Cocaine Addiction and Drug Rehabilitation Treatment
(ContentDesk) July 28, 2004 -- Cocaine, one of the oldest known drugs, has been an abused substance for over 100 years.
However, it has gained greatly in popularity especially within the last two decades.
The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy reports that Americans spend more on cocaine than on all other illegal drugs combined.
Between the years of 1988 to 1995, it was estimated that around $38 billion was spent on cocaine alone.
Other costs attributed to cocaine use is money spent on cocaine treatment and prevention programs, emergency room visits and related healthcare costs, lost job productivity, lost earnings, cocaine-related crime, and social welfare are all estimated to cost billions annually.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), there are about 1.7 million people in the U.S. who regularly use cocaine, and so it is not surprising to see that cocaine is the leading cause of heart attacks and strokes for people under the age of 35.
In order to combat this problem, we must understand how cocaine acts on the brain.
???Cocaine addiction causes lasting changes in brain function that are very difficult to reverse.
The answer lies within the brain's reward system, which is beneath the cerebral hemispheres called the nucleus accumbens.
This area is connected to the ventral tegmental area (VTA), which produces the neurotransmitter dopamine.
In a normally functioning brain, when an action is performed that satisfies a need, dopamine is released into the nucleus accumbens, which produces a pleasurable feeling: the reward.
Therefore, the action will most likely be repeated to achieve the reward again.
Normally, rewards come only with effort and after a delay.
However cocaine and other drugs provide a shortcut to this sequence5.
Once cocaine has crossed the blood-brain barrier and enters the VTA it accumulates rapidly, and begins to act upon the nucleus accumbens.
There it binds to dopamine transporters and inhibits the brain from reabsorbing the neurotransmitter, causing a build-up of dopamine.
A euphoric rush is given that may last several minutes.
After multiple uses, the brain can no longer produce the amount of dopamine to feel the same effects.
Therefore, the need for it becomes stronger, and more cocaine must be taken to release the dopamine, thereby causing addiction.
An individual under the grips of a cocaine addiction often has many underlying issues that act as contributing factors for their need for cocaine.
Many times, these factors are not attended to during treatment, which can cause the individual to relapse into drug abuse.
These issues may include mental disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress, and anxiety disorders along with poor diet, nutrition, and coping mechanisms.
Behavior patterns should also be identified to serve as predictors of treatment outcomes such as, impulsivity, aggression, and sensation seeking.
These patterns have been linked to cocaine relapse7.
Vitamin supplements should be taken to rebalance the body; usually, those addicted to cocaine have deprived their body of many nutrients during their addiction.
Amino acid therapy will replace the lost building blocks of neurotransmitters lost to cocaine abuse.
Caffeine, processed food products, and excess sugar should be heavily avoided during the recovery process from cocaine addiction.
Healthy exercise will raise endorphins to give the individual a natural "high" along with decreasing boredom and inactivity; things that are usually triggers for relapse.
Steam baths and sauna sessions should be used to detoxify remaining impurities in the system.
Therapy that may involve medication for mental disorders should be used where necessary.
If these underlying disorders are not controlled, the individual will compensate by self-medication with other illegal drugs, including cocaine.
Vocational and educational assistance is also very important to the recovering individual as this will enable them to feel increased self-worth and productivity, another factor to staying clean and sober.???? One such complementary modality that is quite popular for a variety of functions is acupuncture therapy.
Acupuncture is most widely used for its pain relieving properties through sensory stimulation1.
More recently, acupuncture has been shown to successfully treat depression3,4.
The relief acupuncture causes works through local tissue healing effect and central anti-stress mechanisms1.
Acupuncture detoxification therapy uses the application of acupuncture needles to the ear, also called auricular acupuncture.
These points target different bodily functions and organs.
The effects witnessed on the individual include relaxation, decreased anxiety and restlessness, reduced perspiration, intestinal cramps, watery eyes, and sneezing.
It also aids in the excretion of toxic substances for a speedier recovery.
Acupuncture for addicted individuals supports a positive mood, relieves stress, and aids in craving control.
This therapy also appears to assist in the healing process of the mind based on the client's affect.Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an approach to psychotherapy that uses eye movements to stimulate the information processing in the brain.
This therapy provides much faster results than traditional therapy.
It is often used for treating trauma such as: sexual abuse, domestic violence, war, crime, depression, addiction, phobias, and self-esteem issues.
Overall, EMDR allows the brain to heal its own wounds at the same rate that the rest of the body is able to heal its physical ailments, making a long and tedious recovery a thing of the past.Neuro-feedback is a cutting-edge technique that trains the brain in order to help it improve body function regulation and overall brain health.
When there is poor brain functioning, it is recognized through the EEG (Electroencephalogram).
By challenging the brain, much like muscles are challenged in physical exercise to improve their strength, normal brain functionality can be restored.
The benefits of neuro-feedback include healthier sleep patterns, relief from anxiety and depression, and attention and emotional management.
Emotional management is very important in how an individual reacts to a particular situation.
The holistic model of drug addiction treatment should be used to address these issues and halt future cocaine or drug use.
Treatment strategies that focus only on symptom reduction are inadequate and unsuccessful.
Addiction may affect many aspects of psychosocial function, therefore optimal outcomes require that the needs of the whole patient?mind, body, and spirit are met. More information can be found at http://www.drugrehabcenter.com, http://www.drug-alcohol-rehab.net and http://www.helpaddicts.com or by calling 800-559-9503 for a free professional consultation.References: 1.
Carlsson CP. (2001).
Acupuncture therapy today. Background, clinical use, mechanisms. Lakartidningen, vol. 98(46): 5178-82, 5185-6.2.
Fidler S.
(n.d.) The successful use of auricular acupuncture in the supported withdrawal and detoxification of substance abusers. Retrieved 4/2/04 from: www.acupuncture.com/Research/addictres.htm3.
Gallagher SM, Allen JJ, Hitt SK, Schnyer RN, Manber R. (2001). Six-month depression relapse rates among women treated with acupuncture.
Complement Ther Med., vol. 9(4): 216-8. 4.
Han C, Li XW, Luo HC. (2002).
Comparative study of electro-acupuncture and maprotiline in treating depression. Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi, vol. 22(7): 512-4, 521. 5.
Hyman SE.
(1994).
Why does the brain prefer opium to broccoli?
Harvard Review of Psychiatry, vol. 2(1): 43-6.6.
Miller J. (n.d.).
An evaluation of an acupuncture program for drug treatment in San Diego county. Retrieved 4/2/04 from: www.acupuncture.com/Research/DrugSD.htm7.
Patkar AA, Murray HW, Mannelli P, Gottheil E, Weinstein SP, Vergare MJ.
(2004).
Pre-treatment measures of impulsivity, aggression and sensation seeking are associated with treatment outcome for African-American cocaine-dependent patients.
Journal of Addiction Disease, vol. 23(2): 109-22..
What is the Best Therapy for Reversing Fibromyalgia Symptoms?
(ContentDesk) August 11, 2005 -- Fibromyalgia-Reviews.com is a unique website setup for sufferers to leave posted opinions of fibromyalgia therapies that work (or do not work) for the many fibromyalgia symptoms.
You learn from the good and bad experiences of others.
Users rate a therapy's value based on its effectiveness in reversing the more common symptoms.
This works better than using an overall rating of a therapy, as it does not give the complete picture.You rate therapies based on twelve "indicators" that includes a therapy's practicality.
The "indicators" are tallied, summed up, and ultimately determine the score of a fibromyalgia therapy's quality.
The twelve indicators are "relief of tender point pain," "relief of trigger point pain," "relief of fibromyalgia fog / irritability," "relief of sleep disturbances," "hypoglycemia symptom relief," "irritable bowel syndrome relief," "genitourinary problem relief,"
"skin problem relief,"...
Depression > What is the Best Therapy for Reversing Fibromyalgia Symptoms?
Stay Young- Play Bingo!
Exercise, intellectual stimulation, surgery, meditation or detox ? you name it, we love it. Let's face it, we live in a society obsessed with staying young. So, when you mention to someone that bingo may well be a key to youth, the image of pensioners playing in a retirement home may well prompt them to ask a few questions. It's not chess or bridge, but researchers insist that bingo can keep your mind trim and bring more to your youthfulness than just cash prizes and idle chitchat. Bingo players who have been playing bingo for a sustained period of time have been found to have superior reflexes in many cases to non-bingo players.
The speed and mental agility required to scan six bingo cards in time before the next call is certainly better than stagnating in front of the television and has been responsible for keeping the minds of many people of different ages fit and healthy. As we get older, the blood begins to run at a thinner rate to the brain. Using our brains less can result...
Stay Young- Play Bingo!
Depression > Stay Young- Play Bingo!
Getting Help for Troubled Teens
Do you have troubled teens in your home?
If your child is one that does not talk to you, has pulled back out of your family or is continuously ill, there is a need to talk to them.
Sometimes, they will blame you.
Other times, they have just dug a hole that is so large that they just can not seem to get back out.
In any case, all teens that are facing life changing, life altering things need help.
How can you find help for your troubled teens?
The first place to start is with your child's doctor.
No matter what you are worried about, they are likely to have the first real advice for you.
The first thing you need to do no matter if you are worried about drugs, alcohol or depression is to get them physically checked out to insure they are healthy.
Then, talk to the doctor to determine what the next course of action is.
Remember, doctors are not going to talk about you or your child to anyone else.
Depression > Getting Help for Troubled Teens
Cocaine Addiction and Drug Rehabilitation Treatment
(ContentDesk) July 28, 2004 -- Cocaine, one of the oldest known drugs, has been an abused substance for over 100 years.
However, it has gained greatly in popularity especially within the last two decades.
The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy reports that Americans spend more on cocaine than on all other illegal drugs combined.
Between the years of 1988 to 1995, it was estimated that around $38 billion was spent on cocaine alone.
Other costs attributed to cocaine use is money spent on cocaine treatment and prevention programs, emergency room visits and related healthcare costs, lost job productivity, lost earnings, cocaine-related crime, and social welfare are all estimated to cost billions annually.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), there are about 1.7 million people in the U.S. who regularly use cocaine, and so it is not surprising to see that cocaine is the leading cause of heart attacks and strokes...
Cocaine Addiction and Drug Rehabilitation Treatment
Depression > Cocaine Addiction and Drug Rehabilitation Treatment
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia syndrome is somewhat similar to chronic fatigue syndrome in the sense that both are chronic diseases. However, Fibromyalgia is characterized by severe pain in specific areas of the body such as neck, shoulders, spine and hips. This disease, unlike chronic fatigue that centers mostly in the joints or muscles and nerves, affects all the pressure points in the body. It also affects the bowel movements in a patient to a large extent. Also, most affected parts in Fibromyalgia syndrome are the chest, ribcage, thighs, knees, hips, lower back, and spine, along with the neck, shoulders, elbow joints, knee joints and arms.
Fibromyalgia syndrome is sometimes used synonymously to chronic fatigue syndrome, although they are both not exactly the same kind of disease.
The reason for this error is the similar symptoms faced in both these complications. Just as in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, patients suffering from Fibromyalgia syndrome tend to face extreme tiredness, fatigue,...
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Fibromyalgia
Depression > Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Fibromyalgia
Quit Smoking in 30 Days or Less
Nicocure?'s amazing formula safely mimics the properties of nicotine. It acts on the "Nicotine Receptors" in your body, effectively fooling it into thinking it's getting more Nicotine, while keeping you calm and relaxed during Nicotine withdrawal. It will help you quit smoking for life, for good.The proprietary herbal formulation in Nicocure? Patch contains herbal ingredients that act as natural substitutes for nicotine and therefore satisfy the body's craving for this substance, but without all the negative side effects of the patches containing actual nicotine! The natural ingredients will make you crave fewer cigarettes every day. This gradual process makes you quit with no withdrawal symptoms and requires less will power and effort from your part. Withdrawal symptoms will be milder due to the natural nicotine substitute, which helps you shake the nicotine habit gradually.
Furthermore, to help you in this process, the Nicocure? Patch herbal formulation contains herbal ingredients...
Quit Smoking in 30 Days or Less
Depression > Quit Smoking in 30 Days or Less
Depression: Nothing to Sneeze At
How common is depression? So common that it is thought of as the common cold of mental illnesses. However, this is not to understate the severity of depression which is one of the leading indicators of suicide. By some estimates depression costs the country a staggering $43 billion dollars a year in costs resulting from medicine, hospitalization, lost work days and reduced productivity. One in six of us will experience a major depressive episode in our lives and 15 million Americans are suffering from depression at any given time.What causes depression? There are a great many possible causes for depression. Frequently, depression is caused by an organic (chemical) or physiological cause.
Possible organic causes include food allergies, heavy metals, prescription drugs, illicit drugs, alcohol, tobacco and caffeine. Depression can also be caused by preexisting physical conditions such as cancer, diabetes, chronic pain, hypoglycemia, hypothyroidism, and nutritional deficiencies.How...
Depression: Nothing to Sneeze At
Depression > Depression: Nothing to Sneeze At
Avoiding Mental Disorders through the aid of Vitamins and Minerals
When we think about the benefits of being ensuring a good bill of health by keeping track of our daily intake of prescribed vitamins, minerals and as well as the other nutrients that are needed by your body in order to stay healthy. It is important to be conscious of the fact that deficiencies in the daily intake of vitamins and minerals can negatively affect not only your physical capabilities but your how your mind functions as well. Recent research has indicated that such deficiencies can even contribute to one of the most common mental illnesses of all, depression.The Vitamin B complex is incredibly important to our mental well-being and functioning. Even relatively small deficiencies can have an adverse effect on a person's mental health over time. While serious nutrient deficiencies can actually contribute to serious mental illnesses.
As for the case of trying your best to avoid mental illnesses, it is highly important to make sure that your daily diet meets the recommended...
Avoiding Mental Disorders through the aid of Vitamins and Minerals
Depression > Avoiding Mental Disorders through the aid of Vitamins and Minerals
Gracious Style Presents 2004 Holiday Gift Guide
Gracious Style, a leading online resource for luxury linens and accessories for the home, is proud to present its 2004 holiday gift guide. From monogrammed Italian linens to supple microfiber bathrobes, the gift guide features an exquisite selection of items, all available online at www.graciousstyle.com.With twelve unique selections ranging from $50 to $350, this guide is specifically designed to help give the gift of luxury...
glasses Depression
Depression > Gracious Style Presents 2004 Holiday Gift Guide
Split Bedding Lets Couples Share Their Beds, Not Their Covers; Valentine’s Day Gift Provides Couples with Personal Sheets and Comforters
Fort Collins, CO (ContentDesk) February 3, 2006 -- DoubleUps for Beds brings peaceful, undisturbed sleep to couples everywhere with the launch of its split bedding that provides bedmates with their own personal sheets and comforters. See www.doubleupsforbeds.com to place an order or for more information. The first-of-its-kind bedding is split down the middle and connected at the foot of the bed, so each side offers independent movement and freedom. Bedmates can roll away from each other, toss...
beds
Depression > Split Bedding Lets Couples Share Their Beds, Not Their Covers; Valentine’s Day Gift Provides Couples with Personal Sheets and Comforters
photo printers Depression Cocaine Addiction and Drug Rehabilitation Treatment
Implement Trail Running in Base for Injury Prevention
The shoes we run in today are great for reducing impact. There are a myriad of devices, gels, air channels, etc., designed to lesson the compressive loads on the joints and body. One drawback, however, is that if you do most of your running on even, paved surfaces the lower leg muscles and joints do not have to work as hard to stabilize. Joint stability and integrity is crucial for injury prevention. This is where trail running comes in.Running over uneven and varied surfaces makes the muscles...
Implement Trail Running in Base for Injury Prevention Depression incorporate
Depression > Implement Trail Running in Base for Injury Prevention
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