Understanding the three stages of drug addiction

August 6, 2015

Understanding the three stages of drug addiction: The three significant stages of drug addiction

Understanding the three stages of drug addiction is very key to unlocking the social problem of drug abuse in our societies

If somebody was to tell you that you are addicted to certain drug would you agree with him? And if you would what would be your facts in other words how do you know that you are addicted to drugs? These are some of the questions we want to address even as we focus on our topic of the day “understanding the three stages of drug addiction”. From the experts and psychologist point of view drug addiction is a disease characterized by both physical and psychological health impairments. It can also be defined as a pattern of substance use leading to significant impairment in physical and mental functioning. In whichever way you look at it there will be some level of physical and psychological impairment in the process a factor which doctor Dalal Akoury concurs that is the most significant problem in addiction. For our understanding of the problem, doctor Dalal Akoury is going to share with us the three stages of drug addiction as follows:

Understanding the three stages of drug addiction: The first stage of drug addiction

At the introduction levels of addiction the psychological dependence on the drugs (stage of Preoccupation or Anticipation), is characterized by the following symptoms:

The constant craving for the drug – An overwhelming desire to use the drug of choice to relieve the state of psycho-emotional stress preoccupies the user despite the other responsibilities and events in his/her life.

The altered psyche – Nervousness, frequent mood swings, depression, irritability, agitation, aggressiveness, difficulty with concentration are the common signs of progressively developing addiction.

Understanding the three stages of drug addiction: Second stage and symptoms of drug addiction

Is the stage of intoxication? – This stage is characterized by the further worsening the above mentioned symptoms of drug addiction and appearing the new ones

The growing tolerance – The longer the drugs are introduced into the body the larger amounts of drugs are necessary to continue experiencing the same euphoric effects. The increased doses of the drug (binging) push the effects of intoxication to a dangerous level.

The emergence of withdrawal syndrome – Uncomfortable, very disruptive, physical and mental condition that happen when the body is sharply deprived of the psychoactive substances that it is used to getting. The clinical picture of withdrawal syndrome varies and mostly depends on the type of the using substance. The most common symptoms of drug addiction and opioid withdrawal include the constant, deep, exhausting pain in muscles and bones all over the body, sensation of almost unbearable inner cold, frequent cold-and-hot flashes, shivering, sneezing, watery eyes, sweating, cramps in stomach area, lack of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, restless legs, increased nervousness and irritability, sleep disorders, insomnia, and many more.

The negative and persistent changes in personality – It will interest you to note that at this stage there will be increased emotional sensitivity, explosiveness, frequent mood swings, narrowing of vital interests, aggressiveness, apathy, impaired memory and intelligence, tendency to depression, dishonesty, permanent conflicts at work and home, problems with the law.

Understanding the three stages of drug addiction: Drug dependence symptoms in third stage

Third stage of drug dependence is the stage of Physical, Mental and Social Degradation.

Presence of irreversible pathological changes in the internal organs and systems of the body (liver failure due to toxicity and viral hepatitis, toxic encephalopathy, immune system disorders, AIDS, etc.).
Development of dementia and other drug related mental disorders. The chronic use of certain drugs
Currently available evidence indicates that heavy, long-term drug consumption is likely to have a negative impact on cognitive function. Longer-term smoking of marijuana is associated with increased risk of intellectual deterioration and possibly schizophrenia and dementia.
The chronic use of benzodiazepines and psycho-stimulants also leads to increased risk of cognitive impairment. For example, 3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine, (MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy), produces the long-term deficit in serotonin function in the brain, resulting in mental disorders such as depression and anxiety.
Chronic drug abuse by adolescents during formative years is a particular concern because it interferes with normal socialization and cognitive development and thus frequently contributes to the development of mental disorders.
Social degradation by drug dependence: Like for instance the loss of marriage, family; spoiled interpersonal relationships; degradation in professional skills and activities and as a result the problems with employment and financial issues; problems with law-abiding.

Understanding the three stages of drug addiction: Consequences and effects of drug addiction and alcoholism

Consequences and effects of drug addiction and alcoholism have both medical and social effects.

Health effects of drug addiction and alcohol abuse – The most obvious negative effects of drug addiction or alcohol abuse is deterioration in physical and mental state of an addict.

Understanding the three stages of drug addiction: Effects of drug abuse on the brain

It will interest you to note that different type of drugs causes particular and quite specific effects of chronic drug intoxication:

Effects of drug abuse on the brain in case of untreated drug and alcohol abuse is irreversible condition that leads to progressive deterioration of personality. Degradation begins with memory loss, inability to concentrate and further shows up in reduced physical and mental activity, in a tendency to fruitless fantasies, excessive irritability and sleep disorders. The normal human emotions, desires, interests, work skills gradually fade and meaning of life gets limited to searching for drugs. Untreated addiction undoubtedly ends up in irreversible dementia.

Mental disorders in case of a drug abuse are varied and accompany all its forms. The most common characteristic of mental disorder is psychosis, which may occur either shortly after using the drug or during the withdrawal. Acute psychosis is characterized by a pronounce anxiety, kind of panic attack, paranoia, consciousness disorders up to the visual, auditory and tactile hallucinations and delusions. Often such states result in committing suicide. Use of improvised and counterfeit drugs presents particular danger to life and health of a drug addict. Chronic drug users look physically exhausted. They have distinctive appearance: pallor, poor skin elasticity, feverish bright eyes, dry nails, hair loss, they are underweight. Addicts look much older than their physiological age. All male drug addicts sooner or later develop impotence, as well as female addicts develop frigidity. Negatively affected by drugs and alcohol germ cells often result in the birth of weak and sick children with different congenital defects. Pregnancy in case of active drug use runs hard, with complications and high chances of miscarriage and preterm birth. After birth such children are growing poorly, lagging behind in their physical and mental development. They often get sick. Children whose mothers were on drugs during pregnancy are already born addicted to drugs with all ensuing consequences.

Finally take note that all drugs without any exception destroy the brain in the first place and you need not to get to the second one so long as you are using a drug the first one is sufficient. Doctor Akoury concludes that even if you smoke marijuana which is considered the weakest of all drugs occasionally, you are already initiating the irreversible effects of drug abuse on the brain which manifest in weakening attention, reduced memory capacity, in forming the typical for the drug addicts thinking and behavior patterns, which are very well shown in numerous drug addicts jokes and “freaky films” with their peculiar flat sense of humor. The stronger the drug the worse their effects therefore for the purpose of your good health understanding the three stages of drug addiction is very important. And with that done if you are suffering from any form of addiction, you now have an opportunity to correct it by scheduling for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury today for the commencement of your recovery process today.

Understanding the three stages of drug addiction: The three significant stages of drug addiction

The power of addiction and stress in life

July 31, 2015

The power of addiction and stress in life: The dangers of mixing stress with drugs

The power of addiction and stress in life can be the reason of your endless frustrations and discomfort in life. Real time action should be taken to correct any mess that may have been created by addiction and stress in your life

What kind of life is this? Why must be always me? Will I ever overcome these challenges? When will all these end? I am tired and frustrated with this kind of work? It is now time for paying bills and I don’t have money how will I face my landlord? These and many more are some of the questions that illustrate the kinds of life we live today, a life full of demands with very limited resources in a fast moving society. People are discouraged, lost in thoughts and ideas on how to make ends meet. The result of this is living a very stressful life full of worries, temptations, anarchy and wishes. I wish I had this, did that and so on. The question that begs for an answer is how do you cope with situations like these? Many people often resort to using drugs as relief providers. They just want to have everything behind them thinking that they will indeed succeed in doing so by taking drugs or alcohol. This is not always the case because the power of addiction and stress in life are not limited to drugs. We spoke to doctor Dalal Akoury who is an expert in addiction for well over two decades and she acknowledges that substance abuse is one way through which many people think of when it comes to relieving of their stressful moments.

She says that even though this is the common practice across the globe, it is the worse anyone can do for him or herself. By resorting to drugs you are indeed adding more problems into your life instead of eliminating them. It is true that when under the influence of drugs, you are not really yourself and as long as the substance is still controlling your systems you may not experience the effects of your stressful life. However the moment sobriety sets in, you pick up the pieces from when you left and this time it will even come with other additional complications. When you are overwhelmed you resort to drugs again and again and before you know it, you are addicted to that. It now means that besides the stress you were trying to escape from, you have added into your life the garbage of addiction to that specific drug.

The power of addiction and stress in life: Substance abuse as self-medication for stress

Like we have already mentioned self-medication is a situation where people turn to alcohol or drugs in an attempt to manage their problems. Depressants like alcohol produce a calming effect on the body, and so the individual will feel like they have escaped their difficulties. They may start to take these substances more and more as a way to manage their stress levels. This is dangerous because the cure can be far more damaging than the initial symptoms.

The power of addiction and stress in life: The dangers of using alcohol and drugs to deal with stress

If you understand the consequences of using drugs or alcohol in excess, then you wouldn’t use them when stressed. It may be true that using alcohol or drugs to deal with stress is at best a short-term solution but the resulting consequences are very dangerous because:

It can lead toaddiction. If this happens then the individual may find it difficult to stop. Addicts can end up losing everything including their possessions, health, friends, family, and self-respect.
Substance abuse only masks the problem and doesn’t eliminate it. It will be almost impossible for the individual to learn better ways of managing stress while they are still abusing alcohol or drugs.
Substance abuse increases the amount of stress in people’s lives. It makes it difficult to be effective at work, and it damages people’s ability to form meaningful relationships. The longer a person abuses these substances the more things they will have in their lives to feel stressed about. They can then get into a vicious circle of abusing drugs more and more to escape the stress that is being caused by their substance abuse.

The power of addiction and stress in life: Symptoms of stress

It is possible that sometimes people can be stressed and not even noticing therefore is important to have the understanding of some of the most common symptoms which may include:

Inability to sleep properly
Loss of appetite and discomfort when eating
Headaches
Feeling antsy
Indigestion
Stomach discomfort or ‘butterflies in the stomach’
Getting irritated easily
Luck of concentration– sometimes described as ‘fuzzy thinking’
Anxiety
Lack of energy
Thinking negatively most of time
Muscle tension
Evidence of an ineffective immune system – e.g. frequent colds
Loss of interest in sex
Feelings of frustration

The power of addiction and stress in life: Effective ways to deal with stress

It may not be possible for people to completely eliminate stress from their lives. Because of that fact it is important that we develop strategies for managing it. In those strategies substance abuse must never be part of the solution because they are not. The most effective solutions include:

Learning a meditation technique such asmindfulness. This teaches people to observe what is happening in their mind without taking it so personally. Just the simple technique of naming and observing stress can be enough to reduce it.
Relaxation techniques provide the body with the opportunity to let go of stress. This could include simple breathing techniques or visualizations.
Exercise is another good way to relieve stress. This is because itincreases the release of body chemicals that make people feel good. Just going for a long walk every day can be enough to keep stress levels under control.
Listening to music or spending time engaged in a hobby can also dramatically reduce stress levels.
Getting away for a few days can help people recharge and escape the usual stressors. A break away from normal living also provides the opportunity to reassess life.
Keeping a journal provides the opportunity to vent about stressors. These annoyances tend to be more damaging when they are internalized. Just writing about them on paper can diminish the strength of these stressors.
Talking about problems to other people is another good way to reduce stress levels

Finally it is necessary that when people continue to struggle with chronic stress for unnecessarily too long, they should advice from a therapist immediately. Talking to doctor Dalal Akoury the founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center will go a long way in finding lasting solution to all your addiction or stressful life concerns. Call her today on Tel: 843 213 1480 to schedule for an appointment right away.

The power of addiction and stress in life: The dangers of mixing stress with drugs

The illusion that substance abuse offers stress relief

July 31, 2015

The illusion that substance abuse offers stress relief: Substance abuse provides temporary relief from stress

The illusion that substance abuse offers stress relief is one that should not be taken seriously because the consequences can be life threatening.

Over the years research has established that the effects of stress on human life can damage individual’s mental and physical well-being. Despite of this establishment, we are somehow bound to be stressed in life owing to the nature of life’s demands today. Experts are very categorical that stress will always be there and reasonable stress may not be bad anyway however, our inability to deal with stress effectively when it strikes is the problem we need to work on. Ordinarily and this is where we all miss the point, when we are faced with stressful situations and circumstances we often go for the wrong elements of solutions. Doctor Dalal Akoury a respected drug addiction experts registered that one of the ways that people often run to for help is the use of alcohol or drugs. Whereas this type of self-medication can provide temporary relief, it however important to note that this is ultimately self-defeating. The consequences is that the individual will have more stress in their life than ever before and besides that they will lose their strength and ability to handle it progressively. Therefore the illusion that substance abuse offers stress relief is misleading and dangerous. Nonetheless there are so many different techniques that people can use to better manage stress effectively. We will be discussing some of those ways as we progress into the discussion and therefore I request you to stay on the link to the conclusion of this article and you will not regret it.

The illusion that substance abuse offers stress relief: Stress Defined

People often struggle to give the precise definition of stress yet in their life this word is used almost on a daily basis. A lot of us will give numerous examples of what stress does in an attempt to define the adjective however giving the precise specification of what stress is remains an uphill task to many a challenge that we want to pull off your shoulders now. Ideally stress is very subjective and people are even struggling to agree primarily on which things are stressful and those that are not. Like for instance so many people will be taken off gourd and fell stressed when they are asked to make a public speech, and yet again for others this won’t be such a big deal. We are all different as to what stressed us but we all have the common fact that despite being different on how and what stress us, we are all getting stressed at one point or another.

Therefore we can make several definitions of stress and one way of defining stress would be to simply register that it is the body’s way of dealing with a demand at any given time. This will involve the release of different chemicals in the body in preparation to taking action. It is also important to appreciate that the fight or flight response is produced by the body when there is a sense of danger. We may not shy away from the fact that stress has developed a bad reputation in our lives and societies, but the again it is also somehow essential for survival. That is because if people didn’t react to external events they would be in great danger from those events. Besides that stress can also be highly beneficial when it comes to preparation for exams or other important events. Does that surprise you? If it does I will explain for your understanding. From various studies it has been established that stress can encourage people to put in a lot of effort and it keeps them focused to their ultimate goal whether it is an exam or any other thing they want to excel in. now that we are all at par with what stress is, let us further into the discussion by addressing some of the elements that triggers stress.

The illusion that substance abuse offers stress relief: Stressors – Triggers of stress response

Anything that triggers the stress response is referred to as a stressor. Therefore some of the most common stressors include:

Sudden death of a loved one
Consistent conflicts at work or home
Chronic Illnesses
Overwork and undue targets
Poor time management
Legal problems
Major life changes such as changing house or job
Relationship breakdown
Unhealthy habits such as substance abuse

It may not be possible to put all the stressors here on paper because they are many and diversified but these are just a few that may help you know what are likely to cause you stress so that you can take action accordingly.

The illusion that substance abuse offers stress relief: The dangers of chronic stress

According to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury (MD) and founder of this health facility, it is important to understand that the moment people spend a lot of time feeling stressed, a lot of changes will take effect in their lives. Like for instance when one is stressed he or she can begin to feel the effects of stress which can cause damage both physically and mentally. This is because the chemicals associated with the stress response are only meant to be in the bloodstream for short periods. Those who are chronically stressed will have such chemicals working overtime. Therefore, the following are some of the dangers of chronic stress that we need to take note of:

Chronic stresscauses the immune system to become less effective. This is because stress forces the immune system to release chemicals so that they end up being overused. Instead of helping people fight off infections, these chemicals begin to damage the individual’s own organs. This can increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes among other chronic complications.
Chronic stress leads to fatigue and depression. Those who are dealing with a lot of stress in their lives will have poor mental health.
It can increase the risk of developing ulcers and digestive problems.
Many people who are dealing with chronic stress will turn to substance abuse.

Finally we will certainly continue with this discussion in our subsequent articles but in the meantime, it is important that if you are stressed and using the wrong substance for relief, it is time for you to choose life and live it in a healthy way. Doctor Akoury is an expert in all lines of addiction and your stressful life is one that she will help you fix in the most professional way if only you can schedule for an appointment with her today for the commencement of your treatment and full recovery.

The illusion that substance abuse offers stress relief: Substance abuse provides temporary relief from stress

Types of depression which are associated with addiction

July 30, 2015

Types of depression which are associated with addiction: What you need to know about depression

Types of depression which are associated with addiction are not just harmful to individuals health but are also fatal if not addressed in good time

Research has proved that there are significant evidence linking depression and drug addiction. Today we have different types of depression which are associated with addiction some of which may include the following: A typical depression, chronic and psychotic depression. For us to understand these properly, we are going to be consulting with the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury (MD) and also the founder of the facility. Doctor Akoury is a veteran expert in addiction and has been in practice for well over two decades now. That can tell you that we are talking about nothing but professionalism at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center. You can become part of this team by scheduling for an appointment today and all your concerns will be addressed professionally and promptly. And now to the types of depression:

Types of depression which are associated with addiction: A typical depression

According to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, there is a form of clinical depression which does not present itself straightforwardly. This is what is commonly known as “atypical depression,” where the symptoms are surprising and indeed, atypical to the condition. The “atypical” in the name does not mean that this is a rare condition it is found in 36 percent of all cases of depression only that it is different from classical depression. This type of depression is often associated with the following symptoms.

Types of depression which are associated with addiction: Symptoms of atypical depression

Doctor Akoury says that, those who have this type of depression (atypical depression) are likely to experience the following:

Sleep a lot (hypersomnia) instead of being unable to sleep
Overeat (hyperphagia) instead of losing your appetite
Gain weight instead of losing it

In cases of hypersomnia and hyperphagia, the variation or excess sleep is defined as 10 hours per day (or two or more hours a day than usual); the weight gain is defined as at least 5 pounds. There are other, more nuanced symptoms of atypical depression. You may actually experience happiness at good news, but the feelings do not last and are quickly replaced by more common depressive sensations. In fact, this symptom known as mood reactivity – is one of the criteria for diagnosing atypical depression. If a positive experience makes you feel more than 50 percent happier than you did before the experience, your doctor knows that you do not have major depression and can prescribe the appropriate course of treatment for you.

In another symptom, you may feel incredibly lethargic and completely drained of energy. While this is standard to victims of both classical and atypical depression, atypical depression is different because victims feel as though they are physically unable to move that is to say that they are feeling as if they are being physically restrained from getting out of bed, for example.

Atypical depression also can make you excessively sensitive to criticism and negative feedback. If this sensitivity negatively impacts your job or academic performance, and it causes stress in your personal and everyday life, your medical practitioner can use this to diagnosis atypical depression.

Similar to other depressive and mood disorders, women are more likely to develop atypical depression than men. Besides women, typical depression is also very common with teenagers than adults even though it can continue into adulthood if not detected and treated in good time. Other conditions, such as substance abuse, anxiety, and somatization disorder where the patient has chronic physical symptoms with no evident physical cause are more common in atypical depression than classical depression.

Types of depression which are associated with addiction: Chronic depression

Chronic depression also known as dysthymia, its effects are not as severe as those of major depression, but it lasts longer – upwards of two years. While the impact is not as crushing, the persistent, lingering effects of dysthymia are still serious cause for concern. Doctor Akoury reports that diagnosing dysthymia is not easy, because it does not present itself clearly as major depression. Given that it is diffused over a significant period of time, dysthymia is often simply brushed off as a negative disposition or a long-term bad mood. It often escapes the attention of the people who may be able to notice a problem because of how habitual the symptoms of dysthymia can appear.

Because of this, even people who have dysthymia may not know that they have a depressive condition. Unable to understand why they do not enjoy life as much as they used to, they are at risk for developing other comorbid conditions, such as eating disorder (never leaving the house and relying on comfort food), substance abuse, and even suicidal thoughts and behaviors. It is possible for the patient to experience an attack of major depression, even while suffering from dysthymia. This phenomenon is known as “double depression.”

Types of depression which are associated with addiction: Chronic depression symptoms

Other recognizable symptoms of chronic depression may be:

Insomnia
Fatigue
Excessive amount of sleep
Cognitive impairment
Hopelessness and despair

These symptoms may be familiar; they are also found in people who have major depression. The difference here is that for people with dysthymia, these symptoms are not as pronounced, but they can last for years. However, like other major depression, the effects of dysthymia are enough to disrupt daily life.

Types of depression which are associated with addiction: What is psychotic depression?

In the context of mental health, psychosis refers to a patient losing contact with reality. The following symptoms are associated with psychosis:

Hallucinations, such as hearing voices or seeing things when there is no such stimuli
Paranoid delusions, or the fear that the patient is being persecuted
Cognitive impairment
Catatonia

Psychotic depression is characterized by the usual symptoms of major depression including insomnia, feelings of worthlessness, anxiety, inability to enjoy pleasurable activities, etc. with some manifestation of psychosis. The causes of psychotic depression are still not understood, but it is believed that an imbalance of a hormone known as cortisol (which is secreted in the adrenal glands, for release during times of stress) may be associated. It is also important to note that psychotic depression is different from other disorders where psychosis is present, like schizophrenia, because patients with psychotic depression are aware of their psychoses; that is, if you have psychotic depression, you will know that the voices you hear are not real.

Finally it is important to note that the shame or embarrassment inherent can make psychotic depression difficult to diagnose. Therefore taking early precaution is very necessary so that what can be avoided be avoided before it gets out of hand. You can talk to doctor Dalal Akoury of you feel that this describes you and she will be able to help you in the most professional way.

Types of depression which are associated with addiction: What you need to know about depression

Strategies for seeking drug addiction treatment abroad

July 28, 2015

Strategies for seeking drug addiction treatment abroad: Acute substance abuse problems and medical tourism

Strategies for seeking drug addiction treatment abroad will involve knowing all the information you need about the host country. The type of treatment may not be different from because of standards set globally.

It is not a secret any more that the problem of substance abuse is on the rise. The effect of this problem is being felt across the board even with those whose families are not directly affected. People who are sober do not have the peace of mind in their neighborhood because of the misbehaviors of our sons and daughters who are seriously into addiction. Our institutions of learning are not left out because every time and again our children are on rampage thanks to the easy accessibility of drugs. The economy of nations are struggling to meet the ever increasing demands of maintain law and order as well as offering medical assistance to the direct victims. All these explain the need to take immediate action in order of kicking out drug addiction out from our societies. This desire has actually made many people to seek for treatment outside their borders in the foreign land. Doctor Dalal Akoury a veteran addiction expert is in agreement that this is one of the many way of fighting drug addiction and advises that, before one can opt for this, due diligence needs to be done and for that reason she says that there must be proper strategies for seeking drug addiction treatment abroad so that the goal of recovery is met with minimal challenges. In that respect, we want to look at a few areas of concerns that we need to work on as we progress into the discussion.

Strategies for seeking drug addiction treatment abroad: Concerns about traveling abroad to rehab

The information gathered from experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury indicates that the idea of traveling abroad for addiction treatment is not something that is going to instantly appeal to everyone. There will be some common teething problems along the way and that is why it is important to have the strategies for seeking drug addiction treatment abroad in place before embarking on the journey. There are concerns that people will have about this option including some of the following:

Some people worry that a foreign rehab will be inferior to one in their own country. They may not understand that a cheaper facility does not mean a reduction in service.
The individual may be worried about cultural differences and language problems in a foreign rehab.
Those individuals who have never traveled much abroad may view such places as hostile and dangerous. They enjoy their home comforts and do not see any reason to give these up.
The price of going to these places (e.g. flights) may offset the savings to be made by choosing a foreign rehab.
It may be necessary for the individual to arrange some type ofimmigration visa before they can travel to some of these places. This can seem like a great deal of hassle.
The individual will be far away from friends and family.
The person can be worried about the climate in the foreign country – it might be too hot or too cold.
They can be worried about what they will be able to eat while they are there. Some people have no interest in experimenting with foreign cuisine.
There is the worry that getting sober will already involve a great deal of change so staying in a completely new environment will only add to this strangeness.
Some people may feel that going abroad for rehab increases their risk of relapse. This is because their favorite thing about foreign travel is using alcohol and drugs while there – they find it difficult to imagine being abroad and not engaging in such activities.
The individual may have a fear of flying that they usually manage with inebriation. This can mean that they are worried about their return home from foreign rehab where they will need to be sober during the trip.

Strategies for seeking drug addiction treatment abroad: Overcoming Objections to Foreign Rehab

The other area of concern is the fact that this is not your homeland and so it will come with certain challenges which we must be prepared to both psychologically and even physically. Knowing some of these challenges is very important because it will help you to strategies on how to overcome them. Some of the valuable information you may need may include the following:

Prestige – Understanding that there are many prestigious rehabs abroad that offer a service that is at least equal to the best in the individual’s home country. These foreign rehabs often rely on foreign clients, and they could not operate if they did not offer an internationally recognized standard of care.

Language barriers – Those foreign rehabs that welcome people from English speaking countries will be able to communicate in English. It is also likely that most of the clients will be from other English speaking countries as well.

Home environment – Some of these foreign rehabs do a great job of providing the clients with plenty of home comforts. This means that the rehab will feel less strange to the foreign client.

The cost of flight – It may be that the cost of flights offsets some of the savings made by choosing a foreign rehab, but in most instances this won’t be the case. It is important that the individual does the math so they can see if it is a good deal or not.

Visa and travel documents – If there is any type of visa or travel document needed to travel to the country the rehab will be able to advice and possibly even help. In most instances there will be little or no need for this.

Climate variation – The individual should consider the practicalities such as climate before choosing a foreign rehab. Those places who cater for foreign visitors will usually offer air conditioning or heating as required.

Local transportation – Many of these facilities will arrange transport to and from the airport.

Transition to travel back home – One of the most important tasks in rehab is preparing the individual for the transition back home. This will include making it soberly back to their home country.

Relapse problem – The fact that the individual is in rehab will mean that they are protected from the temptations to relapse. These facilities will usually be well away from the tourist’s bars.

Strategies for seeking drug addiction treatment abroad: Choosing to travel abroad to get help for a substance abuse problem

Finally doctor Akoury says that the decision to travel aboard for rehab can make all the difference for many people especially those with stigma related issues. The truth is that this decision may not be applicable to everyone, but will have to be made individually after considering certain factors discussed above. After one has done all the due diligence, then this journey for seeking addiction treatment may be considered because all the cost elements have been taken care of. Remember that delaying the treatment is not always a good idea and therefore all the necessary investigations must be done in reasonable time so that the patients can get the best type of treatment that is most likely to lead to success in the future. Meanwhile if you have any other clarification about substance abuse treatment, then don’t hesitate to contact doctor Dalal Akoury veteran expert in addiction today.

Strategies for seeking drug addiction treatment abroad: Acute substance abuse problems and medical tourism

Tag Archives: Substance abuse