Drug Addiction at work place

June 8, 2014

Drug Addiction at work place-Dangers discussed

Addiction does not spear people in the employment either

In the beginning when God first created man he planned and put everything in place for man to be comfortable in the first Garden of Eden. Man was to live like a king with plenty around him all he needed to do was to manage and care for what had been given to him. This is not so in today’s life where one has to work to earn a living. Ironically the most of the work we do are not our own we work in other people establishments be it the public sector or the private sector, in other words we are employees of somebody.

Drug Addiction at work place-Statistics of addiction

There are various challenges we go through at various work places ranging from positive to negative challenges. It is in this respect that we want to discuss one of the most challenging occurrences at work place in today’s society. Dear readers remain in the link because we want to talk about drug addiction at our work stations or places. But before we embark on this journey let us look at some of the statistics according to the American Council for Drug Education. According to this body sixty percent of the world’s illegal drugs are consumed by American drug users. Two million Americans use heroin, six million use cocaine, 18 million have alcohol abuse problems and an estimated 23 million people use marijuana at least four times in a week interesting.

Of all drug users, 74.8 percent are employed and active in the workplace. This means that 12.9 million individuals actively use drugs in the workforce, according to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA). Using drugs impairs decision-making abilities as well as physically impairs people. This is a deadly concoction when on the job. In fact, between 10 and 20 percent of American workers who die at work have a positive result when tested for drugs or alcohol a study by OSHA states that the most dangerous occupations, such as mining and construction, also have the highest rates of drug use by their employees.

Drug Addiction at work place-Addiction causes financial losses

With that background of addiction and statistics you will notice that addiction is not just a problem of the less fortunate in the society or illiterate individuals but a problem for all people alike. When employees abuse drugs at their work stations or elsewhere they cause their employers great losses and by extension the national treasurer’s kitty. The kinds of losses employers’ incur are not just monetary but also on the best performing work force. Such employees are said to be poor quality employees because of some of the following:

They have poor work performance and are not reliable in their deliverables.
They are never at work place in time and lose a lot of production hours in the process.
Because of the risk associated with drug addiction they tend to involve in accidents and filing workers compensation claims and benefits which pull down the organization profitability.

Drug Addiction at work place-Prevention of drug addiction at work place

The organization must put testing mechanism for employees at the point of admission.
The testing program should be continuous and must be known to the employees that the organization will be doing this say twice every year. Offenders of drugs addiction will be punished according to the company’s regulations.
Employers must also put systems in place that work toward staff motivation a well-motivated employee may not have the time to indulge in drugs.
The work place must be free from accident risk factors, for example efforts should be made to ensure that floors are not sleeper at all cost.
Financial systems must be in place to ensure that cash is not used in making payments. Other non-cash payments methods should be adopted to discourage theft of cash for the purpose of purchase of drugs.
Luck of knowledge is a serious threat to well-being of employees therefore periodic staff training on drug addiction prevention and treatment would be necessary in an organization.

The cost of maintaining an addicted employee would be too costly than implementing the preventive measures. When proper preventive measures are in then they provide a safer environment for employers as well as increase the productivity of existing employees, which boosts revenue and profit margin.

Drug Addiction at work place-How to know if someone is abusing Drugs

Drugs affect people differently and keen measures must be in place to ensure that signs of common illnesses are not confused with addiction.
Employees who frequently have accidents, exhibit erratic behavior, and have dilated pupils or slurred speech may be exhibiting signs of intoxication.
Extreme mood swings, paranoia, glassy eyes and noticeable exhaustion are also signs of drug abuse.
Frequent absenteeism is another sign of drug use.

Drug Addiction at work place-What to Do if You Suspect Someone Is Using Illegal Substances

If you feel that someone in your workplace is using illegal substances you must report this to your superiors immediately e.g. manager, supervisor, a security officer or human resource officer.
You can do this privately or outside of work if it makes you more comfortable.
Never feel that you are risking a coworker’s job by reporting doing this is the biggest reason that employees withhold their suspicious, and this is a deadly mistake.
By not telling someone, you are contributing to the likelihood that an accident will occur.
Reporting your suspicions could also force the addict to seek treatment.

Finally we need everybody on board in the fight of drug addiction at work place to effectively do this we will need the involvement of experience experts like Dr. Dalal Akoury who is also the founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center. The opinion of such professionals is very important as they will help your employees stay away from drugs. Doctor Dalal and her team of experts will help your employees realize their lives back by offering then exclusive NER Recovery Treatment which will ensure that your productivity is restored and profit margins increased when you finally have a sober work force.

Drug Addiction at work place-Dangers discussed

Social use or an Addiction

June 5, 2014

Social use or an Addiction-Drug Addiction

whether you take drugs for social reasons or otherwise drug addiction is real and treatment must follow immediately.

We have been talking about addiction and its effects not just in articles posted online but also in many different forums across the globe. The intensive discussion about this topic is a clear indication that it is no one’s cup of tea. Ironically some of the suspect drugs are not just legally accepted by different authorities but a great source of revenue for major economies. Take for example of alcohol which is believed to be the leading abuse drug globally is used immensely for social purposes and at the same time it is addictive and its addiction is very injurious not just to the alcoholic but to the greater society in many ways, begging the question are drugs for social use or an addiction? It can be difficult deciding between something (drug) which is used on a casual basis or has become an addiction. As difficult as it may be when you look and evaluate the merits of drug use and the demerits, the demerits outnumber the merits greatly.

Social use or an Addiction-A glass of wine or two

There is an old saying that ‘everything in moderation’ still holds true and it is the case that a small amount of something, for example alcohol or a couple of cups of coffee per week is not likely to cause any harm. In fact it may do you some good. One example of this is red wine which is considered to be good for your heart and health in general. Taking this further, there is the case of the ‘French Paradox’. This expression arose from a research study carried out in 1992 which reported upon the fact that the French diet was high in fats yet they had a relatively low rate of heart disease.

Social use or an Addiction-A cup or several cups of coffee a day

Caffeine is another substance which is fine in small amounts but not if taken to excess. It is a stimulant enjoyed by many people who like the fact that it acts as a ‘pick me up’ especially first thing in the morning! But excessive amounts of coffee will have a negative effect on your health. We have discussed in details the effects of caffeine addiction in our earlier posting. A cup of coffee again is used quite often in social places and for social objective however as started in the earlier posting if used excessively then it is addictive and can cause addiction.

Social use or an Addiction-Nicotine and other drug use

Smoking and drugs in general are not considered good for your health irrespective of the dose.

The dangers of smoking are well documented in fact all adverts of cigarette globally are mandatory required to publicly inform the ultimate smoker of the dangers associated with its smoking and its addictiveness and yet nicotine addiction is very difficult to break despite all these information and restrictions aligned to it. Many smokers argue that it helps them to relax justifying the social aspect of its use yet the long term problems associated with it cannot be ignored.

Drugs such as cannabis or cocaine may ‘help’ it consumer in terms of an instant ‘high’ and an escape from reality but they are highly the bottom line is that irrespective of the insignificant social benefits they are addictive and dangerous to your health.

Social use or an Addiction-Performance enhancing drugs

What about substances such as anabolic steroids or other performance enhancing drugs which are taken for purposes of increasing muscularity or athletic performance?

If for instance someone does not use these drugs regularly will it be okay to brand such persons addicts? We know that these drugs have side effects and in some cases, are fatal yet people still and willingly continue to take them. A new trend has recently appeared in which women use drugs such as testosterone in order to boost their assertiveness and confidence at work in the hope of furthering their career. Anyway testosterone is a male hormone which is responsible for muscle mass, lower body fat levels, sex drive, confidence and assertiveness.

This can be tempting to women who are trying to reach the top-the boardroom in male-dominated jobs.

Social use or an Addiction-At what point does casual use turn into an addiction?

If you use a substance on a social basis, are in control and don’t need it to function as a normal human being then it is safe to say you are not addicted. But if you need a particular substance to satisfy cravings, prevent unpleasant withdrawal symptoms or as a means of coping with daily life then you need help.

It is often the case that an addiction develops from casual use. It may be that you have strong enough willpower to stop your addiction but this is easier said than done. Some drugs such as cocaine, heroin or amphetamines are highly addictive and can lead to an addiction the first time they are used even if in small quantity. They are dangerous as well as powerful and it takes more than willpower to stop taking them. The first step is realizing that you have a problem of addiction and then seeking treatment for it.

Finally we may not have the opportunity to put in writing all the social usage of drugs but keep note must be taken when comparing the social benefits and addiction, the open truth is that these drugs are addictive and can cause addiction in no time. Because of their addictive nature Dr. Dalal Akoury, has in the past decades working on the best addiction treatment and she in line with this need Founded of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, at this facility she is offering her exclusive NER Recovery Treatment to all people irrespective of their background. Among the beneficiaries here are physicians and health care professionals. Doctor Akoury is passing her experience to people through training, clinical apprenticeships, webinars and seminars. Everybody is welcomed to be a part of this truly successful and fast addiction recovery treatment.

Social use or an Addiction-Drug Addiction

Who is addicted to drugs

June 4, 2014

Who is addicted to drugs-Addiction Discussed?

It matters most who is addicted to drugs. Today even very young people are addicts

Everyone would want to be free to enjoy all that life can offer without any unjust limits put to them. This is a worthy desire and failure to grant it would only mean that there is a problem somewhere that needs to be solved for people to live and enjoy life to the fullest. Those problems or hindrances can be physical, emotional or mental. One of those life hindrances is addiction. It can come in so many ways but the bottom line is that when it is present the addicted person and the people around him or her are not happy and so the full life enjoyment is affected. We want to understand this problem by discussing and answering the question who is addicted to drugs.

Many people suffering from addiction are always in self-denial making it difficult to help them and so the most important thing is that of recognizing you have an addiction. How then to you get to know that you are addicted to something? Having an addiction means that you are controlled by your need for a particular substance to satisfy cravings and prevent withdrawal symptoms. When things have got to the point that you are unable to get through the day without for example a drink, a cigarette then you have a problem.

Addiction is not about the quantity of drugs you take, it is not about the amount of cigarettes you smoke, the number of drinks you have it is to do with the effects of taking a particular substance. Basically, if your addiction is the focus of your life then you need to seek treatment.

Who is addicted to drugs-Is dependency the same as an addiction?

Differentiating these two is very tricky as some people see the two terminologies as interchangeable whereas others argue that they are separate conditions.

Addiction occurs when something you do on a casual basis becomes a habit which you are unable to break. So if you enjoy going out for a few drinks a couple of nights in the week but this becomes every night then it can be said that you have developed an addiction.

Dependency then occurs if you feel unable to cope without access to a substance or if you suffer from withdrawal symptoms if you do. This is often the case if your addiction has been present for a long period of time.

Some experts argue that you can be dependent on a substance without becoming an addict. But can one become an addict without having a dependency? This can be confusing sometimes, one explanation is that someone can be taking a prescription drug for a long period of time and have developed a dependency on that drug. In this situation they have been taking a legitimate drug but their body has adapted to the dosage and requires higher doses in order to achieve the same effect. But they do not achieve a ‘high’ or a feeling of elation (‘buzz’) or any other extreme reaction.

Dependency can occur with other activities such as shopping, internet use, chocolate, food, gambling etc. Nonetheless if these are withdrawn then the person concerned doesn’t experience any physical withdrawal symptoms. They might feel peeved or frustrated – for example not being able to indulge their taste for retail therapy, but it will not affect their health.

However, an addiction causes physical and psychological changes in the body and removing the source of this or going without results in withdrawal symptoms such as the shakes, nausea, insomnia, irritability and paranoia. Examples of this include cigarettes, drugs and alcohol. Another aspect is that many people consider an ‘addiction’ to be more severe than dependency. Many people have a mental image of a ‘drug addict’ as someone who leads a sordid lifestyle, injecting themselves with drugs and generally, at rock bottom. They are often seen as a hopeless case and less worthy of help than someone with a dependency.

Who is addicted to drugs-Addiction v dependency?

If you are still confused between the two then consider this:

Do you need that substance to relieve pain due to a chronic illness or injury, e.g. painkillers, prescription drugs etc. This will enable you to function as normal but without any changes in mood or behavior. Or
Do you experience physical and mental cravings for that substance which you know will give you a ‘buzz?’ This substance will satisfy your cravings and give you that feeling of euphoria that you cannot do without.

If you considered the first then you could be said to have a dependency. But if you answered the second then you may have an addiction. If you are still wondering then have a look at some of the possible signs of addiction to help you have our question who is addicted answered

Who is addicted to drugs-Signs of addiction?

Reduced or loss of appetite
Weight loss
Headaches
Dry mouth
Nausea and/or vomiting
Tiredness
Insomnia
Mood swings
Anger
Irritability and frustration
Lack of patience with one’s self and others
Lack of concentration
Paranoia
Neglecting your appearance/poor personal hygiene

These are physical and mental signs of an addiction however there are also social changes to consider such as withdrawing from other people, lack of interest in what they do, not wanting to socialize or mixing with people who you might have considered ‘undesirable’ before now.

If you find that you are spending vast amounts of money on your addiction or other people consider you to have become unreliable or untrustworthy then this also indicates a problem.

Have your colleagues at work noticed a difference in you? Is timekeeping a problem? Do you find that you have trouble concentrating at work or are bad tempered or moody?

Finally, do you feel you are losing control? It is often the case that friends or family members will tell you if they think you have an addiction rather than you recognizing this for yourself. But it is important for you to admit that you have a problem and want to give up. This will be difficult but the first and most important step in the treatment process is realizing that you are an addict – whether that is caffeine, tobacco, alcohol or ‘soft/hard’ drugs. With the first step taken the second will be for the expert to take over and at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under Doctor Akoury’s care you will meet not just expert but caring ones who will focus on Neuroendocrine Restoration (NER) to reinstate normality through realization of the oneness of Spirit, Mind, and Body, Unifying the threesome into ONE

Who is addicted to drugs-Addiction Discussed?

Drug Addiction Crime or Disease , Drug Addiction and Crime

June 1, 2014

Addiction and Crime- Drug Addiction Crime or disease

Rape is a crime very much associated with drug addiction people under the influence of drugs are mainly rapist

Discussing this topic can be very tricky owing to the kinds of legal systems we have in different counties. Drug addiction crime or disease the relationship between addiction and crime is very complex and is believed to be very provocative because the law says that law breakers must be brought to book and face the full force of the law in a court of law. Because addiction is a condition that is treatable it becomes difficult to marry the two. While it is true that many addicts engage in criminal activities to finance their habit but there also some many people who are just addicted to the criminal act itself, drug addiction crime or disease is a continuous debate. So we have people who wouldn’t ordinarily commit crime but have only turned to it out of an act of desperation and then there are those people who have already committed crime and then use this to fund their habit bringing us to the question should we punish or offer treatment?

The question is: do we punish people who commit crime to fund their addiction by locking them up in the prisons or do we help them by sending them into rehabilitation centers for treatment? drug addiction crime or disease this is a subject of debate and people will debate on it differently. Some will the option of offering treatment to the drug addicts as going soft on criminals and for sure they have very good justification to think so however there is a difference between the two and if treatment helps them to kick their bad habit and prevent re-offending the society then it has to be considered as an option.

The grieving society may feel that people who have committed criminal offences be made to pay for their crime irrespective of whether they were under the influence of drugs at the time of crime or not but medically people who have committed crimes in order to pay for their addiction may surely benefit more from help and administered treatment rather than having then locked up in the prisons. The challenge or problem with prison is that while these offenders are confined in it is believed that they should not have any access to the drugs but many at times this is not the case, drugs can be accessed in prison through corrupted officers who smuggle in drugs to the prisoners whilst they are confined which means that they are able to continue with their bad addictive habit. This can only means that they are unlikely to stop their addiction and will likely re-offend once they leave prison after serving their team.

The costs of dealing with this are prohibitively expensive so a better option may be to treat addicts rather than punishing them. There is evidence to show that addicts are less likely to re-offend if they receive proper treatment from addiction experts like doctor Dalal Akoury who is also the founder AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center offering addiction treatment.

Drug Addiction Crime or Disease , Addiction and Crime Legalize drugs

Drug dealing is big business not just in your country but around the world. There are organized drug cartels in many countries that use the proceeds of this to fund criminal activity which means that there is an ongoing battle between them and the authorities which is likely to continue, drug addiction crime or disease is certainly a medical and legal dilemma.

One idea put forward is that of legalizing drugs. Supporters of this argue that it would reduce crime especially drug-dealing as addicts wouldn’t have to resort to criminal behavior to fund their habit. The costs of drugs could be controlled and set a rate which addicts could afford without having to steal in order to do so. Plus these drugs could be taxed and the revenue from these used to fund drug rehabilitation treatment.

There is also the possibility that doing this will lessen the attraction. Many of us enjoy something which is considered to be ‘forbidden fruit’ and part of that attraction is the knowledge that what we are doing has an element of risk.

However, opponents of this claim that it would lead to many more addicts, which would place an extra burden on taxpayers, the authorities and the State as a whole.

What do you do with people who are addicted to committing an offence? They may or may not be addicted to drugs but they still have an addiction, which in this case is to crime. There is no easy answer to this and work is still being undertaken into how this might be solved. The questions raised are very pertinent and cannot just be ignored because it is always said that prevention is better than cure. You do not willfully create a problem because you have the mechanisms of solving it, drug addiction crime or disease will continue to be a hard debate.

Drug Addiction Crime or disease , Addiction and Crime Prevention measures

It has been suggested that unless we can change human nature itself then crime will always be with us. Crime is normally first propagated in the mind before it’s execution and so the wellness of the mind is a perfect remedy for everyone. While we appreciate that drug addiction is well connected with crime, the two can be separated and each is dealt with individually. It will be an uphill task for the authority to ensure that drug barons are arrested because many of them are always walking free while their little clients are the ones being arrested and when they are arrested, the have the resources to buy their way out into the street again. This element of corruption must stop for our society to be safe.

Finally the option of treatment is the best and it will need experts for it to be helpful to addict. Dr. Dalal Akoury is an expert offering her exclusive NER Recovery Treatment to other physicians and health care professionals through training, clinical apprenticeships, webinars and seminars. Your problem can only be safe in her care you lose nothing by calling her to start you full journey of recovery.

Drug Addiction Crime or disease , Addiction and Crime-Drug Addiction

Stress and Addiction, Addiction and Your Stress

May 29, 2014

Stress and addiction-Drug Addiction

Stress that leads to addiction can be very dangerous to human life.

We are surrounded with things and situations which in many ways cause is to be stressed and disturbed mentally. Too much money adds lots of responsibilities in management which can be very stressful and on the other hand too little or no money at all can also be stressful since this brings with it luck of basic commodities and services like food, clothing, accommodation and medication. Because of these life situations many of us may suffer from or will experience stress at some point in our lives. Stress appears to be a condition of modern life and even more so for those of us who are asset rich but time poor.

Stress and addiction-Too much stress can lead to addiction

The pace and different dynamics of life has speed up and resonated up over the past few decades or so and many at times we find ourselves continually trying to keep up! Juggling with the demands of work with family and friends can be difficult and the pressure emanating from this often leads to stress. But the problem with stress is that it affects people differently. What one person finds stressful another sees it as a challenge to deal with.

Stress and addiction-Causes of stress

To understand this well we will need to ask ourselves this common question “from where do we start?” and I say, we first identify some of the common and potential stressors in individuals life, they include employment, family, money worries, moving house, bereavement, divorce etc. In fact the list is endless however there is a list of the most stressful life events in life which include the following:

Moving house
Financial difficulty/bankruptcy
Redundancy
Death of spouse/partner

These listed above are just but some of the most likely causes of stress and addiction. We know that a small amount of stress or to be more accurate we can use the adjective “pressure” can be good for us. Reasonable amount of can be a motivating factor to us, through this it may improves performance and drives us to succeed to our desired objectives even if it may appear un uphill task. None the less unrelenting or chronic pressure has the opposite effect. It’s that point where we feel as if we can no longer cope with pressure and at this point it becomes stress and addiction can happen. There are many people who are more resistant to stress than others. Stress is a powerful ingredient which can cause physical, psychological and emotional problems, stress and addiction usually go hand in hand.

Stress and addiction-Coping with stress

While appreciating the significant effects of stress, it is important to note that people will react and deal differently with stress. Some people will use physical activities like exercise or sport as a means of working off their stress whereas others may prefer something more relaxing, entertaining and comforting or pleasant to hear. Nevertheless there is yet another group of people who will turn into less beneficial forms of relaxation. For instance alcohol, cigarettes, caffeine and drugs are some of the stress relief forms used by many drug addicts this however only compounds the problem. The effects of stress combined with that of substance abuse can easily spiral out of control, This is why stress and addiction are so linked.

Cigarettes and alcohol are the most accessible forms of ‘drugs’ and usually the most affordable to many in the society. Alcohol is also a socially acceptable drug and due to this it’s use is not considered to be a problem by law even though those in authority licensing its consumption are well aware of the dangers involved. So going for a few drinks after work with your colleagues is considered to be a normal part of life in any working day.

Smoking is still seen as a way of relaxing despite it being banished out of the workplace and other social places. However, we still see small groups of people huddled outside their office having a cigarette. There are people who still continue to smoke in spite of this restriction and/or the dangers to their health.

Drugs such as cocaine or amphetamines are often used as a quick way of releasing stress and tension which has built up during the working week. A popular way of using these is at parties or socializing at the weekend and some people view these as an integral part of their social lives. We can see how stress and addiction relates?

These type of people may be ambitious high-achievers who often live for the moment and tend to view their drug use as a part of their ‘scene’. They may act quite casually about it and consider it to be a normal part of their fast-paced lives. For them it is about risk-taking and living life on the edge and drug use is just one form of this.

Stress and addiction-Work related stress

It can be the case that someone works in a highly stressful environment in which employees use alcohol or drugs as a way of winding down at the end of the day. This may start off on an occasional basis but as their tolerance to that substance grows then so does their addiction.

If you work in a highly competitive, target-driven environment then you will probably be running on adrenaline most of the time. This may help when it comes to making important decisions or reaching a deadline but a constant state of hyperactivity will be harmful in the long term.

There is also the fact that some jobs have a culture in which drinking is part of that culture. If your job requires you to entertain clients or join in on ‘bonding session’, which involves alcohol, then it is hard to refuse. In many cases a refusal to do so can be seen as not being a team player and may affect your chances of promotion or even your future with that company.

There is also the issue of money: if your job is well remunerated then this will enable you to spend money on these substances as and when you like. What happens then is that you spend more and more money in order to fuel your addiction which leads to serious financial problems, which then causes more stress, which results in an increase in your addiction and so on, this then reaches at a point at which your addiction is out of your control and affects not only you but others around you.

Finally the effects of a stressful job combined with the effects of an addictive substance add up to what can be a lethal combination. To solve this you may want to visit AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under Doctor Akoury’s care, 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. So If stress is a problem for you then talk to doctor Dalal Akoury.

Stress and addiction-Drug Addiction

Tag Archives: Substance dependence