abuse badly. And that is why when it comes to addiction in workplace, leading from the top is not an option but a must. The problem that can arise to defeat this initiative could be when the top managers and directors are the ones struggling with the scourge. If this is the case and it is quite common these days, then the organization must seek for help immediately for her senior managers. These are the drivers of the economy of your organization and therefore drugs or alcohol must not be the reason of their underperformance. According to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, many highly ranked organizations have gone under receivership because of alcoholism and substance abuse. Doctor Akoury is a veteran addiction expert and has been impacting positively to the lives of many people across the globe and you and your organization must not do down because of a problem that can easily be fixed. All you need to do for the rebirth of you position of profitability is to schedule for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury today by calling her on telephone number 843 213 1480 and she will gladly handle your individual and collective problems with utmost confidentiality while delivering lasting solutions professionally.

Eliminating drug addiction by leading from the top: Pooling together from all angles

What do you know about drugs and crime

August 21, 2015

What do you know about drugs and crime: Are they linked in any way?

What do you know about drugs and crime? Many people are familiar with these yet they don’t understand the impact they have in life. It is therefore necessary that you seek help from the various support groups to get the insight for proper action plan about elimination of substance abuse.

When this question is posed to us we quickly often think of the links between drugs and crime and we don’t hesitate to think about the dependent users of hard drugs like heroin and crack cocaine among other drugs of the same standard. And at the same time in most cases we often don’t consider how and who commit other crimes and particularly those who commit crimes like theft, burglary, fraud and shoplifting specifically to get money for the purchase of their supplies (drugs). It is therefore because of this that we want to seek answers from the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center so that we can make very informed decisions whenever we chose to take action. According to the experts at this facility headed by doctor Dalal Akoury (MD) and also the founder of the same, drugs and crime are also closely associated with a number of other ways including the following:

Every time one is talking about drugs, it will not go unnoticed that reference is made about people who use or supply illegal drugs rubbing shoulders with the local authorities and this is very evident in the number of people who are being convicted of various drug offenses.

People who commit violent offenses while under the influence of drugs, with alcohol being the greatest casualty among other substances. From a professional point of view doctor Akoury states that besides all these, drunkenness is closely associated with a majority of crimes including murders, manslaughters and stabbings and half of domestic assaults. When users are under the influence of their substances, they become object of the substances they have used and while in that state of mind, they often do very stupid mistakes that they themselves live to regret when they become sober latter.

Alcohol and drug related to driving offenses. If you take a keen look at the statistics of both major and minor accidents that take place on our roads, you will be shocked to notice that nearly all of them are as a result of drunkenness. In India and most states in Africa where the use of motor bike for public transport is on the rise, many hospital institutions have specifically created special ward facility for motor bike associated accidents, and the common denominator about these accidents is that either the rider or their passenger was drunk at the time of the accident.

Another area of concern is the effect of alcohol to its users more so the gang of robbers or just ordinary individuals. Doctor Akoury has observed that in many cases when violence erupts between parties, in the middle of that violence you will not miss people who are seriously intoxicated with drugs and alcohol. Take for example violence involving drug dealers who may clash with rival gangs over unsettles financial deals or being violent towards drug users (their clients) who owe them money.

Some research studies have found that a lot of acquisitive crime (stealing) is committed by dependent users of heroin and crack cocaine trying to pay for their drugs. Some show a high proportion of people arrested for a range of offenses testing positive for drug use. To this effect the available statistic appears to suggest that one third to over a half of all acquisitive crime is either directly or indirectly related to illegal drug use.

What do you know about drugs and crime: Cost of drug related crime?

It will surprise you to note that people spend heavily to finance their illicit habits and in many cases they do so at the expense of very important family and domestic issues. Like for example, we have users who will be looking towards spending between £20,000 and £50,000 a year to fund their drug habits. This is not small amount of money and the matter becomes even complicated if the user will be raising these funds through other illicit activities like theft and mugging. If this is the case, then we may want to triple the figures because in many cases stolen commodities will often be disposed cheaply and the proceeds are likely to be about one third of the normal market value of the said commodity.

Doctor Akoury estimates that currently there are on average around 9milion heroin and crack users in the US alone, and out of this two thirds of them are enrolled for treatment in any year. From that statistic we can confidently say that is a lot of theft, burglary, fraud or shoplifting if all are stealing to pay for their habits. It is no wonder some studies have suggested that up to half of all acquisitive crime we experience today is drug-related and that the market value of goods stolen involved could be in the tune of billions of dollars annually.

Doctor Akoury says that professionally this can all seem very frightening and has often been sensationalized in the media. However, careful consideration must be taken because the picture given may be exaggerated for a number of reasons and the following could be some of the reasons for exaggeration:

Many people who are dependent on drugs like heroin and crack cocaine were involved in criminal activity before becoming dependent on drugs, so the drug use may not be the cause of the crime.
Poverty, unemployment and social exclusion are often underlying factors rather than the drug use itself.
Many people commit crimes in order to feed, clothe and house themselves and their families.
Some users have jobs, benefits or other forms of income that are used to purchase drugs.
Many users do not use large amounts of street drugs all the time. Dosage and frequency of use may go up or down and they may also have access to other substitute drugs, such as heroin users being prescribed methadone.
Most people who use illegal drugs (the majority are non-problematic users) do not commit crimes to get money to pay for the drugs.

Finally the fact that acquisitive crime is focused on poorer, inner city areas makes for a lot of stress and difficulty for people who live there. However, understanding the relationship between drugs and crime is about keeping matters in perspective rather than falling for media scare stories. But most importantly is that if you are struggling with any kind of addiction, you need to seek for help immediately and if you are wondering from where to start, you are at the right place for your healthy destiny. All you need to do is to call doctor Dalal Akoury today for help. You can schedule for an appointment with her today for the commencement of your recovery journey today.

What do you know about drugs and crime: Are they linked in any way?

Understanding the harmful effects of marijuana use

June 29, 2015

Understanding the harmful effects of marijuana use: The physical health of marijuana

it is very important that we all have the proper understanding the harmful effects of marijuana use so that we can be able to take the right steps in seeking for treatment in good time.

If you understand the delicate nature of health when it is infringed with substances, you wouldn’t dare to fellowship with any drug of abuse. I appreciate that these substances can be very addictive and so you may not have control over them, but that does not free you from being a victim of all the sufferings from the effects of using the drugs. Drugs like marijuana are very harmful and addictive users of such drugs are at risk of contracting various health complications which will be discussing in this article as we progress into the discussion. But in the meantime, we need to have proper understanding of the harmful effects of marijuana use to human health and to the society in general. While speaking with expert at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury, we are able to make certain confirmations about the effects of this drug as follows. Doctor Akoury reports that the most immediate effect of taking marijuana will include rapid heartbeat, disorientation and lack of physical coordination often followed by depression or sleepiness. Doctor Akoury further says that the problem does not really end there with some users often suffering from panic attacks or anxiety. The scientific findings is not making the situation bearable with the revelation that the active ingredient in cannabis THC can actually remain in the body for weeks or even longer.

Understanding the harmful effects of marijuana use: Tobacco and marijuana smoke

Marijuana smoke can be very cancerous because it contains 50% to 70% more cancer-causing substances in relation to tobacco smoke. The experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center while carrying out a study about the same established that a single cannabis joint could cause as much damage to the lungs as up to five regular cigarettes smoked one after another. Long-time joint smokers often suffer from bronchitis, an inflammation of the respiratory tract. In fact this drug can have far reaching effects on an individual’s physical health. This is a cording to some recent studies which associated many years of marijuana use to severe brain abnormalities. These facts are actually backed by the earlier research findings on the long-term effects of marijuana which indicate the changes in the brain similar to those caused by long-term abuse of other major drugs. And besides that a number of studies have shown a connection between continued marijuana use and psychosis.

The damages caused by marijuana have far reaching effects in our daily livelihood. Like for instance, this drug is capable of making alterations to the structure of sperm cells causing serious deformity in the cells. It is important to note that the quantity used is insignificant since even the very small amounts of marijuana can also cause temporary sterility in me. And besides that marijuana use can also upset a woman’s menstrual cycle. Studies show that the mental functions of people who have smoked a lot of marijuana tend to be reduced. The THC in cannabis disrupts nerve cells in the brain affecting memory.

Cannabis is one of the few drugs which cause abnormal cell division which leads to severe hereditary defects. A pregnant woman who regularly smokes marijuana or hashish may give birth prematurely to an undersized, underweight baby. Over the last ten years, many children of marijuana users have been born with reduced initiative and lessened abilities to concentrate and pursue life goals. Studies also suggest that prenatal (before birth) use of the drug may result in birth defects, mental abnormalities and increased risk of leukemia in children.

Understanding the harmful effects of marijuana use: Short-term effects

In the process of understanding the harmful effects of marijuana use in your life, you will most likely to be faced with the following short-term effects:

Increased heartbeat (and risk of heart attack)
Poor coordination of movement
Panic
Anxiety
Lowered reaction time
Sensory distortion
After an initial “up,” the user feels sleepy or depressed

Understanding the harmful effects of marijuana use: Long-term effects of marijuana

Likewise there will be those effects which will prolong to causing more health deterioration in several ways which may include the following:

Rapid destruction of lung fibers and lesions (injuries) to the brain could be permanent
Personality and mood changes
Reduced sexual capacity
Reduced resistance to common illnesses (colds, bronchitis, etc.)
Growth disorders
Increase of abnormally structured cells in the body
Reduction of male sex hormones
Apathy, drowsiness, lack of motivation
Inability to understand things clearly
Suppression of the immune system
Study difficulties: reduced ability to learn and retain information

Understanding the harmful effects of marijuana use: Seeking for professionalism in finding lasting solutions

When it comes to drug addiction problem, the best you can do to better your health is to find lasting solutions to this problem. There are very many people providing treatment for all manner of addiction currently and so when making the choice, you must ensure that you do not make mistakes from the beginning. That is why doctor Dalal Akoury in her contribution to helping in the fight against this problem of addiction made an informed 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. It will also interest you to note that Dr. 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. Therefore if you or anyone you know is struggling with marijuana addiction or any other kind of addiction for that matter, then this is the place to begin from in your search for lasting solution to your addiction problem by scheduling for an appointment with doctor Akoury today for the commencement of your recovery journey today. Remember that your health is the most valuable asset you have and you can’t afford to buy time with it. Take that bold step now and free yourself from the bondage of addiction for life.

Understanding the harmful effects of marijuana use: The physical health of marijuana

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