Tag Archives: Fighting substance abuse

Addiction consequences

Creating employee support program for addicts

November 19, 2016
Creating employee support program

Creating employee support program for addicts is very important as it salvage dying careers

Creating employee support program for addicts: What can be done at the workplace?

With the prevalence of workplace alcoholism and drug addiction, there is need to find solutions for the restoration of human resource. While the state will be formulating policies, individual organizations also need to be proactive in putting mechanisms in place that will defend them from preventable loses as a result of alcoholism and drug addiction. One of the most effective ways of doing this is by creating employee support programs. According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) before 1950’s it was established that workplace was ideally suited to address alcoholism through a focus on employee job performance and access to treatment. And to this effectively, NCADD founded the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) concept as a joint labor-management program. In fact at that time NCADD for the first time documented the very first EAP Manual and the first EAP Standards formally known as Occupational Alcoholism Programs and later evolved into what are now called, EAP’s.

And now according to the experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury MD, addressing the problem of drug and alcoholism can be dealt with effectively at the work stations. This can be done by promoting programs like EAP. Through this, employees and their family members are able to give the much needed support to their loved ones and to the organization as well. In her opinion (doctor Akoury), whenever individuals and families are faced with a host of difficulties which are closely associated with drinking problems, in many instances these problems often spill into the workplace. Take for instance a husband and wife working in different organizations and if the husband drinks, the wife is likely to be stressed at work owing to her husband’s drinking habits thereby causing her to miss on her targets.

Therefore by offering encouragement, support and treatment, employers can dramatically assist in reducing the negative impact of alcoholism in the workplace, while reducing their costs. Research has demonstrated that alcohol treatment pays for itself in reduced healthcare costs that begin as soon as people begin treatment. Alcohol treatment also improves an individual’s functioning, leading to increased productivity at work. It is important to embrace some of these workplace-based programs like EAP programs which have actually helped millions of individuals and family members affected by alcohol problems. Some facts about alcohol in the workplace may include:

  • Workers with alcohol problems are 2.7 times more likely than workers without drinking problems to have injury-related absences.
  • A hospital emergency department study showed that 35 percent of patients with an occupational injury were at-risk drinkers.
  • Breathalyzer tests detected alcohol in 16% of emergency room patients injured at work.
  • Analysis of workplace fatalities has showed that at least 11% of the victims had been drinking.
  • Large federal surveys show that 24% of workers report drinking during the workday least once in the past year.
  • One-fifth of workers and managers across a wide range of industries and company sizes report that a coworker’s on- or off-the-job drinking jeopardized their own productivity and safety.

As employers, this is to your benefits and calling on doctor Akoury to address your staff on addiction will be very essential for your organization and to your staff and their loved ones.

Creating employee support program for addicts: What can be done at the workplace?

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Drug Addiction recovery

Taking responsibility in taming substance abuse

November 19, 2016
Taking responsibility

Taking responsibility in taming substance abuse is very necessary if we are to stop the problematic substances

Taking responsibility in taming substance abuse: Strong leadership and involvement from the top

When an organization is based on strong leadership where all the top managers are taking responsibility in taming substance abuse at their work stations, their subject/juniors will always reciprocate. This can be a very powerful way of keeping addiction to check at workplaces. With such great involvement, 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.

Taking responsibility in taming substance abuse: 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.

Taking responsibility in taming substance abuse: Strong leadership and involvement from the top

http://www.awaremednetwork.com/

 

 

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addiction treatment

Cross addiction nightmare in addiction recovery

November 18, 2016
Cross addiction nightmare

Cross addiction nightmare in addiction recovery coupled with denial and frustrations can ruin any progress made in treatment process

Cross addiction nightmare in addiction recovery: Dealing with PAWS

Most cocaine addicts struggle with the idea of total abstinence. If you’re addicted to cocaine, you know you never want to use cocaine again. Cocaine has ruined your life, it has cost you a lot of money, but you’re not sure about stopping alcohol. Maybe alcohol has never been a problem. But because of cross addiction, if you want to stop using cocaine you must also stop all addictive drugs including alcohol and marijuana.

Alcohol is a common trigger for cocaine use. You’ll start with just a few drinks a week. Maybe you’ll drink moderately for weeks or even months without using cocaine. But then one week, you’ll have a bad week. Bad things happen. During that week, everything will go wrong. You’ll be stressed out at work. You’ll have an argument at home. And by the end of the week, you’ll really want a drink. But instead of just a few drinks, you’ll want maybe three or four drinks to take the edge off. After the first one or two drinks, your inhibitions will be lower. After two or three drinks, you’ll reach a magic number, and your brain will suddenly say “Bingo. I remember this feeling, and I remember something that feels even better.” And you’ll be off using again.

These are the temptation techniques which can be avoided by choosing to remain sober through constant consultation with the experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury from time to time. Remember that doctor Akoury is a veteran addiction expert and has been of help to many people across the globe and your condition will be very safe with her but first you need to make that commitment of scheduling for an appointment with her today.

Cross addiction nightmare in addiction recovery: How to deal with PAWS

Doctor Akoury is registering that in dealing with Post-Acute Withdrawal Symptoms (PAWS) challenges of inconsistency will always be there. This is because PAWS often come and go. Because of this many people will find relief within a very short period of time and with that in mind, the following tips can help you in increasing your recovery process:

  • Ensuring that they eat a balanced diet and taking nutritional supplements as prescribed by their doctor. If these symptoms are being caused by nutritional deficiencies then eating a balanced diet should help to address this.
  • Exercise is not only good for physical health but also for mental well-being. It is important that people in recovery devote at least a little time each day to physical activity.
  • Meditation is a wonderful tool for improving concentration and developing inner peace. Those who are dealing with PAWS can find it difficult to mediate nonetheless; they can begin by learning some simple breathing exercises.
  • Those people who belong to a recovery group are likely to find that this provides them with support and advice.
  • One of the important tasks for early recovery is for people to develop skills for dealing with stress. A good reason for attending rehab is that it gives the individual a head start in developing such coping mechanisms.
  • It is important that those who are dealing with PAWS realize that these symptoms will almost certainly disappear once they are established in recovery.

Cross addiction nightmare in addiction recovery: Dealing with PAWS

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Dopamine Rush

Societal obliviousness over substance abuse

November 18, 2016
Societal obliviousness

Societal obliviousness over substance abuse are real obstacles to realizing addiction free society

Societal obliviousness over substance abuse: Is addiction a disease?

The numerous factors surrounding including societal obliviousness in addiction is making it very difficult for people just to accept its realities. Even though many people think otherwise, addiction is like any other disease and it is not a sign of weakness of character on both the direct victim and the indirect victims. We must be on top of everything about addiction if we want to ever make any meaningful progress towards its elimination from our lives and to the general societies. Let’s consider the following facts as we progress into the discussion.

Addiction is like most major diseases – Consider heart disease, the leading cause of death the world over. Medically this health condition is partly due to genes or poor life style choices like bad diet, lack of exercise and smoking. The same is true for other common diseases like adult-onset diabetes. Many forms of cancers are due to a combination of genes and life style. These are facts we believe and accept each time our physicians deliver the diagnosis result, what is worrying is when your doctor said that you had diabetes or heart disease, you wouldn’t think and as a matter of fact nobody would see you as a bad person. In fact you would take it positively and start thinking about solutions. That is how you should approach addiction. If this could be the attitude of everybody, then treatment can be administered more effectively and timely for a speedy recovery.

Addiction is not a weakness – The fact that addiction crosses all socio-economic boundaries confirms that addiction is a disease. People who don’t know about addiction will tell you that you just need to be stronger to control your use. If that was true then only unsuccessful people or unmotivated people would have an addiction and yet 10% of high-functioning executives have an addiction. If you think of addiction as a weakness, you’ll paint yourself into a corner that you can’t get out of. You’ll focus on being stronger and trying to control your use, instead of treating addiction like a disease and focusing on stopping your use.

Societal obliviousness over substance abuse: Cross addiction

You can become addicted to any drug, if you have a family history of addiction. It is important to note that if at least one of your family members is addicted to alcohol, then this gives you a greater risk of developing an addiction to any other drug. Cross addiction occurs because all addictions work in the same part of the brain. If your brain is wired so that you’re predisposed to one addiction, then you’re predisposed to all addictions. This is especially important for women who may come from alcoholic families, but who often develop addictions that go undetected, like addictions to tranquilizers, pain relievers, or eating disorders.

One addiction can lead to other addictions, and one drug can make you relapse on another drug. That’s one of the consequences of a brain that’s wired for addiction. Suppose you’re addicted to cocaine for example, if you want to stop using cocaine then it is important that for you to succeed, you will have to stop using all other addictive drugs including alcohol and marijuana. You may never have had a problem with either of them, but if you continue to use alcohol or marijuana, even when it is casually, they’ll eventually lead you back to your drug of choice. Remember that in order to be on top of addiction abstinence should be your ultimate goal because true recovery requires total abstinence says doctor Akoury.

Societal obliviousness over substance abuse: Is addiction a disease?

http://www.awaremednetwork.com/

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dr-akoury-womens-vitamins

Defeating drug cravings negativity during recovery

November 15, 2016
Defeating drug cravings

Defeating drug cravings negativity during recovery makes you have the feelings of victory

Defeating drug cravings negativity during recovery: Sharing freely about craving

Talking about drug addiction is not a taboo because it is through sharing freely that defeating drug cravings negativity become possible. When patients have supportive friends and family members, talking freely about craving when it occurs, it gives the recovering addicts the confidence to pick up the pieces and move on. Sharing is a very effective strategy and can help reduce the feelings of anxiety and vulnerability that often accompany it. Besides that it can also help patients identify specific cues. It’s true that sure family members may become distressed when they hear their loved ones (patients) sharing about craving because of the fear that this might ultimately lead to use of drugs, it is however important that therapists and other lined professionals to spend some time in identifying which patients would feel comfortable to talk with freely about craving, how that person would react, and whether it makes sense to ask that person in advance for support.

Defeating drug cravings negativity during recovery: Going with the craving

Doctor Akoury says that the idea going with the craving technique is to let it (craving) occur, peak, and pass and that is to say experiencing them without either fighting or giving into them. Giving patients the imagery of a wave or walking over a hill may help convey this concept that is, gaining control by avoiding resistance.

From the various studies, experts have identified the steps involved which should be practiced within sessionsc before craving occurs. Besides that patients should also be told that the purpose is not to make the cravings disappear, but to experience them in a different way that makes them feel less anxiety provoking and dangerous and thus easier to ride out. The steps are summarized below.

Pay attention to the craving – This usually involves, first, finding someplace safe to let oneself experience craving (e.g., a comfortable and quiet place at home). Next, relax and focus on the experience of craving itself – where it occurs in the body or mind and how intense it is.

Focus on the area where the craving occurs – This involves paying attention to all the somatic and affective signals and trying to put them into words. What is the feeling like? Where is it? How strong is it? Does it move or change? Where else does it occur? After concentrating in this way, many patients find the craving goes away entirely. In fact, the patient may find it useful to rate the intensity of craving before and after the exercise to demonstrate the effectiveness of the technique.

Finally understanding the negativity of drug cravings and coping strategies alone will not be helpful if you do not take the next step of seeking for help. Yes you now have the information, but if you don’t apply that information, it will not be helpful. That is the reason why doctor Dalal Akoury founded AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center for every individual who is struggling with any form of addiction to seek for help. You can reach out for her on telephone number 843 213 1480 so that you can have a one on one with her and you will have all your addiction related concerns addressed professionally.

Defeating drug cravings negativity during recovery: Sharing freely about craving

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