The in depth understanding of alcoholism complications

August 17, 2015

The in depth understanding of alcoholism complications: At what point do you begin noticing the problems of alcoholism?

The in depth understanding of alcoholism complications is very important in making steps towards eliminating the problem of alcoholism and alcohol addiction

It is believed that alcohol is one of the most abused drugs globally and ironically its consumption is one that is freely allowed in all state constitutions. The question that then follows is that if alcoholism is that hazardous, then why is it legalized for consumption? In view of that worthy concern, we want to focus our discussion on the in depth understanding of alcoholism complications in a series of articles beginning with this one. We are going to be relaying on the expert opinions of the professional from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury (MD) who is also the founder of the facility. According to these professionals, alcoholism is an addiction to the consumption or the misuse of all kinds of alcoholic beverages or any other mental illness and compulsive behavior accruing from alcohol dependency. Having known the meaning of alcoholism, the next point of concern is “at what point do you begin noticing the problems of alcoholism?” interestingly doctor Dalal Akoury states that alcohol being a legal substance will often be consumed freely by its users and in the process it enters into a person’s life with very little or no notice at all. This normally happens because of the fact that users of this substance normally take it for pleasure and enjoyment and because of its addictive nature, gradually it progresses to another level that the users did not intend to get to.

Therefore it’s not always very easy as a consumer of alcohol to see or notice when your alcohol usage is or has crossed the line from moderate or social use to problem or disorderly drinking. However it is important to note that if you are drinking to hide or run away from certain frustrations and stresses of life, then you can be rest assured that you have taken the first lane of destruction thanks to the addictive nature of alcohol substance. Doctor Akoury says that irrespective of what you may be going through, taking alcohol as a coping mechanism is a terrible mistake that we must refrain from because by doing that, you are sailing in a very dangerous territory which must be avoided by all means possible. Nevertheless let us explore further the possibilities and warning signs of alcoholism and alcohol abuse in the life of an addicted alcohol user progressively.

The in depth understanding of alcoholism complications: Indulgent of alcoholism and alcohol abuse

There is a lot more than meet the eye in understanding the complexity of alcoholism and alcohol abuse. Experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center have established that there are so many interconnected factors in this problem of alcoholism and some of those factors may include the following: genetics which is primarily concern with how you were raised, your social environment, and your emotional health. Like for example we can be able to illustrate this by walking down to the US where some racial groups such as American Indians and Native Alaskans, are seen to be at more at risk than others of developing alcohol addiction. Besides that people who have a long family history of alcoholism or those who associate closely with heavy drinkers are also more likely to develop drinking problems. In spite of all these, it is also very important to take note that those people who are suffering from mental health problem such as anxiety, depression, or bipolar disorder are also particularly at risk, because they are likely to use alcohol to self-medicate. How then do you get to know if you have a drinking problem? Most of the drinking problem indicators come from the consumers themselves? The following are some of the observations you may be interested in:

The feelings of guilt or shame about your drinking.
Telling lies to others or making efforts in hiding your drinking habits.
When you have friends or family members who are increasingly getting worried about your drinking problem.
If you always the feelings that you have to drink in order to relax or feel better.
Black out or being forgetful of what you did when you were drinking.
When you are making a custom to drink regularly more than you intended to at any given time.

One very common fact according to doctor Akoury is that since drinking is a common practice in many cultures and the fact that the effects vary so widely from person to person, it’s not always easy to figure out where the thin line is between social drinking and problem drinking. Nonetheless what is important for you is that how is alcohol affecting you and your loved ones. Therefore it is important to appreciate that if your drinking is causing problems in your life, then it’s a very strong indication that you have a drinking problem. And with that in mind, let us now consider the signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse

The in depth understanding of alcoholism complications: Signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse

Substance abuse experts make a distinction between alcohol abuse and alcoholism which is also known as alcohol dependence. Unlike alcoholics, alcohol abusers have some ability to set limits on their drinking. However, their alcohol use is still self-destructive and dangerous to themselves or others.

Repeatedly neglecting your responsibilities at home, work, or school because of your drinking – For example, performing poorly at work, flunking classes, neglecting your kids, or skipping out on commitments because you’re hung over.

Using alcohol in situations where it’s physically dangerous – Like for instance drinking and driving, operating machinery while intoxicated, or mixing alcohol with prescription medication against doctor’s orders.

Experiencing repeated legal problems on account of your drinking – For example, getting arrested for driving under the influence or for drunk and disorderly conduct.

Continuing to drink even though your alcohol use is causing problems in your relationships – Getting drunk with your buddies, for example, even though you know your wife will be very upset, or fighting with your family because they dislike how you act when you drink.

Drinking as a way to relax or de-stress – Many drinking problems start when people use alcohol to self-soothe and relieve stress. Getting drunk after every stressful day, for example, or reaching for a bottle every time you have an argument with your spouse or boss.

Finally the above mentioned signs may not be conclusive and the more you know the better for your action plan. Therefore we recommend that you get in touch with the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center for a more conclusive understanding of what you may need to do to protect yourself from this problem of alcoholism and alcohol abuse.

The in depth understanding of alcoholism complications: At what point do you begin noticing the problems of alcoholism?

The necessity of addiction treatment in time

August 5, 2015

The necessity of addiction treatment in time: Drug addiction is a curable disease

The necessity of addiction treatment in time is not an option but a must owing to the complications that may come with it if treatment is not done in time.

I want to bring to you the message of hope particularly to those who may be losing hope in their struggle with addiction. We understand the difficulties you and your family are going through in your struggle with the condition. It also concerns us as professionals from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center. This is a medical facility that was founded by one of the veteran addiction expert doctor Dalal Akoury with the primary objective of bringing hope to all addiction victims like you. Because of our great concern, we want to assure you that somebody cares and you are not alone. The good news about this problem is that it is curable meaning that you can have you life back and live it to the fullest. However for this to take effect it is important that we share with you the necessity of addiction treatment in time. Remember that just like all other health conditions, prevention would be the best so that we don’t have to get to the treatment phase. Nonetheless, because this is already with us professional treatment becomes necessary. It will therefore interest you to note that, the formation of this facility was guided by the good will doctor Dalal Akoury is having in making her contribution towards eliminating this problem from your life and that of your family. Doctor Akoury practice focuses on personalized medicine through healthy lifestyle choices that deal with primary prevention and underlying causes instead of patching up symptoms. Therefore if this introduction suits your situation, then you are at the right place and calling doctor Akoury for an appointment should be the first thing to do so that she can enroll you to the right addiction recovery program.

Now back to our topic of discussion “the necessity of addiction treatment in time, it is quite unfortunate that despite this condition being curable many people still don’t come out for help and they chose to suffer in silence. Yet some still argue that the addiction treatment does not help and that it is only the patient’s own strong will that can solve the problem of addiction. This is what I will call a terrible mistake. It is important to note that the journey for treatment of addiction is along one. Like for instance, in the first 3-5 years of addiction victims are generally inclined to deny the existence of any problem. Then after this the next phase of the process is delaying and searching for the short cuts and cheapest treatment, and then the statement that nothing helped them is followed. With all these time wasting the intensity of addiction increases meaning that there will be need of a lot of motivation on the part of loved ones for this process to be a success. Doctor Akoury says that even though motivation is necessary, it is meaningless to keep postponing treatment until the moment when motivation appears, when a person’s physical and emotional will power have been completely worn out.

The usual argument and blame game where victims defend themselves by using cases where some people’s addiction treatment were unsuccessful to declare that addiction is incurable disease is pure manipulation and shifting of responsibility on parents, doctors, government, aliens and other such institutions and individuals. The true position is that people who have recovered from their addiction will always try as soon as possible to forget the period of their lives which was associated with drugs. They often do so because they are ashamed and sorry for many mistakes they made. People just don’t want to recall that time. For man of sense it is stupid to walk around and boast to everybody that he was cured. On contrary, a drug addict with a peculiar tendency to change reasonable behavior for empty rhetoric will be arguing that treatment doesn’t help, because two or three of ten undergoing treatment failed. Therefore, the negative feedback on different drug forums and in the streets always prevails yet this is not always the case. If you want to be helped, speak to the experts and don’t listen to street garters. Your health is very important for you to take wrong information from quakes and believe them.

The necessity of addiction treatment in time: Drug addiction is a serious disease not a bad habit

Did you know that at this point of time there are still very many people who still believe that addiction is all about weak character? It is quite unfortunate that after many years of communicating with the addicts and their relatives we could still realized the following:

Despite the fact that nowadays, when information about addiction available to everybody, most of the people, oddly enough, know little about drug addiction as a disease and often underestimate its seriousness and destructiveness to the body. And in this regard, they just don’t realize how deep, diverse and the same time complex must be the treatment. Most people believe that drug addiction is rather a bad habit than an illness. But in fact, this is a very serious disease that affects all body systems – from the higher nervous activity to intracellular metabolism. That is why addiction must be considered as one of the most intractable diseases. Everyone knows that our organism is endowed with protective systems which protect us from germs, viruses and other disease-causing factors. To such protective systems can be attributed a system that produces ingenious “hormones of pleasure” – endorphins and enkephalins. The purpose of which is to protect the body from such harmful factors as stress, pain, shock. For instance, in case of injury or disease the endorphins protect the whole body and especially the nervous system from excessive pain, which in its turn may be very detrimental by itself. Sufficient level of endorphins makes a person feel good, optimistic, productive, and active during the day and provides good quality sleep during a night.

The necessity of addiction treatment in time: Drug addiction and endorphins

When we talk about endorphins we refer to any group of hormones secreted within the brain and nervous system which are tasked with a number of physiological functions. Ordinarily they are peptides that activate the body’s opiate receptors, causing an analgesic effect. Now having got that explanation, it is important to note that the external narcotics will destroy the ingenious narcotic system and thus leave the individual without its protection. It therefore means that foreign drugs displace the body’s own endorphins and gradually become an essential element of biochemical processes in nervous system. In this case the person is forced to use the drugs to maintain his health condition in a “normal” state. The nature of endorphin-enkefhalin system is such that it is not able for self-recovery. It means that without proper repair of this marred by drugs system, to defeat craving for drugs is impossible. A person with impaired endorphin system is vulnerable to stress, to situations where even the slightest provocation can cause him to resort to drugs again. We will continue the discussion of this hormone in our next article but in the meantime, treatment of addiction must be done in good time if any meaningful result is to be realized. Therefore if addiction is causing you sleepless nights, reach out for help from the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center today.

The necessity of addiction treatment in time: Drug addiction is a curable disease

BEAT ADDICTION WITH LOVE AND HOPE

July 23, 2015

Beat Addiction With Love And Hope

Beat Addiction. The road leading to addiction is straight and smooth. Addiction is both rewarding and repetitive, literally making the ride fun. But there are consequences, most of the time dreadful. This reminds us the way back to recovery. Unlike the road down to addiction, the one back to sobriety is rough and bumpy. Sometimes it is so rocky we get stuck, other times it’s so muddy and slippery we get back down to addiction and wait for another season. After a few more attempts, we lose hope and let nature take its course. Recovery then seems impossible, however it is within reach. And we can give it one more shot. Only this time differently. How about beat addiction with love and hope?

Beat Addiction with Love for Others

It has been said over and over, and this will serve a reminder, this time because we have to beat addiction, the path to recovery requires great deal of support by others. These include members of the family, friends, neighbors, class mates, and medical care givers. Well you must be wondering about that small concern, the fear to share deep and personal information with others.

It is important to note not everyone is willing to help as some of these same people led you into addiction in the first place and are willing to stifle your efforts for as long as it takes, especially when there is the risk of losing certain mutual benefits. In order to beat addiction one needs to trust someone, or some people. On the other hand others have to be lost. This is where we get to discriminate. See, it is simple. Identify one or two people you are willing to share with, and remain accountable to them. On the other hand drop those buddies who do not support your bold steps along the long dusty and rusty road back to sobriety.

BEAT ADDICTION

Beat Addiction with Love for Self

The prime way to beat addiction is making the decision. The secret lies in making the first step. However there is magic in doing the same with love. Other than love for those wonderful people helping you recover, there is love for self. C’mon who doesn’t need a healthy life? Who wants stay in bed while others go about their businesses? The answer to the questions is obvious, NO.

It is also obvious we do love ourselves. But we hardly think about it, about us. Just like you would buy yourself a gift on a special day, you must take the challenge to reward yourself a healthy life. If addiction is the obstacle to your achieving true happiness, why not make the step, at least make an effort. C’mon I do not mean the short lived pleasure brought by the addiction substance itself. There is a challenge though. Maintaining love is a difficult thing in itself. And many have failed a number of times at it. It is demonstrated by commitment and persistence to forever show care, to cherish and like a rose flower always keep fresh. This is the challenge we must take. It should be much easier to prove love for ourselves.

Beat Addiction with Love for God

The last form of love is a rare one. Not very many of us are recognize it. Unfortunately not even the very experienced of specialists. It is however as important as any other kind of love listed to beat addiction. This is love for a higher power, God the creator. Love for God is marked by constant communication with Him. As earlier stated, the road to recovery is difficult; it is characterized by failures and pitfalls. Sometimes hope is all we need. In as much as we make various initiatives and stay true to them, we also need spiritual intervention. Those who have been successful to beat addiction, the few of them however have actually often confessed the great power of the knee in rebuilding from addiction. Further when a person loves God, he/she recognizes the body is His temple and would strive to keep it clean, healthy and holy hence abstain from many forms of behavioral and substance addiction.

BEAT ADDICTION

Winning Addiction at a Glance

However in order to beat addiction, we need more than love and hope. Actually we must have employed several other initiatives. The following are some of those I summary:

Exercise Regularly: Work outs release endorphins. It gets rid of stress. And helps in building emotional stability.
Meditate Regularly: Yoga is a great way of dealing with one’s inner emotions. It is another yet excellent way to handle stress.
Enjoy Nature: Stepping out to a beautiful view and a warm mildly scotching sun is a great way to come to terms with your present.
Listen to Music: Simply music is a healer. It blows away your mind. It takes one off present hassles and soothes your emotions.
Keep Records: Of course you need to make an extra step. Mean you cannot do the same thing every day and expect a different result.
Start a project: Keep yourself busy at something positive. Spend all your free times at it that at the end of each day you have very little energy to tolerate an addiction.
Be the expert: Help someone beat addiction. While giving a list of convincing reasons to fight an addiction, you might benefit as you reflect on them.

For more information to beat addiction click on www.awaremednetwork.com. You may as well call up Dr Dalal Akoury (MD) of Integrative Addiction Institute and International Organization of Integrative Cancer Physicians. Also click on: http://www.integrativeaddiction2015.com for more information about this year’s August Integrative addiction medicine conference. The site also contains info about how to sign up for the same as well as speakers at the integrative conference.

BEAT ADDICTION WITH LOVE AND HOPE

Coping with chronic pain and Depression

July 21, 2015

Coping with chronic pain and Depression: Things you need to do when in pain

If coping with chronic pain and depression is giving you helpless night, then you need to seek for help immediately. Early treatment will go along way is dealing with the problem effectively.

Pain is one thing that we will always live with and we cannot just wish away. If you have not been in any kind of pain the probably you don’t know what pain is and so I will take time to briefly describe to you what pain is. According to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, doctor Akoury says that medically pain could derived its meaning in relation to a sensation that hurts. It therefore means that there will be no pain without being hurt, feelings of discomfort, distress and in other times agony and this will also depends on the severity of the pain. When in pain you must be able to understand that generally pain can either be steady and constant and in such cases you may feel some aches. Besides that it might be a throbbing pain – a pulsating pain. The pain could have a pinching sensation, or a stabbing one. From the definition, we can comfortably say that it is not practically possible for one or those who suffer from chronic pain to feel stressed and depressed at times. This is no surprise, given the fact that “chronic pain” usually means pain that lasts more than three to six months. Nonetheless prolonged pain appears to set up a pathway in the nervous system that sends pain signals to the brain, even in the absence of an underlying anatomical problem. Therefore to understand the significance of pain well we are going to focus our discussion on the possibilities of coping with chronic pain and depression. Doctor Dalal Akoury MD and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center will be sharing with us more about pain from a professional point of view.

Besides that it is important to appreciate that some chronic pain may be due to a diagnosable anatomical problem, such as degenerative disc disease or spinal stenosis that can cause continual pain until successfully treated. More often, the chronic pain has no clear anatomical cause, as in failed back surgery syndrome or chronic back pain without an identified pain generator. In such cases, the pain is itself the disease. Yet again for some people, the stress and depression resulting from chronic pain can become consuming, and can even worsen and prolong the pain. Increased pain can, in turn, lead to increased stress and depression, creating a cycle of depression and pain that can be difficult to break. To be fairly safe from all these pains, there are certain things that we can do to prevent, manage or minimize chronic pain and depression. The following are some of the things you can do:

Coping with chronic pain and Depression: Minimizing the chances of developing chronic pain

Talking to a physician about symptoms of depression or stress, or a history of depression, while still in the acute pain phase can alert a physician to the need for consideration of both conditions in creating a treatment plan for the patient’s spine health. While one patient may demonstrate a full recovery from the initial injury, a patient who is more prone to depression and stress, shows signs of depression and/or stress, or who has a history of clinical depression may be more vulnerable to developing a chronic pain problem that persists beyond the initial acute pain complaint. An informed physician can suggest a treatment plan early on that treats the patient’s mental state as well as their physical pain, minimizing the chances of the patient developing a chronic pain problem.

It is advisable for patients to talk with their doctors if they experience any of the following common symptoms of depression that is changes in sleeping patterns, appetite and feelings of anxieties.

Remember that stress a lone can manifest itself in several ways. Therefore it is important for patients to seek their doctor’s opinion if they think or believe that they are displaying symptoms characteristic of stress-related back pain, which are similar to those of fibromyalgia: Back pain and/or neck pain, diffuse muscle aches, muscle tender points and sleep disturbance and fatigue. Besides that doctor Akoury says that chronic pain can also be exacerbated by things such as physical de-conditioning due to lack of exercise and an individual’s thoughts about the pain. Patients can help thwart their pain from developing into or minimizing chronic pain by engaging in an appropriate exercise program and practicing distraction, guided imagery and other cognitive techniques.

Coping with chronic pain and Depression: Stress triggers that can increase chronic pain

Patients can monitor how their own stress and anxiety affects their back pain by keeping a diary of when their back pain changes and what kinds of stress could be triggering the pain. This exercise can redirect a patient’s focus from the pain to the elements in their life that affect their pain. Identifying stress triggers or emotional triggers that affect the pain will give the patient the opportunity for better pain relief through avoiding or eliminating these stress triggers. Recognizing how depression and stress affect their pain can lessen anxiety by giving patients more control over their chronic pain problem.

Coping with chronic pain and Depression: Share your experience about depression

Doctor Akoury says that depression and an emotional reaction to chronic pain are normal. However many patients do not speak to their physicians about their depression because they believe that once the initial pain problem is resolved, the depression, anxiety, and stress they are feeling will go away. Nevertheless, secondary losses from a chronic pain problem, such as changes in the ability to do favorite activities, disrupted family relationships, financial stress, or the loss of a job, can continue to contribute to feelings of hopelessness and depression. Therefore talking to a physician about your feelings of depression will keep the physician better informed and better able to provide appropriate care. Remember that depression can affect the frequency and intensity of pain symptoms, and the healing process. In the meantime it is important to appreciate that getting simultaneous treatments for both the back pain and depression is healthy and will give the patient a better chance of realizing a full recovery.

Coping with chronic pain and Depression: Seek multi-disciplinary care for pain and depression

Did you know that by sharing your story with your physician about the challenges of depression, you can be creating an opportunity for a multi-disciplinary course of treatment involving both a physician and a mental health professional? This is very possible and with a team approach formula, both the pain problem and the depression are monitored simultaneously, and both doctors can communicate about how each area affects the other. It’s important for physicians to understand that changes in the physical symptoms of pain can also be related to changes in a patient’s mental state. Finally remember that even as you seek for these medications, some common treatments for pain, including opioid pain medication, can actually worsen your depressed situation. This worsening depression can then affect the physical presentation of the pain. Therefore if both physical and mental well-being is being monitored closely by medical experts, treatment and medication recommendations, including antidepressants, can be made that take both the physical pain and the emotional health of the patient into account. There are a lot more that can be done to remedy the situation. Therefore you can schedule for an appointment with doctor Akoury for more professional guidance today.

Coping with chronic pain and Depression: Things you need to do when in pain

Having a guide to drug addiction recovery

June 20, 2015

Having a guide to drug addiction recovery: Defeating drug addiction

Having a guide to drug addiction recovery is not only very important but healthy in giving direction on how you will be handling your addiction problem

For consistency in the fight against the prevalence of drug addiction, all of us need to purpose to having a guide to drug addiction recovery process. Knowing what to do, when to do it and how to have it done is very important. Therefore when it comes to drug addiction, it even becomes more significant to be on top of everything. Doctor Akoury states that addiction recovery programs generally include any process that treats patients for a dependency on psychoactive drugs or behavioral addictions. In the case of the former, this typically includes alcohol, opiates, barbiturates and amphetamines. The general purpose of drug rehab is to allow the patient to stop abusing these drugs, which can have serious financial, legal, physical and psychological consequences. Many specific types of drug addiction treatment exist, although they can generally be divided into medical and psychological methods. Psychotherapy is usually used in drug rehab programs, but medical treatments are typically used only for some types of drug addiction.

Drug recovery programs generally try to teach the patient ways to live in a drug-free environment. They encourage the patient not to associate with people who are still using drugs, and some programs explicitly prohibit this behavior. These programs typically emphasize the concept that recovery from drug dependency is a continuing process without a specific resolution. Some programs may advocate a reduction in the use of illegal drugs rather than outright abstention, although this is typically not a sustainable treatment plan in the long term. However, programs that deal with illegal drugs typically recommend abstention due to the legal consequences of consuming any amount of these substances. Some plans such as the 12-step programs used by Alcoholics Anonymous also encourage patients to change habits that may have led to their drug addictions.

Having a guide to drug addiction recovery: Disease Model

The disease model is one of the methods that have been use time immemorial in viewing drug addiction and it is still applicable currently. Under this model, the understanding is that the patterns of behavior leading to drug abuse have some biological causes that are intensified by environmental factors. In this model of drug addiction the understanding is that all addicts are not able of abstaining from drug abuse by themselves. Drug rehab programs based on this model require patients to admit their addiction and cease the behaviors that caused them to use drugs. These programs also instruct patients to obtain a support network of friends and family members in their effort to remain clean and sober. The 12-step programs are strongly based on the disease model of drug addiction.

In one of the studies conducted in 1999 and published in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research shows that participation in 12-step programs is an accurate predictor of success after one year of abstinence. However, these programs have also received significant criticism based on the spiritual orientation of these programs. A socio-cognitive analysis of substance abuse appearing in a 1999 issue of Psychological Science challenges the psychological basis for 12-step programs. A class-action lawsuit in 2006 opposed the constitutionality of court-ordered 12-step programs. These programs are most successful with alcohol abuse, which was their original focus. They are less successful with opiate addiction, which tends to do best with maintenance therapy.

Having a guide to drug addiction recovery: Facility Types

In the advent of fighting drug addiction, it is important to note that drug rehab facilities may take many specific forms including some of the following:

Counseling
Extended care
Medical care
Mental health
Outpatient programs
Recovery houses
Residential programs
Support groups

Some centers cater to population groups based on criteria such as age, gender and religion. Organizations such as the National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors classify treatment providers according to the providers’ spiritual beliefs. Most treatment centers currently treat multiple issues for each patient rather than just the addiction. Medical treatment for drug addiction in particular is generally viewed as ineffective by itself. The National Institute on Drug Abuse recommends that detoxification should be the first step in a drug rehab program and be followed by behavioral and medical therapy. NIDA also recommends that these therapies be followed up by a program to prevent relapse. Patient motivation is generally regarded as a critical factor in the success of a drug rehab program regardless of the specific methods used.

Having a guide to drug addiction recovery: Psychological Therapy

Cognitive-behavioral therapy is one of the most common types of psychological therapy used in the treatment of drug abuse. The purpose of this therapy is to allow patients to recognize the situations that are most likely to result in a relapse and help them to cope with the situations. Family therapy is intended to improve a family’s functioning to support the patient’s recovery. The intent of motivational interviewing is to increase the patient’s motivation to enter a rehab and recovery treatment program. This technique relies primarily on positive reinforcement as an incentive for abstaining from drugs.

Having a guide to drug addiction recovery: Chemical Therapy

The medical treatments for drug dependence can generally be grouped according to the brain system affected by those drugs. For example, the same medications are used to treat opiate addiction regardless of the specific opiates the patient is abusing. Methadone is the traditional medical treatment for an addiction to opiates, which includes cocaine, heroin and morphine in addition to similar prescription drugs. Buprenorphine is a more recent medical treatment for opiate addiction. These medications are used as a detoxification aid and as maintenance addiction therapy as a patient can take them indefinitely. Maintenance therapy is especially important for addiction illegal drugs, given the high relapse rate of opiate addiction.

Having a guide to drug addiction recovery: Counseling

Finally in her over two decades of practice, doctor Akoury agrees that counseling is one of the traditional treatments of drug addiction that has been used for decades and it is still effective even today. Counseling as mode of treatment may deliver good result in the addiction recovery even though this process may be more difficult when the patient has a chemical imbalance in the brain. It is most often performed in a group setting where the patients have some traits in common. Individual counseling is more likely when the patient has unique psychological issues. Counseling often takes the form of regular sessions, typically on a daily or weekly basis. Additional counseling sessions may occur as needed, such as crisis counseling or drop-in counseling. Intervention is a similar process in which family members request that a counselor convince the addict to enter treatment. And when going through all these it is important for you to always be in close touch with the professionals in addiction. You may want to schedule for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury to help you in your struggle with addiction today and she will be of great help to you and your family.

Having a guide to drug addiction recovery: Defeating drug addiction

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