ADDICTION and INTIMACY!

July 24, 2015

Addiction and Intimacy the Relationships

Isn’t it common knowledge excessive consumption of alcohol has more often than not been a major reason behind many family; scandals, fights, separations, divorce or worse deaths? Well finding the golden balance between drug abuse, addiction and intimacy is tricky. Even though supposed to avoid the prejudice to say it is one of the most difficult things to balance between addiction and intimacy, it is tempting to assert this is the truth. These require commitment that is terms of time and finances. It is more difficult to manage an intimate relationship while deep into addiction. The following is an account of addiction triggers and how they influence intimacy.

Elements of Addiction and Intimacy

Addiction is an intricate condition of the brain, usually categorized as a disease that involves reward and motivation cerebral systems structurally and chemically altered. The condition involves a number of behavioral and substance related things an individual finds difficult to control. It is a chronic brain disorder that despite several attempts to leave, one constantly finds him/herself falling back to. Usually, addiction manifests itself in various forms. This is dependent on a wide range of behavioral and substance related triggers among them: gambling, sex, food, work, alcohol, caffeine, tobacco, bhang, and the latest one, computer and the internet.

Intimacy on the other hand is an interpersonal relationship between two individuals. It involves both emotional and physical engagements. Whereas emotional intimacy refers to how a person’s being feels closer to the other, physical intimacy essentially is about sexual involvement. An intimate relationship requires a good balance of various dear elements among them: trust, care, affection, expectations, beliefs, cognitive perceptions, opinions, experience, and commitment. Intimacy comes along with a number of human benefits that all together show its significance in our lives. These incudes: a deeper understanding of self, spiritual growth, feelings of completion, and sexual reward.

Addiction and Intimacy

Substance Addiction and Intimacy

Excessive use of drugs often leaves one obsessed. Excessive substance abuse often takes control of one’s body. The result of such addiction literally is little or no space for other commitments. Further drug abuse often drives one into a state of illusion and selfishness. Drug abuse is also said to reduce feelings of true affection and love. With time drug addicts are said to think not beyond their own needs, to satisfy their addiction. Sometimes they spend most if not all their money drinking alcohol and or taking drugs, forgetting the simple things that once mattered in their relationships and the needs of their partners.

Addiction and Intimacy explains that sometimes, drug addicts wake besides strange sexual partners. Often it starts as a simple one time occurrence which the victim feels remorseful but soon it becomes a habit. Of course you can imagine effects of the same including unplanned pregnancies and possible infection with sexually transmitted diseases (STIs) or HIV-AIDS. In extreme situations, substance abuse may generally lead to loss of sexual interest and ability to perform well at it.

Behavioral Addiction and Intimacy

Relationships bring people of different backgrounds together. It may be difficult to know from the start everything about one’s partner. However at times it is easier. One may not accept some behavior exhibited by the other. But still they agree to get into relationships with expectations to influence one another to change. At times they achieve desired behavioral attributes in the said partners, but at times they seem to do the same things repeatedly it becomes difficult to control. One great hindrance to behavior change is addiction. When a person is addicted to gambling for instance, they will always want to do that. They will do whatever it takes, including keeping it a secret from their partners. In the end the partner who expected change may become wary hence confrontation, separation or divorce. Once a relationship reaches such levels, intimacy is lost.

Intimacy and Addiction Recovery

In order to maintain intimacy, an addict may have to take the bold step of recovery. Once the victim gives up addiction, they begin to restore their life. Intimacy therefore becomes one area they work on seriously. It is actually one of the toughest to fix. However with a good recovery plan coupled with the right forums such as the upcoming August integrative addiction medicine conferences, they may as well be able to meet various professionals who will help them fix their intimacy, their partner’s, or that of their friends or neighbors. One expert sure to attend the conference is Dr Dalal Akoury of Integrative Addiction Institute and International Organization of Integrative Cancer Physicians.

Addiction and Intimacy

Intimacy and Addiction Recovery Tips

Other than recovery, following are tips on addiction and intimacy that would be very useful in learning how to overcome.

Avoid getting into a relationship within the first year of recovery. Simple, you have enough to deal with yet another sexual relationship may do the honors to destroy it all.
It is important to have realistic expectations. During recovery or even immediately after, it is important to know the relation will not be back on its knees in a fortnight.
Effective communication between the partners is essentially also an important part of recovery.
As earlier stated, counseling is a good way to recover. Only this time it is recommended both partners attend the sessions as directed by the doctor.
Loss of sexual libido might as well be caused by another thing all together. It is therefore important talk to a specialist.
In some cases the situation may be so bad, it would be best to end the relationship all together, however caution has to be taken especially if children are involved.

For more information on the above, click http://www.integrativeaddiction2015.com. The link will be your guide to sign up for the conference as well give you a backgrounder about speakers lined up for the mega integrative addiction conference.

Addiction and Intimacy, the Relationship?

The journey through successful treatment of alcoholism

July 24, 2015

The journey through successful treatment of alcoholism: How to know when to seek treatment for alcoholism

The journey through successful treatment of alcoholism is a long one but very necessary. It is through working this journey that all your addiction misery to alcoholism will be sorted out

Of all the substance of abuse, alcohol is the most abused drug in the world. It is also the most celebrated drug that is used freely during the parties, and special occasions across the globe. Being as addictive as it is, we want to explore the journey through successful treatment of alcoholism in our current societies. For us to have a successful treatment plan, we must involve the services of the professionals in addiction matters. Therefore we are going to be talking to doctor Dalal Akoury MD a veteran addiction expert and also the founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, a facility she founded in order to offer her best in helping and restoring hope to the people lost in substance abuse. To start us off, doctor Akoury reports that the primary objective of alcohol addiction treatment is and must always be a lifelong commitment to abstinence from the use of alcohol. She says that this is achievable with good health, a strong support system and motivation. Professionally she says that the problem of alcoholism in many cases can go undiagnosed despite being the most frequently used drug worldwide. Even though as things stand right now there is no known cause of alcohol abuse or alcoholism, studies have established that how much you drink can influence your chances of becoming dependent. Nonetheless there are many brief and easy to use screening methods, designed to diagnose problem of drinking and alcoholism, and the good news is that they can be self-administered by a patient at the convenience of their homes.

Besides that one of the biggest challenges that are faced with treatment of alcoholism is that of patient’s denial. Many users are never willing to acknowledge that they have this problem. That problem not withstanding it is important to appreciate that treatment for alcoholism typically can only begin when the alcoholic accepts that the problem exists, and is motivated to stop drinking. The moment acceptance has been granted, then treatment can commence in the following three levels: detoxification, rehabilitation and maintenance of sobriety with each providing an integral step in the process of successfully quitting the use and abuse of alcohol. We at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury are always ready and in very good professional mood to help you go through this worthy process of addiction treatment. Therefore if you or anyone you know is struggling with any form of addiction, not necessarily alcoholism, you can call us today and schedule for an appointment with us and we will gladly help you into seeing the successful recovery of your addiction problem.

The journey through successful treatment of alcoholism: The medical significance of alcohol addiction treatment

Drinking alcohol is never good for anyone’s health. Remember that even though alcohol consumption is legally allowed, it is important to know that drinking too much, whether binge drinking or chronic, can take a serious toll on your health. To be honest with you says doctor Akoury, essentially alcohol is not good and in fact it is poisonous, meaning that taking it repeatedly will eventually affect every major organ in your body. It is characterized with the increase risk of developing disabling long-term health conditions including diabetes, obesity, liver disease, heart disease, dementia and some forms of cancer. Remember that alcohol abuse is not only damaging to the body and brain, it can traumatize psychological stability causing depression, and is one of the leading risk factors for suicide. Alcohol abuse is the principal lifestyle-related cause of disease and death, motor vehicle fatalities and injury. Despite the profound effect alcohol abuse has on the individual and society, the most dangerous consequence is chemical dependence. Seeking medical treatment for alcoholism is absolutely necessary because once physically addicted to alcohol; there is risk of life-threatening side effects such as seizures, delirium, high blood pressure, sudden fever and debilitating dehydration.

The journey through successful treatment of alcoholism: Treatment for alcoholism is available globally

The abuse of alcohol worldwide is a problem which compromises both individual and social development, resulting in over 2.5 million deaths each year and causing more than 200 different diseases and injuries. And did you know that statistics show that North Americans in general, and Canadians in particular drink more than 50 per cent above the global average and people in Europe and parts of Sub-Saharan Africa are the world’s heaviest consumers of alcohol on average? Studies documenting the amount and patterns of alcohol consumption by country indicate alcohol use is the third leading global cause of disease and death after high blood pressure and tobacco smoking, among 67 risk factors overall. These statistics illuminate how the risk of alcoholism is not limited to a particular ethnic community, socio-economic status or region of living. While regulations and laws about alcohol consumption vary geographically with trends and culture, at least 34 countries have adopted formal policies to reduce the harmful use of alcohol. Alcoholism treatment is available in medical centers globally where you can find an individualized care and treatment program that best suits you.

The journey through successful treatment of alcoholism: A daily reprieve from alcohol addiction

Treatment for alcoholism does not prescribe an easy cure for chemical dependency, but gives the individual all the tools with which to build a life based on promoting sobriety day to day. Since addiction and alcoholism affect almost every area of an individual’s life, the changes which will be made, while sometimes slow at first will be all encompassing. Remember that after completing detox and rehabilitation, then the maintenance of sobriety will be intrinsically connected to the willingness openness and honesty put into living one’s life by a new set of principles and values.

Finally is important to note that when it comes to treatment of alcoholism, there is no single defining treatment appropriate for everyone, and generating treatment settings, interventions, and services to an individual’s particular problems and needs is critical to his or her ultimate success in returning to productive functioning in the family, workplace, and society. What is most important to remember is that treatment and long-term sobriety are about discovering how to accept help, and manage life’s challenges without needing to escape or find a quick fix. This new way of living will provide new meaning and direction and those with rich participation in recovery will achieve freedom and serenity.

The journey through successful treatment of alcoholism: How to know when to seek treatment for alcoholism

Substance abuse counselor career training

July 23, 2015

Substance abuse counselor career training: What is substance abuse counseling?

Substance abuse counselor career training is very essential in bringing to order the problem of substance abuse

The problem of substance abuse is one that is affecting everyone in discriminatively across the globe. Studies have actually shown that millions of people suffer from substance abuse each year. Therefore the question that we all beg to ask is what shall we do to have this problem brought to manageable levels? Doctor Dalal Akoury (MD) a veteran addiction expert founded AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center with the sole objective of offering solution to all our concerns about substance abuse. At this facility we focus on Neuroendocrine Restoration (NER) to reinstate normality through realization of the oneness of Spirit, Mind, and Body, Unifying the threesome into ONE. It is also important to appreciate that doctor Akoury is offering her exclusive NER Recovery Treatment to everyone including other physicians and health care professionals through training, clinical apprenticeships, webinars and seminars. Any qualified professional can now be a part of this truly successful and fast addiction recovery treatment. As you consider that opportunity, we will be discussing progressively the substance abuse counselor career training as a powerful tool of containing substance abuse. But in the meantime let us understand what substance abuse is as we progress into the discussion.

Substance abuse refers to the habitual use of a mind altering substance, whether it’s alcohol or drugs. Nonetheless we do appreciate that some drug users may find pockets of comfort from the substances they use, but this should not be taken to mean that such substances are good. The naked truth about drugs is that they are ultimately very harmful, it must also be noted that these substances are not only harmful to the users body, but can also cause serious damage to the soul. People who abuse substances like alcohol or drugs will often have their minds affected adversely with those substances to the point of being violent whenever they are under the influence of those substances.

Substance abuse counselor career training: Reasons why people abuse drugs
Experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center say that there can never be any good reason as to why people should use drugs let alone abusing them. Unfortunately, users of the drugs have a number of reasons why they abuse alcohol or drugs. Some of the reasons may be extremely powerful. Like for instance, some may abuse drugs or alcohol because they are looking for a way to escape from their realities while others may abuse alcohol or drugs because they’re trying to fit in with their peers. Doctor Akoury reaffirms that no matter the reason why people use drugs, there is a chance that they will become dependent upon them and that is when substance abuse counseling becomes very important. Substance abuse counseling is a type of counseling that can be used to help people overcome and conquer dependencies on substances, such as alcohol and drugs. Doctor Akoury says that in today society dealing with substance abuse is more important than ever because there are more and more drugs being created each and every day, not just in large cities, but also in smaller outlying suburbs. The boundaries of substance abuse have been dissolved, and no one is safe from its negative effects.

Substance abuse counselor career training: How do I become a substance abuse counselor?
This is where it all begins from. Education you’ve got to get some level of education and that is why substance abuse counselor training becomes necessary. Actually there are several educational paths that lead to rewarding careers within the field of Substance Abuse Counseling. Like for instance in most career fields, there is a correlation between the amount of education and training you accumulate which also translate to your earnings, autonomy and job responsibilities you will have once you start working. A Bachelor’s Degree, earned at the college or university level, is typically the first step for students who wish to acquire the skills and certification needed to counsel individuals with substance abuse problems. The most common major for students pursing substance abuse counseling is in Alcohol & Drug Abuse Studies or Addictions Counseling. After students build a strong foundation in counseling and the behavioral sciences (with a bachelor’s degree) they have an opportunity to focus their academic pursuits on a more specialized area of study. Completing graduate level coursework with a Master’s Degree, or a Doctorate (PhD) degree will provide students with the knowledge and skills required to become a licensed counselor and even to work in private practice if they so desire.

Certificate programs in Substance Abuse Counseling, Addiction Counseling or Drug & Alcohol Abuse Studies are also available to students and professionals who have either completed a major in a related field or who are currently pursuing their degree in the behavioral sciences, therapy or counseling. Certificate programs often meet the training and education requirements to become certified by the State Department of Health, but it is recommended that you verify the eligibility requirements of the state before enrolling in a program.

Substance abuse counselor career training: Why do we need substance abuse counselors?
We actually need these professionals around us to help us restore our lives back to normalcy. With the prevalence of drug use it must concerns us that it is not only the direct victims of addiction that suffers the consequences but the suffering extends even to their loved ones. This is because most addictive substances contribute to illnesses and the general breakdown of the human body. Besides that the direct victims may exhibit certain behavioral changes and become very violent at times. Such actions often lead to serious consequences like loss of employment, being rendered homeless, criminality, family discord and financial problems. If you look keenly at these outcomes of substances abuse, you realize that if the direct victim is having some dependence then they will all bear the burden of drug abuse even if it is not directly. That explains why we need substance abuse counselors to help in the prevention of the problems before they happen. Professionals in this field can help people overcome their addictions and start living a healthier life, complete with better choices.
Finally it is important to note that substance abuse counselor career training will not be helpful if we live in denial and restrain ourselves from seeking for help. This is a very serious problem and doctor Akoury is sending a passionate appeal to all of us to come out in good time since treatment is more effective and timely at the initial stages of addiction development.
Substance abuse counselor career training: What is substance abuse counseling?

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

Social skills training for the substance abusers

July 22, 2015

Social skills training for the substance abusers: Alcoholics and drug addict

Social skills training for the substance abusers is very instrumental in rehabilitating drug addicts.

The rate at which the prevalence of drug use is escalating is worrying that we can no longer keep quiet about it. The most valuable gift we can ever have is that of good health. If this virtue is under threat because of substance abuse, the all of us must pool together in finding lasting solutions. As an individual you can seek for social skills training for the substance abusers to make a difference in their lives by impacting knowledge of rehabilitation and treatment of this unhealthy condition. I know that this may not be very easy on many people since addiction is something many would not want to associate with. But the most important thing is that we lend a helping hand to drug addicts and all alcoholics. Doctor Dalal Akoury MD and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center are acknowledging that one common trait of many drug addicts and alcoholics are problems interacting with others in social situations. This is known as a lack of social skills. Sometimes this difficulty is what leads an individual into addiction in the first place. And some people have been addicted to substances for such a long time that it has affected their social development. Therefore if anyone is lucking social skills, then that calls for social skills training.

When opting for social skills training for an alcoholic or drug addict then these are some of the things that you must be ready to take the following into consideration: you must be ready to learn how to interact with friends, family members and even colleagues at work. You must also know how to interact in social situations especially when drugs and alcohol will be served or present and finally you must take a firm stand in declining any offer to use drug and alcohol in other words, you must be well armed with the refusal skills. That is to say when you say NO then it must remain that way irrespective of the prevailing circumstances. Doctor Akoury says that social skills training are closely associated with behavior therapy. Behavior therapy attempts to remove unwanted behaviors and replace them with desirable behaviors. It must be noted that for desired result, social skills training may not be very effective on its own but when combined with other cognitive behavioral therapy treatments, then its effectiveness can be realized. From the professional findings, it has been established that social skills training can significantly decrease the relapse rate for alcoholics and drug addicts.

Social skills training for the substance abusers: Interpersonal relationships and substance abuse

Social skills training can teach drug and alcohol addicts how to relate with coworkers, friends, and family in a variety of social settings. Clients will learn such skills as:

Listening as well as talking; that is, two-way communication
Empathy
Understanding unspoken clues such as body language
Assertiveness, and how not to be taken advantage of

Social skills training for the substance abusers: Social settings in addiction recovery

After addiction recovery is complete, drug and alcohol addicts still face a lifetime of social settings where drugs and alcohol may be present. Social skills training can teach clients better ways to deal with these situations. Different skills that can be taught are eye contact and small talk. Some people drink or take drugs to overcome their awkwardness in social settings. Learning the art of small talk can help a recovering addict get past this awkwardness without relapsing.

The recovering addict can choose to avoid social situations where there will be alcohol or drugs. However, this is not always possible. In that case, the recovering addict can also learn skills to avoid drinking in social situations where alcohol or drugs are present. These are called refusal skills. Refusal skills training are often conducted by role-playing in group therapy. This way, patients in recovery can get experience in saying no, which makes it easier to remember when the patient is in the social situation. The following are some of the refusal skills that may be applicable to drug addict or alcoholic:

No phrases to use
Strategies to deal with peer pressure
Practice saying no at home, before the social situation
Ask friends and family to help with saying no by supporting your resolve to make your No to be No and your Yes to be Yes.

Social skills training for the substance abusers: Where to Find Social Skills Training

When you have made up your mind to get the social skills trainings, it is important to appreciate that social skills training in many cases will take place in group therapy. When you are finally there, in many instances one or two therapists will work with a group of patients in recovery to teach social skills. Clients will be taken through practices of drink refusal skills by role playing with each other. They will also practice small talk and drink refusal skills. Besides that clients in recovery can also learn these social skills in individual therapy. This is less common, as the group model is important for role playing. Finally in the explanation given above in response to the question “where to find social skills training I want to urge that do all it takes to be on top of everything that is threatening to bring your life down. This may be quite a challenge to many and therefore I want to introduce to you the best way forward that will be simpler for you. Your struggle will be no more if only you can schedule for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury today for a much more lasting solution. It will interest you to know that on seeing the difficulties people were going through, Dr. Akoury made a decision to create a medical center whose main objective is to transform each individual’s life through increasing awareness about health and wellness and by empowering individuals to find their own inner healing power. Dr. Akoury’s practice focuses on personalized medicine through healthy lifestyle choices that deal with primary prevention and underlying causes instead of patching up symptoms. So stop going for symptom patching and come to the place of solutions right now.

Social skills training for the substance abusers: Alcoholics and drug addict

Tag Archives: Substance abuse