Archive for the ‘dual diagnosis’ Category

First, we define drug abuse as a complex disorder characterized by an intense and compulsive craving, taking and

seeking for drugs, which eventually lead to significant problems. The complexity of the disease roots from the effect of drug intake which when exposed to the brain for a prolonged time, the addiction itself becomes the disease and this affects multiple brain circuits including those involved in reward and motivation, learning and memory, and inhibitory control over behavior.

Before knowing the effects of drugs, it would be more appropriate to be familiar first with the common drugs used for abuse.  When we define drug abuse, there are actually two drugs involved in this definition – the illegal drugs and the prescription drugs. In addition to the two, even if they are not in the form of drugs, certain substances are also included since they still give the user the euphoric or high feeling if used. A common example of this is the household cleaner.

What are the common drugs used for abuse?

One of the commonly used and abused substances is nicotine which can be found in cigarettes. This is one of the most heavily used addictive drugs and is the leading preventable cause of disease, disability and death.

Another group of illegal drugs is the cannabinoids and this includes marijuana wherein this drug is the most commonly used illegal drug in the US. The Opiates which includes heroine and codeine are called narcotics and they are known to decrease the functioning of the nervous system.

Another known illegal drug is cocaine and they can be taken through snorting or can also be injected directly in the body if in liquid form. Drugs usually used in clubs are MDMA or more commonly known as ecstasy. Other names of this drug are XTC or the love drug.

Aside from illegal drugs, drug abuse can involve prescription medication. These kinds of prescription medications give the user a high feeling. There are depressants like barbiturates and benzodiazepines to reduce the pain and anxiety felt by the user.

In contrary to depressants, stimulants like amphetamine are used to give the person an increased mental alertness. The amphetamine drug group comes in many forms and may actually be either prescription drugs like Ritalin and Adderall or can actually be in form of illegal ones too like meth. Anabolic steroid, which is usually used by athletes, doesn’t create intoxication effects but is still dangerous to use because of terrible psychological effects like aggression and paranoia.

To fully define drug abuse, now that we know the substances used for drug abuse, its effects on the person physiologically and psychologically shall be discussed. When a person gets involved in drugs, the body part mostly affected is the brain. No matter what drug is used by the person, the substance affects the executive functioning areas of the brain. Because of this, the person’s ability to plan, organize, act out something and the ability to prevent one’s self to do something becomes impaired and this impairment is usually the culprit in making the user aggressive and be involved in crimes.

Since the physiological effect of the drug attacks the brain, it also has a significant psychological effect on the user as well. Regardless of the drug used, a substance abused could result to something devastating. It can either give the person a euphoria feeling or make the person severely depressed or suicidal. This just shows that drug abuse encompasses a whole lot more drugs than what’s commonly known.

Aside from the personal effects experienced by the user, drug abuse also creates a big impact in a larger scale like in the country’s economy, society and laws. If an economist would define drug abuse, the economist would probably tell you how much money is spent by the government because of this issue. According to NIDA, $67 billion per year is spent on the drug abuse problem and this includes the cost of law enforcement, incarceration, treatment, traffic injuries etc.

As mentioned earlier, it is not enough to define drug abuse or to know its effects. Once this information about drug abuse and effects are known, steps must also be made to treat the patient or the substance abuser. Contrary to popular myth, overcoming addiction is not simply a matter of willpower. Since this affects the brain, treating addiction involves a series of steps and it really takes time for the patient to be healed and restored.

There is a Hawaii Addiction Treatment Center called Hawaii Island Recovery which aims to help clients transform their lives back to who they were before drug abuse took over. Hawaii Island Recovery is a Big Island Drug rehab which provides a beautiful therapeutic living facility . With the help of the highly trained and experienced professional staff, the beautiful scenery and treatment therapy that works, clients have a higher rate of recovery. Hawaii Island Recovery is the ideal Big Island Recovery facility to help clients gain back their lives stolen by substance and drug abuse.

Drug abuse may also be summed up in one word: death. It is a progressive disease. The addict may not be physically dead but because of the drugs’ effects, the life of the addict is slowly taken away by being a slave to these harmful substances. Families are affected by drug abuse and so does society. Drug abuse has tentacles and is very insidious. Addiction treatment and the road to recovery is not easy, but with commitment and lots of family and therapeutic support, it can be done. Habits can be unlearned. There are many successes that prove this.

If you or a family member is suffering from addiction please call Hawaii Island Recovery at 808-217-8868.

The difference between alcohol abuse and dependence is large, but they have the same effects. The one frightening thing about dependence is that there are so many issues that will mar a person’s judgment. So what should be the real fear with people when it comes to alcohol abuse? Well, for a fact, there are dangers beyond just the personal damage. Everyone get’s a affected by an addict’s problems. What you can do is to change that completely. Instead of getting stuck in problems, you can instead do something to learn about the differences between alcohol abuse and dependence. That way, you know when your actions need to be much more proactive. Once you know if your loved one has a problem, then you can start searching for an addiction treatment center to aid you in your problems.

If there is one thing that confuses people very much it is the difference between alcohol abuse and dependence. That is because they are correlated with each other too easily. In truth, these two are the most different in forms of alcoholism.  Our experts at Hawaii Island Recovery’s Big Island Treatment Program would explain to you, a dependence on alcohol would not be about the person running from their problems with drinking. As well as that, they would also tell you abuse is not in the dependence of the person. Rather, it’s their constant use of alcohol because of various elements in their lives.

So what is the difference between them? Well, here, we’ll discuss the very different issues pertaining to both.

Alcohol abuse

If you find that one of your loved ones falls upon alcohol, then there might be an issue with abuse. You see, abuse is mainly just the extensive and “harmful” use of alcohol. People who abuse alcohol are usually the ones that find solace from their problems by drinking extensively. When there are social run-ins that don’t go well, or if they have hang-ups with their family, they usually turn to a drink at the bar after. While they do drink for a reason, they don’t do it religiously. Instead, whenever they find themselves in binds, they’ll be sure to be drinking instead. Another thing about abuse is that it can be a slope to fall into dependence. It when they start showing up at the bar regardless of problems. So, what is dependence?

Alcohol dependence

Another serious effect of alcohol abuse is that it’s a gateway to more serious problems. Dependence is the next step in a more serious plethora in an alcoholic’ issues, but it’s a much more deep need for alcohol. Now when an alcoholic becomes dependant, it sort of means that they can no longer function for long without alcohol. There are some heavy signs when it comes to dependence, and they all form a very big pattern you can watch out for. This means you can seek out help from places like Hawaii Island Recovery’s Big Island Treatment Program. The following are all the signs you need to watch out for. This will also teach you about the importance of the difference between alcohol abuse and dependence.

They start to develop a tolerance to alcohol, regardless of what they may try out. Instead of just the usual one drink after work, it becomes ten everyday. That’s the moment where they can no longer function as well as they could before. This segues to…

They start to seek out that drink at any time of the day. And by that, you start to skip out on functions without drinks. Whether its weddings, parties, or even funerals, you’ll find that they won’t show up if functions don’t have booze. And what is worse here is that they learn to function less and less with no alcohol. When it hits this point, then the last sign is…

They start to drink with to relieve their withdrawal symptoms. Each drink helps them stave off physical and most of all, the mental symptoms of withdrawal. That is the point where you should fear for them, or even yourself. It is a point where waking up everyday warrants a drink.

Once you see that they are more dependant than anything, then its high time you get them help from places like Hawaii Island Recovery’s Addiction treatment center. It would be the right time to get help from outside sources if you deal with these many problems.

So why should you consider Hawaii Island Recovery’s treatment center’ on the Big Island? Well, for a fact, they’re very extensive in their alcohol addiction treatment program. If you have a loved one that is trapped in the throes of self destruction, be it alcoholism or drug use, then they can make sure to take care of it. The professionals at Hawaii Island Recovery’s addiction treatment center help in every way they can, and every type of abuse they take. From heavy opiods to depressants, they know exactly what treatment will work for those in trouble.

Hawaii Island Recovery’s Big Island Treatment Center is sure to cater to every issue you might find when it comes to an alcoholic. Everything we mentioned above tells you what you need to know about change. Most of the time, you might find that a person who’s fallen into these issues won’t come to the same conclusion themselves. If you want them to make and effort, then reading more about the signs is your step.

The rest is up to them. Besides just trying to push the alcoholic into Hawaii Island Recovery’s addiction treatment program, there is still a huge amount of will that goes into this. An addict’s mindset will always tell them to deny everything. For all your efforts of hinting and pushing, nothing will ever amount more than to their own self realization. Once they have that, then the next step is to tell them about options. The affordable private Hawaii rehab treatment center on the Big Island offers everything an alcoholic requires to successfully manage their addiction. To learn more about the difference between alcohol abuse and dependence call Hawaii Island Recovery at 866-906-6911

You must be wondering what a dual diagnosis treatment is and what exactly it entails. You see, you have to understand that a dual diagnosis treatment is one of the most important and at the same time, difficult therapies that a person can go through mainly because it is not only treating your substance abuse problems but it is also curing and understanding your mental disorders as well that can completely ruin your life if not given the right and proper kind of attention. If you think that you need dual diagnosis treatment, make sure that you immediately consult your doctor. Read on to learn more about this subject.

There are many types of addiction that are currently known today and all of them are extremely detrimental to your physical and mental health. This is where dual diagnosis treatment comes in. You have to understand that too much of everything can not only kill you, but it can make you do things that you would never dream of doing when you are on your right mind as well. You see, long term substance abuse can result to various kinds of mental disorders mainly because it can effectively affect the brains without you even being aware of it. If this is what is going on with you, your loved one, or friend, then you might want to consider dual diagnosis treatment. A dual diagnosis treatment is a kind of intensive care therapy that greatly involves curing a person’s abuse from drugs or alcohol and at the same time, treating their mental problems that have been going on for quite some time now.

This is the main reason why it is called dual diagnosis treatment, the doctor is basically treating you for two problems– one is for your addiction and the other one is for your mental illness. Having dual diagnosis treatment means that you are undergoing some serious stuff that is extremely hard to difficult mainly because it can totally ruin your life and eventually kill you but before all of these horrifying things happen, you will also make the life of your loved ones and friends a living hell. Surely, that would be the last thing that you would really want to do. The good news is, dual diagnosis treatment can help you through with it so never lose hope because you can actually make things better with dual diagnosis treatment.

Although most people become crazy and insane with too much substance such as alcohol or drug abuse, there are other people who seek drugs and alcohol so that they can stay sane which of course, not true at all. It is their way to avoid what they do not want to face in their life. It could be a problem that seriously traumatized them or it could be something that they do not want to accept at all, maybe because they are never ready to talk about it. Dual diagnosis treatment will ensure that you will not only be treated with your addiction but dual diagnosis treatment will also help you realize and face all the things that you do not want to admit to yourself. This will make acceptance so much easier because you will start to reassess yourself and really see your fears and worries that have been plaguing you all your life with dual diagnosis treatment.

Dual diagnosis treatment is a therapy that is never easy but as soon as you feel and see the results, then you will realize that dual diagnosis treatment is truly worth your time and effort in all the right senses. Dual diagnosis treatment will ensure that your problems with addiction will not worsen. You have to understand that the more you get addicted to drugs or alcohol, your mental illness will get worse and it is something that can affect everybody’s lives especially those that surrounds you. Dual diagnosis treatment will certainly help and assist you in every way possible. The only way that dual diagnosis treatment could be effective is by making sure that you, yourself truly want to get better. This is the only way for you to overcome your mental and abusive problems.

There are many ways that you can do to ensure that your dual diagnosis treatment will go well. The first one that you need to have before you do the actual dual diagnosis treatment is the right attitude about all these things. You see, dual diagnosis treatment needs a lot of courage, a hundred percent of your commitment, and a healthy dose of patience in all levels. You need to have the right frame of mind in order for you to achieve all these emotional elements and this can be rather difficult at first with dual diagnosis treatment. The first thing that you need to think about before you undergo dual diagnosis treatment is that there is always hope. You must never lose hope.

Even when you have been addicted to drugs and alcohol for more than ten years and that you know that there is something wrong with your brain too, there is always a chance for you to get better as long as you allow yourself to get better. This is the first rule that you must remember and accept before you start your dual diagnosis treatment. Now that you have put hope into your number one list in getting better, you can now start dual diagnosis treatment. However, it is extremely important that your dual diagnosis treatment is done properly. It must be applied to the patient at the same time to maximize the favorable results or outcome. This basically means that your dual diagnosis treatment must involve treatment for your mental health disorder and at the same time, curing your drug or alcohol addiction as well. These are the things that you must happen during your dual diagnosis treatment.

Failure to do this kind of dual diagnosis treatment may not be as effective and that is not the thing that you would want to happen mainly because you would not want to waste your time, energy, and money. You must also be aware that you will experience an episode of relapse here and there during your dual diagnosis treatment. Do not worry, these things are normal so do not get discouraged if you suddenly had a relapse. It is a part of the recovery process while you do your dual diagnosis treatment and it is only normal for you to experience. You would also want to seek the emotional support of your loved ones and friends during your dual diagnosis treatment. It is crucial that they all know what is going on with you so they can help you in every way possible. Good luck!

If you are suffering from addiction please call Hawaii Island Recovery at 866-906-6911.

Drug and Alcohol addictions continue to affect people from all walks of life. Many people believe that all drug and alcohol abusers are criminals or are morally weak. But, that simply is not the case. Whether one is a doctor, stay-at-home mom, lawyer, teacher, preacher, mill worker, teenager or even a child, drug and alcohol addictions respect no one.
Addiction is a physiological dependence on something, meaning it is both physical and psychological in nature. Therefore, when one is addicted one literally needs whatever it is that feeds that addiction. Education remains a key factor in fighting drug and alcohol dependencies. When Hawaii Island Recovery helps people understand drug and alcohol abuse prevention becomes visible and effective.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) notes, a tremendous opportunity exists to effectively change the ways in which the public understands drug abuse and addiction because of the wealth of scientific data NIDA has amassed. NIDA further states that overcoming misconceptions and replacing ideology with scientific knowledge is the best hope for bridging the “great disconnect” – Read the rest of this entry »

Addiction treatment’s main purpose is to help a person recover from drug and/or alcohol addiction. A person who goes in to addiction treatment may have other psychological problems that need to be addressed (Dually Diagnosed), but the primary purpose of every addiction treatment facility, unless they enter a dual diagnosis treatment center, should be the recovery from drugs and/or alcohol. Treating a co-occurring disorder will be part of treatment, but often drug treatment facilities will not be equipped to fully treat a dually diagnosed client.

Every treatment professional agrees that getting a person sober should be the first order of business because it is extremely difficult to treat a person for a co-occurring disorder when they are not sober. The ideal situation according to current research is to treat both the addiction and the co-occurring disorder concurrently. So when a person with a dual diagnosis enters treatment they should be evaluated to confirm any previous diagnoses, evaluated for medication, and immediately begin seeing a therapist to work on the co-occurring disorder.

The best treatment facilities, while being more expensive, are ones that combine drug and alcohol counseling and professional therapy. These should never be done by the same person, or rather, it is almost impossible to find a clinician who is capable of treating both at the same time, nor should they. A case manager’s responsibilities are distinct from a therapist’s responsibilities and the two do not combine very well in an addiction treatment facility. At Hawaii Island Recovery everyone has a therapist and a drug and alcohol case manager/counselor, or at least we highly suggest that they do. The therapist works with them on familial issues, co-occurring disorders, and relationship issues, whereas the drug and alcohol case manager/counselor works with the client on their recovery from drugs and alcohol.

The treatment plan for each client is developed by both the client’s therapist and case manager to ensure that both the client’s addiction and their co-occurring disorder is being treated effectively and efficiently. Over the years we have found that this is the best model for treating dually diagnosed clients.

If you are suffering from addiction please call Hawaii Island Recovery at 866-906-6911.

Neurons are the building blocks of the nervous system. It is estimated that there are 100 billion neurons in the human brain. Neurons are complex and have many components. It is sometimes helpful to get an understanding of the brain and specifically neurons to get a clear picture of what drugs and alcohol do to the brain. Here’s some information on neurons:Glial Cells: Commonly called the “glue” of the neuron is the support structure of neurons. Glial cells provide neurons with nutrition, insulate them, and collect cellular debris when they die. Astrocytes form the physical support structure of the neuron. They also provide nutrients and clean up the debris around the neurons. Oligodentrocytes produce the insulation for the neuron (myelin sheath) in the central nervous system. Finally, Schwann cells produce the insulation for the neuron in the peripheral nervous system. Myelination increases the speed of axon transmission of action potentials and the myelination of various areas of the brain during development roughly parallels their functional development. Myelination of the sensory and motor areas occurs within the first year of life and myelination of the prefrontal cortex continues into adolescence and adulthood. This process can be highly effected by drug and alcohol abuse. Dendrites receive chemical messages from neighboring neurons. The Cell Body contains the nucleus (genes), mitochondria, ribosomes, etc… The Axon Hillock adds up the resulting chemical from neighboring neurons. The Axon transports electrical signals and chemical products of the cell body. The Presynaptic Bulb stores the chemical messengers that can bind to neighboring neurons. The Synapse is the junction between one neuron and a neighboring neuron. The neuron is made up of ions (Cations + and Anions -). With all the complexity of the brain and body, there are only 5 primary ions: Potassium Ions (K+) found in bananas, oranges, etc., Sodium Ions (Na +) found in salt, Chloride Ions (Cl-) found in salt, Calcium Ions (Ca+) found in milk, and protiens (A-) found in meats or produced by mitochondria cells. These Ions can pass through the Neuron Membrane (Differential Permeability) and the relative concentrations of ions on either side of the membrane create a dynamic equilibrium. The balance, or imbalance, of ions creates an electrical charge in the cell of roughly -70 mv. When a neuron is stimulated the electrical balance within the neuron changes and an action potential can be generated. An Action Potential is a sudden change in voltage in the neuron. An action potential is an all-or-none response. This means that the action potential does not vary and is generated when a voltage threshold is passed. It is the action potential that activates synaptic vesicles in the synaptic bulb to release neurotransmitters. Autoreceptors are proteins that regulate internal processes related to the production and release of neurotransmitters. They bind to their neuron’s own neurotransmitter receptor sites and it is these autoreceptors that are affected by external substances such as drugs. When autoreceptors are disrupted by drugs, neurotransmitters are disrupted. There is something called down-regulation and up-regulation of dendrite receptor sites. Down regulation is a process of decreasing the number of receptor sites due to excessive amounts of a neurotransmitter over an extended period of time (Cocaine for example, decreases the number of dopamine recpetors in the brain). Up Regulation is a process of increasing the number of receptor sites to the scarce amounts of a neurotransmitter over an extended period of time (Depression is thought to be an increase in the number of serotonin and norephinerine recpetors). Anti-depressants were developed with the processes of up-regulation and down-regulation in mind, no pun intended. Understanding the processes of the neuron and the neuron’s make up are an integral part of understanding how drugs can modify the brain.

If you are suffering from addiction please call Hawaii Island Recovery at 866-906-6911.