Assessing level of Addiction

July 7, 2014

Assessing level of Addiction-Teenage Drug Addiction

This is what drug addiction can do to you if you don’t take proper assessment of addiction from childhood,teenage and adulthood

It is the joy of every parent to have their children lives a life full of peace of mind, sobriety and social stability. These are powerful ingredients that we would all want to have in our children up-bringing. However many a times this is usually not the case because of the prevalence drugs and bad influences from all manner of technological devices we have today. Because of this real obstacles in the society we live in today, it is important that we from time to time take stock of our children’s developments in life and this will be the guiding factor in this article so that you and I get to know some tips which can help us to have our children escape the scourge of addiction of whatever nature. Therefore when you notice that any negative occurrence in your children, it must be followed by an immediate assessment to establish the problem. This is very necessary because any use of psychoactive drugs is harmful to their moods and mind affects their independence in making normal and caring judgment and perception this influences their decisions to be impulsive, irresponsible and potentially harmful to themselves and the society.

This then leads us to the question what are these harm? Let us consider the following risks which parents must take keen interest in especially when the children are going through the various stages of life like adolescent:

Victimization from violence
Accidental injury
School failure
Illegal activities
Sexual misadventures
Daring risk taking
Suicidal despondency
Drug and alcohol involvement

All these and many more are possible risk that we must be keen to eliminate and I would want to suggest that if you were to start the elimination in any particular order, then start with number 8 since this is the genesis of all others. Top of FormBottom of FormAdolescence is therefore the risk process during which young people are eager and motivated socially to explore the worldly experiences and substance use only increases these normal risks. A sober path through adolescence is the safest passage of all.

When parents have suspicion that their children are using substances, they need to identify the level of use with which they are dealing so they do not over or underestimate the seriousness of the experience. If you were to overestimate the seriousness you may panic over what could be just a one-time experimental use while on the other hand to underestimate the seriousness you may deny troubling signs of increasing dependency. What would then follow can only be described in the following level:

Assessing level of Addiction-Experimental use

This is motivated by curiosity and the teenage child only makes attempt to get the feeling and satisfy their curiosity. They can explain that they are only using drugs once in a while then you must make them know that that is not just in a while but such frequency of consumption is not just experimental but recreational. Experimental use is restricted to one or two times. Sometimes a teenager will experiment and find the experience of drug use not to be worth it and stop. This experimental use is not good and must be discouraged because the younger the age the less safe it is to the consumer. This can be dangerous to the brain of the teenager.

Young ones must take note that this is just gambling with once safety since there are not mechanisms on knowing how the brain/mind will react to the substance and cause injury to their wellbeing but subjecting themselves to unknown experiments whose results can be fatal.

Assessing level of Addiction-Recreational use

Teenagers who have made a routine in consuming their drugs are not experimenting but are recreational users. This group may be using drugs moderately meaning that such substance use does not cause any significant problem to them or others however they must be caution to take note of the content and remain within the regulated dose. Moderate means:

That use is intentional, not automatic.
It is a matter of choice it is not dictated by habit.
That the choice is independently made and not dependent on socially fitting in, going along, keeping up, or competing for most use.

Second the use is monitored. Monitored use means being gradual and so your teenager maintains sufficient awareness of the effects of use on mind and body to judge when they need to have no more. Substance use takes the alcohol user, for example, from a caring (sober) to a less caring (high) to a completely care-free (drunken) state. Recreational drinkers draw a line somewhere been a caring and non-caring condition that demarcates when enough has been consumed.

They want to use within the limits of maintaining contact with the values and judgments about personal behavior that normally matter to them. They don’t want to cross over the enough line into a significantly less caring or non-caring state where words can be spoken, decisions made, and actions taken that later sober reflection will cause them (or others) to regret. Recreational using means maintaining sufficient presence of mind to stop when one has had enough.

Assessing level of Addiction-Excessive Use

This happens in different ways, it sometimes happens accidentally or intentionally, a teenager will get extremely drunk and wasted. It’s important for parents to determine if the excess was accidental or intentional. Accidental excess comes as a surprise, and the effects can have a cautionary value. Thus a teenager, who never drank hard liquor before, drinks so much so fast he bypasses feeling drunk, passes out, and is rushed to the hospital which pumps his stomach out as part of their intervention to prevent alcoholic poisoning. Coming to, the teenager reflects on the fact that he almost killed himself by accidental excess and, when making the best of a bad situation, feels disinclined to drink that much that fast again.

Anytime you have a teenager who likes to drink to get drunk, you have a problem drinker on your hands. If he or she is running with a drink to get drunk crowd, do what you can to discourage that socializing. Using or drinking to deliberate excess is a common bridge to the next level, substance abuse.

Assessing level of Addiction-Abuse

Once a teenager descends into substance abuse, discipline problems get more frequent and serious at home, and academic motivation and performance typically decline at school.

The first sign of substance abuse are: A significant loss of caring about performance, values, reputation, and relationships that previously mattered. Now freedom from not caring has taken hold.

The second sign of drug abuse appears. Progressively bad decisions – educational, familial, and social – begin to be made. For example, school may be avoided, telling lies become more frequently told to parents, and problems with police may happen as laws are broken out in the community.

Unfortunately, a connection between the two signs of abuse can now occur. Lack of caring encourages bad decisions, and bad decisions are dismissed by lack of caring. Now lack of caring encourages more bad decisions. Most teenagers who reach the level of abuse do not self-correct without some outside help. Most parents cannot effectively play a role in this assistance without getting some outside help for themselves as well. Continued substance abuse can lead to addiction.

Assessing level of Addiction-Addiction

This is the most devastating of all levels it is at this point that young people become dependent on self- destructive substances to keep going. It is important that affected individuals work round the clock to free themselves from the two elements of addiction i.e. the first is psychological whose signs include among others denial, compulsion and escape. The second is physical dependence with signs like tolerance, craving and withdrawal.

The power of addiction is often misunderstood by many including parents. Nonetheless it is at this moment that seeking for help from experts and rehabs sets in and if you find yourself in this situation of addiction then self-help, twelve-step groups like Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous usually have a role in supporting sobriety and guiding recovery into a healthier drug-free life.

In general, where experimental, recreational, and accidental excess occurs, parents must maintain a productive and friendly two-way communication with their teenager to determine circumstances of use, choices made, effects experienced, risks taken, and what parents need to have happen now. Where intentional excess occurs, parents should get their teenager to a certified drug or alcohol counselor to assess risk of more serious substance involvement. Where abuse or addiction is evident, drug counseling or treatment is probably in order. Finally assessment alone may not be enough and so the need to seek an expert opinion on this problem of addiction. Dr. Dalal Akoury, Founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, is offering her exclusive NER Recovery Treatment to other physicians and health care professionals through training, clinical apprenticeships, webinars and seminars making her the best you can get anywhere in the globe.

Assessing level of Addiction-Teenage Drug Addiction

MDMA-Ecstasy and Molly

July 7, 2014

MDMA-Ecstasy and Molly-Drug Addiction

Ecstasy directs its primary effects in the brain on neurons that use the chemical serotonin to link with other neurons. Avoid drug addiction

Ecstasy (MDMA 3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is a synthetic, psychoactive drug chemically related to the stimulant methamphetamine and the hallucinogen mescaline with several street names given to it MDMA. Of the street names Ecstasy and Molly the most noticeable ones even though you will find other like E, XTC, X, Adam, hug, beans, clarity, lover’s speed, and love drug. It is an illegal drug which acts as both stimulant and psychedelic, generating an invigorating effect, as well as falsifications in time and perception and enhanced satisfaction from palpable experiences.

Ecstasy directs its primary effects in the brain on neurons that use the chemical serotonin to link with other neurons. The serotonin system plays an important role in regulating mood, aggression, sexual activity, sleep, and sensitivity to pain. Scientist has established that Ecstasy is neurotoxic and currently they are in the process of ascertaining whether or not e or not it is neurotic inhuman. They (Ecstasy and Molly) are slang terms for MDMA, which is the short form for 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, a name that’s nearly as long as the all-night merrymakings where MDMA is often used. And that explains why MDMA has been nicknamed a “club drug.” It has effects related to those of other stimulants, and it often makes the person feel like everyone around is their friend, even when that’s not the case.

We must appreciate that MDMA is produced artificially and does not come from vegetation’s like marijuana or tobacco do. Other chemicals or substances—such as caffeine, dextromethorphan (found in some cough syrups), amphetamines, PCP, or cocaine are sometimes added to, or substituted for, MDMA in Ecstasy or Molly tablets. Producers of MDMA can add anything they want to the drug making them impure and questionable.

Addictiveness of MDMA (Ecstasy or Molly)

Documented statistics according to 2012 NIDA survey over the past decade many young people have consistently avoided the use of these drugs and the decline has been very significant begging the question that is Ecstasy/Molly addictive? It must therefore be noted that just like any other drug MDMA can be addictive to some people. Why is this so? It is because many tend to continue the consumption of drugs in spite of the unpleasant feelings of physical side effects and social, behavioral and health penalties or consequences. It is normally not very practical to know the quantity of drugs one should take to make them vulnerable or to make a ruling that they are now becoming addicted to the substance however like any other substances where there could be indicators like the genes and the surrounding among other known factors MDMA acts in the same manner and so we can follow such indicators to tell whether one is falling prey to MDMA addiction.

Common Effects of MDMA (Ecstasy or Molly)

MDMA affects people differently however there could be some element of similarity as many people get MDMA hit lasting for between 3-6 hours from the moment the pill is taken.
It then takes just 15min for the substance to finds its way into the blood stream and finally to the brain.
In about another 45minutes the consumer will experience the MDMA high and that is normally when it is said that the drug is at its peak.
Some users of MDMA occasionally feel alert and attentive in the beginning.
Some lose a sense of time and experience other changes in perception, such as an enhanced sense of touch.
Others experience negative effects right away. They may become anxious and agitated. Sweating or chills may occur, and people may feel faint or dizzy.
MDMA can also cause muscle tension, nausea, blurred vision, and increased heart rate and blood pressure.
Forceful clenching of the teeth can occur, and individuals at clubs have been known to chew on pacifiers to relieve some of the tension.

But it doesn’t stop there. Even if a person takes only one pill, the side effects of MDMA including feelings of sadness, anxiety, depression, and memory difficulties can last for several days to a week or even longer in people who use MDMA regularly.

Demerits of Using MDMA (Ecstasy or Molly)

Users of MDMA can become dehydrated through vigorous activity in a hot environment.
When MDMA interferes with the body’s ability to regulate its temperature, it can cause dangerous overheating, called hyperthermia the effects of this may result in serious heart and kidney problems or rarely death.
MDMA can be tremendously dangerous in high doses or when numerous small doses are taken within a short time spun to maintain the high.
High levels of the drug in the blood stream can increase the risk of seizures and affect the heart’s ability to maintain its normal rhythms.

Long-Term Effects of Using MDMA (Ecstasy or Molly)

It is still not very clear whether MDAM causes long-term brain damage in humans or whether the effects are reversible when someone stops using the drug. However a study of animals showed that exposure to high doses of MDMA for about 4 days produced brain damage which can be visible up to 6 or even 7 years after usage.

The good news is that the researchers found that some of the nerve fibers grew back in the same places. But, then again it is still not very clear if these new neurons work like the old ones. It’s like cutting off a branch of a fruit tree: The tree is still alive and can sprout a new limb near the site of the cut, but it may not bear as much fruit as the old one.

Risks caused to the Brain by MDMA (Ecstasy or Molly) Use

The brain as the nerve center receives signals through the nerve cells also known as neurons. Studies suggest that MDMA may affect neurons that use serotonin to communicate with other neurons.
The serotonin system plays a direct role in regulating our mood, aggression, sexual activity, sleep, and sensitivity to pain.
Lastly and this is discouraging researchers have seen memory loss among regular users of MDMA.

Looking at some of the possible risks involve you would definitely want to be on the safe side of life. Imagine memory loss I know for sure this is not what you want in your life and I want to lead to into the path of help and comfortable life. Talking to Dr. Dalal Akoury who is the founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center would be the starting point. She is one professional with vast experience that runs into decades and together with her team of experts she has been offering exclusive NER Recovery Treatment to everyone globally and you are just in time for the much needed help. Like I have said doctor Akoury is there to help all PEOPLE of all disciplines be they physicians, health care professionals or any other you are all welcome to be part of this truly successful and fast addiction recovery treatment.

MDMA-Ecstasy and Molly-Drug Addiction

Understanding Addiction Therapy

July 6, 2014

Psychotherapy for Addiction

It is well known that therapy examines the patterns and rituals of the person who has the addiction beside his or her addiction history, usually beginning at a juvenile or youthful age. Psychotherapy also treats any substance abuse or an addiction that a person may have encountered as child or adolescent and aids a person make any association to his or her temporary behaviors. Mostly in therapy, a person learns to recognize his or her trigger and danger zones that can add to a trend to want to reiterate past behaviors. Such treatment may also discover a person’s automatic negative thoughts, so that he or she can learn to stop unnecessary thought patterns that donate to detrimental behaviors. It is vital that an individual seek management and healing from a skilled therapist or counselor that has received training specifically in their area of addiction and who has also worked with individuals in the past that have had a triumphant recuperation plan.

Counselor or therapist may also consist of contracting with the person to take part in a weekly support group, initiate an accountability loop that will involve at least two other people recuperating from such addiction, find a. adviser, or sponsor who they meet with several times a month, and/or read suggested or recommended books amid sittings or sessions to advance their approach of their situation or circumstance.

It is widely recognized that therapy examines the prototypes and habit of the personality who has the addiction alongside his or her addiction record, typically beginning at a youthful or juvenile age. Therapy also take care of any stuff abuse or an addiction that a person may have come across as minor or adolescent and aids one to make any connection to his or her brief or short behaviors. Habitually in therapy, a person learns how to distinguish his or her trigger and danger areas that can include a tendency to want to repeat past behaviors. Such like action may also realize a person’s habitual negative feelings or views, so that he or she can gain knowledge of to stop unnecessary thought patterns that contribute to harmful behaviors. It is essential and critical that a person seek management and healing from a expert and accomplished therapist or counselor that has received education exclusively and particularly in their area of addiction and who has also worked with persons in the past that have had a successful or victorious recovery plan.

addiction

The outcome of substance abuse can be major or important; nevertheless, with the accurate and correct addiction recovery therapy program, it is achievable to lead a strong, vigorous and healthy life. Substance abuse like drug and alcohol can take a weighty and insignificant toll on every phase or aspect of one’s life. It can cause strain in various relationship that can include family relationships, friend and can crash your wellbeing or health. According to the stuff Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, there were a whooping five million and over visits to the emergency room in the year 2011 related to drug exploit. Roughly half of the visits made were connected with the abuse or mishandling of drugs.

What stage is the therapy needed?

Most of these victims of addiction frequently misguidedly think that they can overcome their addictions by themselves. In realism, drug addiction can be pretty difficult. Whereas our loved ones may really have a strong craving or yearning to quit, fruitfully recovering from addiction like drug or alcohol calls for specialized help. Still even the strongest person with the will to stop may find it tricky or hard to triumph over addiction without the aid of an addiction recovery plan. This will be because addictions like for drugs and alcohol in reality adjust or alters the way the brain works or functions. The elements contained in such thing s like drugs and alcohol generate changes in the brain that can actually cultivate substance abuse on an uncontrollable level. In case your loved ones or even yourself have tried to quit in vain or fruitlessly in the past, it is significant to recognize that it is possible to get better, and help is on hand and accessible.

addiction therapy

Acknowledging that your loved ones or even you may need addiction treatment or therapy can be hard and tricky at times, so the first step to really getting better is for one to come out and admit they have a problem. According to the National Council on Drug Dependence and Alcoholism, Inc., signs of dependency may comprise of mood swings, behavioral change, and social withdrawals among others. In case you notice any of these symptoms of addiction of any kind listed above in family member, a friend even your own self, then it’s time to look out for professional addiction therapy. Get hold of a professional help as it will be vital to addiction recovery. If anyone you know one is presently battling with any kind of addiction then do not wait for long before seeking help from a well qualified therapist.

Psychotherapy for Addiction

Abstinence and Self-Help for Addiction

July 4, 2014

Abstinence and self-help for addiction – Drug Addiction

Fighting addiction is an effort fought from all points abstinence and self-help can be useful in containing addiction

Drug addiction has been for a long time been an element of life frustration globally. The frustration is compounded with the fact that this problem can affect everybody in total disregard of status or otherwise. It is true that several studies have been conducted in an effort to finding lasting solutions to this problem with some successes being achieved. However in this article I will be discussing some of the things you can do as an individual privately or publicly as your own contribution in fighting the scourge of addiction in our societies. As an individual you can choose to practice abstinence as a means of containing addiction. What is then this element abstinence?

Abstinence would mean that an individual make an absolute and willing decision to renounce all kinds of activities and elements which are known to be harmful and addictive. Taking this decision will require taking bold steps and making certain sacrifices to abscond the consumption of certain substances and shunning areas where such products are likely to be used and purposely choosing a healthier lifestyle. To illustrate this, an individual may choose to avoid places where smocking is wide spread. Various institutions and governments have in the recent past bun cigarette smoking in certain areas which has positively impacted on many people choosing to abstain from smoking. On the other hand, if alcohol is the problem then keeping distance to alcohol selling joints and all social gatherings where alcohol will be served. If you are invited then you decline the invitation.

The practice of abstinence is open for everybody but most importantly to those individuals with confirmed addictive personality for example if one is using caffeine and decides to remove all inducement. The decision could also be guided by the fact that taking on a substance can lead to using another like smoking and drinking all at the same time.

One may choose to abstain not because they are at any risk of being addicted to the substance but just by making observation on the surrounding. Having seen people suffering from drug addiction before may necessitate one opting for absolute abstinence to avoid the same experience.

Abstinence and self-help for addiction – How do you abstain?

Abstinence is not all that easy to everyone, it will take great effort, commitment, self-control and will power to achieve this because it entails strict engagement only in positive attitude and being bold enough to say NO if and when offered anything of addictive nature like alcohol or cigarette. It also entails inventing positive and healthy ways of dealing with issues related to stress and other associated problems in life. This is particularly important to those people who have not been in any sort of drug addiction before.

If one is already addicted to a substance the for abstinence to be effective then the individual must appreciate the effects of withdrawal symptoms of their addiction and embrace a coping approach to include how they will deal with these if and when they come. This will involve making several alterations like creating a new set of friends and only choosing to socialize with people who will not influence negative temptations resorting to relapse.

Joining a support group and learning new hobbies and activities also help in abstinence. When in the group, it is important that you share freely with your group therapist and they will advise you on the possible ways of medication to help with withdrawal and details of support groups in your location.

Abstinence and self-help for addiction – Self-Help

This is another possible method of preventing an addiction in once life and the society and it is a phrase used to define a range of treatments which people look for and administer for them as well as from professional help. The sources of this treatment information may include books, DVDs, courses, self-help groups, hypnotherapy and stress management. The objective of using this is that the addict will learn values of defeating addiction in their live.

Self-help is becoming a popular area in the general public because many people appreciate personal development and are looking at various ways of doing so. This gives them the feeling that they can improve certain aspect of their lives for example confidence building and will employ any number of ways of doing so. Normally self-help is a service provided by qualified professionals and therapists.

Abstinence and self-help for addiction – Self-help for addiction

We have a variety of products available to effectively help in self-help for addiction some of which may include:

Hypnotherapy: this is normally started with a therapist to start with before being undertaken at home. It can involve using a CD or DVD to help relax your state of mind and clarify the way you think.
Self-help groups: today we have so many groups for every type of addiction, for example Alcoholics Anonymous, and they are comprised of people who have similar experiences. Addicts can freely share their addiction empathies with others.
A good confidence boost: you have the support and understanding of others in the same position as yourself.
Positive thinking: a way of thinking about the good things in your life and not dwell on the negative aspects. Surround yourself with confident, upbeat people and their optimism will rub off on you. These are the type of people who will want you to beat your addiction. Also known as ‘positive mental attitude’.
Relaxation and deep breathing: deep breathing and relaxation techniques can be a useful way of overcoming any cravings you may experience. Use them as a way of distracting yourself if a craving arises and it will soon pass.
Stress management: stress is a problem for many of us and is often the trigger for many addictions. Try and find a form of stress release which is healthy and good for you. These can include a relaxing walk, reading a book, listening to music or having to a massage.

Finally there are so many types of self-help products and a collection of abstinence methods and they will be helpful to people differently and so it is important that you look through carefully to find the one that is right for you. Doing this may not necessarily mean that you will be fine on your own, you will still need the professional touch from the experts like Dr. Dalal Akoury who is the Founder and chief executive office of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center a facility offering exclusive NER Recovery Treatment to other physicians and health care professionals through training, clinical apprenticeships, webinars and seminars all in equal measure. All qualified professional and the general members of the society are free and can now be a part of this truly successful and fast addiction recovery treatment.

Abstinence and self-help for addiction – Drug Addiction

Substance Abuse and Addiction

July 2, 2014

Substance Abuse and Addiction- Alcohol the most Abused drug

Substance abuse and addiction are not friendly to anyone but the good news is whatever drug you are addicted to be it alcohol there is hope of recovery

In your neighborhood probably there is a bar or just any place ware legal is sold and you will confess that in those places there are individuals who will never miss visiting those joints not even for one day. These are the people I want to talk about in this article. Moderate alcohol consumption may not be that bad health wise and in fact can be soothing and relaxing. However when consumed disorderly alcohol can be poisonous and injurious to human life in many ways which includes traffic accidents, homicides, suicide and rape, alcohol abuse also has adverse effects on social and domestic life ranging from absconding employment duties, spousal and child abuse and even crime.

Those who take alcohol are likely experience changes in their bodies immediately as mood changes to complete loss of coordination, vision, balance, and speech these changes can be attributed to acute intoxication or just drunkenness. It is important for the public to know that the authorities regard a rate of 0.08% of alcohol in the bloodstream as evidence of intoxication. If the rate becomes more in the blood then this can impair brain function and eventually cause unconsciousness but an extreme overdose is serious alcohol poisoning and can be fatal.

Substance Abuse and Addiction- Understanding Alcohol Abuse

Chronic alcoholism is a potentially fatal disease characterized by continuous craving for amplified tolerance of physical dependence upon and loss of control over alcohol consumption. The physical dependence on alcohol differs with individual consumer with some chronic alcoholics get very drunk and others exercise enough control to give the appearance of coping with everyday affairs in a near-normal way. However, alcoholism can lead to a number of physical ailments, including hypoglycemia, high blood pressure, brain and heart damage, end-stage liver damage, enlarged blood vessels in the skin, pneumonia, tuberculosis, chronic gastritis, and recurrent pancreatitis.

The consequences of alcoholism may include: impotence in men, damage to the fetus in pregnant women, and an elevated risk of cancer of the larynx, esophagus, liver, breast, stomach, pancreas, and upper gastrointestinal tract. And also because alcoholics rarely have proper diets, they are at a high risk of being malnourish. Nevertheless high level consumers will have impaired liver function with one in five developing cirrhosis.

Symptoms of Alcohol Abuse

If you have to take good precaution to be free from being an alcoholic, you must know the signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse and the following are just but a few:

Short-term blackouts or memory loss.
Repeated arguments or fights with family members or friends as well as irritability, depression, or mood swings.
Continuing use of alcohol to relax, to cheer up, to sleep, to deal with problems, or to feel “normal.”
Headache, anxiety, insomnia, nausea, or other unpleasant symptoms when you stop drinking.
Flushed skin and broken capillaries on the face; a husky voice; trembling hands; bloody or black/tarry stools or vomiting blood; chronic diarrhea; and drinking alone, in the mornings, or in secret; these symptoms are specifically associated with alcoholism.

Keep in mind that alcohol abuse is different from alcohol dependence.

With abuse, a person uses alcohol in excess but may not have regular cravings, a need to use daily, or withdrawal symptoms during sudden stoppage. The person may often have heavy alcohol binge episodes separated by periods of not drinking.
If a person is dependent on alcohol, he or she needs to drink regularly or even daily and drink more and more to get the same effects. The person also experiences withdrawal symptoms if he or she stops drinking and wants to quit drinking alcohol but can’t.

Substance Abuse and Addiction- Treatments for Alcoholism

The ultimate objective of treatment for alcoholism is abstinence. Among alcoholics with otherwise good health, social support, and motivation, the chances of regaining is good. About 50% to 60% remain abstinent at the end of a year’s treatment and a majority of those break dry permanently. However those with poor social support, poor motivation, or psychiatric disorders have a tendency to relapse within a few years of treatment. For these people, success is measured by longer periods of abstinence, reduced use of alcohol, better health, and improved social functioning.

Substance Abuse and Addiction- Conventional Medicine for Alcoholism

Treatment for alcoholism can begin only when the alcoholic accepts that the problem exists and agrees to stop drinking. They will have to understand that alcoholism is treatable and must desire to change and to diligently follow the three treatment procedures:

Detoxification (detox): This may be needed immediately after stopping alcohol use and can be a medical emergency, as detox can result in withdrawal seizures, hallucinations, delirium tremens (DT), and in some cases may result in death.
Rehabilitation: This involves counseling and medications to give the recovering alcoholic the skills needed for maintaining sobriety. This step in treatment can be done inpatient or outpatient. Both are equally effective.
Maintenance of sobriety: This step’s success requires an alcoholic to be self-driven. The key to maintenance is support, which often includes regular Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings and getting a sponsor.

Because detoxification does not stop the craving for alcohol, recovery is often difficult to maintain. For a person in an early stage of alcoholism, discontinuing alcohol use may result in some withdrawal symptoms, including anxiety and poor sleep. Withdrawal from long-term dependence may bring the uncontrollable shaking, spasms, panic, and hallucinations of DTs. If not treated professionally, people with DTs have a mortality rate of more than 10%, so detoxification from late-stage alcoholism should be attempted under the care of an experienced doctor and may require a brief inpatient stay at a hospital or treatment center.

Treatment may involve one or more medications. Benzodiazepines are anti-anxiety drugs used to treat withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety and poor sleep and to prevent seizures and delirium. These are the most frequently used medications during the detox phase, at which time they are usually tapered and then discontinued. They must be used with care, since they may be addictive.

There are several medicines used to help people in recovery from alcoholism maintain abstinence and sobriety. One drug, disulfiram may be used once the detox phase is complete and the person is abstinent. It interferes with alcohol metabolism so that drinking a small amount will cause nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, confusion, and breathing difficulty. This medication is most appropriate for alcoholics who are highly motivated to stop drinking or whose medication use is supervised, because the drug does not affect the motivation to drink. Our job is to help you get better and be free from any form of addiction and that is why at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center Doctor Akoury who is the founder is offering a focused Neuroendocrine Restoration (NER) treatment with the sole intension to reinstate normality through realization of the oneness of Spirit, Mind, and Body, Unifying the threesome into ONE when this is done you will not only have a testimony but life a productive and happy life free from addiction.

Substance Abuse and Addiction- Alcohol the most Abused drug

Tag Archives: Substance abuse