Category: Sober living

If you enjoy being active, movement meditation might be a good choice for you. If you need to improve your focus and learn to identify body sensations, focused meditation might be suitable. Your treatment team can help you to select a type of meditation that will benefit your addiction recovery. Though most people have an understanding of what meditation is and some of its health benefits, one type of meditation called mindfulness meditation remains a mystery to many. Facing the challenges of addiction and alcoholism is tough, but remember, you don’t have to walk this journey alone. Our dedicated team understands the unique struggles that come with recovery.

How do you practice mindfulness meditation?

• Yet, to the extent that behavioral therapies target dysregulated neurocognitive processes underlying addiction, they may hold promise as effective treatments for persons suffering from addictive disorders.
• The benefits of meditation for mental health are not just anecdotal – they are backed by science.
• Meditation can be a transformative practice for individuals in addiction recovery.
• Meditation is becoming more available as a holistic treatment for substance abuse.
• Working through these challenges can deepen your meditation practice and ensure you reap the full benefits of a daily meditation practice for your mental health.
• Feel the feelings you felt in that moment, and notice what feelings or thoughts come up.

Positive emotions through mindfulness meditation or mindfulness based interventions are effective treatments as a relapse prevention strategy. For instance, MBI non-responders might need a supplementary course of motivational enhancement therapy, computerized cognitive remediation, or booster sessions (see “The Need for Dose/Response Research” below) to enhance outcomes. The MOST research process could allow for resource-intensive and complex MBIs to be pared down to their most efficacious elements to maximize efficacy and efficiency by eliminating techniques that do not confer therapeutic benefits and augmenting those that do. A 2006 study done by researchers from the University of Washington showed preliminary support for the effectiveness of mindfulness meditation as a treatment for substance use disorders.

• One of the truly game-changing benefits of mindfulness training is that it can help people be more thoughtful, observant, and tolerant—about themselves, the people around them, and the world in general.
• Inhale through your nostrils and exhale through your mouth, making your exhalation a little longer than your inhalation.
• Combining meditation with other therapeutic methods, under professional guidance, can lead to a more comprehensive and effective approach to recovery.

Tips for Starting a Meditation Practice

With consistency—even just a few minutes each day—you can find the practice that’s right for you and see a decrease in anxiety and panic symptoms. Regardless of where one is, she says that practicing mindfulness is about being aware of one’s thoughts, emotions, environment, choices, and actions and considering how they impact one’s daily life and the lives of others. “Mindfulness meditation might also decrease some chronic pain syndromes and decrease substance use in the context of substance use disorders,” adds Hoge. It’s impossible to know, objectively, whether those meditation sessions helped my grandmother achieve some sort of communion with a higher power, but a growing body of scientific evidence suggests she benefited from it in multiple ways.

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• By training the mind to focus on one thing—a sound, word, or breath—at a time, meditation helps recovering addicts maintain a degree of emotional balance.
• When your meditation feels complete or you’ve reached your desired time, open your eyes.
• This heightened awareness is invaluable, enabling individuals to recognize triggers and patterns of addictive behavior, thereby fostering better self-control and decision-making.
• By regularly practicing meditation, individuals in addiction recovery can develop the skills to better manage stress and anxiety and reduce the risk of relapse.
• The overall goal of meditation is to synchronize the mind and body for improved mental well-being and an enhanced quality of life.

By using mindfulness to focus on the positive emotions and the sense of meaningfulness that emerge from spending time with his grandchildren, this individual may feel more satisfied and contented than he ever did when using substances. Consistent with the reward restructuring hypothesis, by practicing mindful savoring over time, the experience of natural reward may outweigh the drive to use drugs to obtain a sense of well-being – fortifying the individual against relapse. Using meditation in combination with other addiction treatments such as therapy and medication can offer several benefits. For individuals in addiction recovery, medication can be used to manage withdrawal symptoms and reduce cravings. Therapy can assist individuals in identifying and confronting the root causes that may have played a role in their substance use disorders. Meditation can activate the body’s natural relaxation response, which can reduce stress and anxiety levels and increase natural reward cues.

Mindfulness as a relapse prevention strategy versus mindfulness as a vehicle for recovery

It is important for individuals to find a technique that resonates with them and to practice regularly to reap the full benefits. With regular practice, meditation can be a powerful tool for individuals in addiction recovery to manage stress, regulate emotions, and build a healthy life. Mindfulness https://ecosoberhouse.com/ meditation has been proven to be effective in diminishing substance use disorders even among those in addiction recovery. Moreover, it can assist individuals in cultivating heightened self-awareness and practicing mindfulness, which can be an important aspect of addiction recovery.

Support for Me and My Family

Similarly, mindfulness might need to be practiced on a near daily basis for many years to effectively intervene in addiction and prevent relapse. Research is needed to test the comparative effectiveness of brief versus extended MBIs and meditation for addiction the relative cost-effectiveness of these models. Yet, the emerging global emphasis on integrative health supports a holistic approach toward wellness by providing treatment for psychiatric and SUDs in community-based medical settings.

The practice was likely an effective approach for her to manage her stress. Research is finally catching up to the idea that meditation—which has been practiced for millennia—also provides many health benefits, including managing stress and anxiety. Insight Timer – This app offers thousands of free guided meditations, including ones specifically focused on addiction recovery. Navigating the world of meditation can initially seem overwhelming, given the myriad options available. Whether it’s mindfulness, transcendental, body scans, or loving-kindness, each offers its own experience. Reflect on your recovery stage and what you hope to gain to find your fit.

Benefits of Mindfulness

Quieting your mind to meditate can be hard. Here’s how sound can help.

• By learning to manage their thoughts and emotions more effectively, individuals can develop greater confidence in their ability to overcome addiction.
• As adaptive cognitive control is restored through mindfulness exercises, MBIs may increase functional connectivity between these top-down prefrontal networks and bottom-up limbic-striatal brain circuitry involved in reward processing and motivated behavior [22].
• Regardless of where one is, she says that practicing mindfulness is about being aware of one’s thoughts, emotions, environment, choices, and actions and considering how they impact one’s daily life and the lives of others.

In the absence of alcohol, the reduced activity of inhibitory GABA neurotransmission might contribute to the anxiety and seizures of withdrawal. These symptoms are treated, at least in part, using medications that increase GABAA receptor function, such as diazepam (Valium) and other sedatives. GABA or GABA is the third neurotransmitter whose functioning is critical in understanding the genetics of alcohol addiction. GABA as a neurotransmitter has been long known to be affected by alcohol consumption. Recently, two sub types of the GABAA receptor have come into the spotlight for showing what can possibly be a genetic predisposition to alcohol addiction. These two subtypes are namely GABA A receptor α1 (GABRA1) and GABA A receptor α6 (GABRA6).

Acute Alcohol Effects on the Brain’s Serotonin System

In individuals that drink alcohol frequently, however, tolerance develops, and more alcohol is consumed. Concomitantly, adaptations in glutamatergic, GABAergic, and dopamine transmission occur [15] and greater or continued amounts of alcohol can result in allostatic changes to preserve normal brain function. This allostasis is characterized by aberrant glutamate, GABA, and opioid signaling, as well as, a dysfunction in nigrostriatal and mesolimbic dopamine transmission [16, 17]. stopping cymbalta The mechanisms underlying this dysregulation of dopamine transmission are not well understood, particularly in a primate brain. Therefore, in the current study, we used fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) to study dopamine release dynamics in striatal slices from long-term alcohol drinking and control rhesus macaques. This method allows for examination of dopamine release and its regulation on a subsecond time scale that has seldom been used in NHPs [18,19,20,21,22,23,24].

How Does Alcohol Affect the Brain?

This circuit affects incentive motivation, i.e., how an organism reacts to incentive changes in the environment. 5Aminomethyl propionic acid, or AMPA, is a chemical that specifically activates this glutamate-receptor subtype. 4N-methyl-d-aspartate, or NMDA, is a chemical that specifically activates this glutamate-receptor subtype. 3Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter; that is, glutamate stimulates the signal-receiving cell. 2Autonomic, or visceral, responses regulate the involuntary bodily functions, such as heart rate, blood pressure, and gastrointestinal activity.

Summary of findings

1. In this context, the different dopaminergic changes in actively drinking versus repeated abstinence males are intriguing.
2. Voltage-sensitive calcium channels are pores in the cell membrane that admit calcium into the neuron in response to changes in electrical currents generated in the neuron.2 Short-term alcohol consumption inhibits calcium flow through these channels.
3. The results of this small study demonstrated that haloperidol significantly decreased measures of craving, reduced impulsivity, and the amounts of alcohol ingested [144].
4. Heavy drinking slows the cerebral cortex, which takes in and processes new information in your brain.
5. Opioid peptide antagonists act primarily on a brain area where dopaminergic neurons that extend to the NAc originate.
6. When discussing the consequences of alcohol’s actions on the brain, researchers frequently use terms such as motivation, reinforcement, incentives, and reward.

Alcohol’s actions on inhibitory neurotransmission in this lower area of the central nervous system may cause some of alcohol’s behavioral effects. In closing, brain alterations underlying addiction not only drive the addiction process itself but also make it difficult for many people with AUD to change their drinking behavior, particularly if they are struggling to cope with the considerable discomfort of acute or protracted withdrawal. You can promote healthy changes in the brains and behaviors of patients with AUD by encouraging them to take a long-term, science-based approach to getting better. For practical, evidence-based tips on supporting your patients with AUD, see the Core articles on treatment, referral, and recovery.

One neurotransmitter used by many neurons throughout the brain is serotonin, also known as 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT). Serotonin released by the signal-emitting neuron subtly alters the function of the signal-receiving neurons in a process called neuromodulation. For example, in some neurons serotonin alters the rate at which the cells produce the electrical signals alcohol and seizures can drinking cause epilepsy or convulsions (i.e., action potentials) used for relaying information within the cells, whereas in other neurons it modulates the release of other neurotransmitters. Reinforcement is a key phenomenon in the development of addiction to alcohol and other drugs. Positive reinforcement is the process by which an action that results in pleasure, or reward, becomes repetitive.

The study however found a positive correlation with drinking to cope motives and the Taq1A polymorphism of the DRD2 gene. In the dopaminergic pathway, one such gene is a dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) which codes for a receptor of dopamine. Slowly over a period of time, the person craves more of the drug, to achieve the same kind of high as earlier. He thus starts consuming more and more alcohol until a point comes when normal brain chemistry simply cannot function without alcohol. As an example of the kind of brain chemistry changes which take place, the following image shows the brain scan of a methamphetamine addict and a non-addict [Figure 1].

The activity of some of these ion channels (i.e., whether they are open or closed) depends on the voltage difference, or potential, between the inside and the outside of the cell membrane adjacent to these channels. Through its effects on G proteins, dopamine indirectly modifies the sensitivity with which voltage-dependent channels respond to changes in the membrane potential that occur when glutamate binds to its receptors, which also act as ion channels (i.e., receptor-operated channels). As mentioned previously, in addition the affecting the dopamine system directly, alcohol interacts with the mesolimbic dopamine system indirectly via several other neurotransmitters. There is a wide range of such compounds, and here, we will only mention a few, specifically targeting glycine receptors and nAChRs, with a clear interaction with dopamine transmission in the mesolimbic dopamine system [64].

There have been some studies conducted into the involvement of this pathway in the process of alcohol addiction. According to one study published by[67] physical dependence, which refers to the pharmacological tolerance induced by chronic alcohol intake, results in AWS and is neurobiologically supported by the imbalance between GABA and glutamate-NMDA neurotransmission. Dopaminergic neurons that relay information to the NAc shell are extremely sensitive to alcohol. For example, in studies performed in rats, alcohol injected into the blood in amounts as low as 2 to 4 milligrams per kilogram of body weight increased dopamine release in the NAc shell and maintained chronic alcohol self-administration (Lyness and Smith 1992).

The use of alcohol and drugs can dramatically alter brain structure and functioning, with far-reaching effects on behavior and cognition. Mielad Owraghi, LMFT lead clinical therapist, explains how these substances impact the brain, leading to profound changes in behavior and mental health. When alcohol consumption is abruptly reduced or discontinued, a withdrawal syndrome may follow, characterized by seizures, tremor, hallucinations, insomnia, agitation, and confusion (Metten and Crabbe 1995). Scientists postulate that this syndrome represents the hyperactivity of neural adaptive mechanisms no longer balanced by the inhibitory effects of alcohol (see figure). Therefore, scientists are paying increasing attention to the integration of communication systems in the brain. Although the study of neural integration is in its infancy, enough has been learned to help guide future research.

This scenario suggests that serotonin, through its interaction with the dopaminergic system, may play a pivotal role in producing alcohol’s rewarding effects. Serotonin is an important brain chemical that acts as a neurotransmitter to communicate information among nerve cells. Serotonin’s actions have been linked to alcohol’s effects on the brain and to alcohol abuse. Alcoholics and experimental animals that consume large quantities of alcohol show evidence of differences in brain serotonin levels compared with nonalcoholics. Both short- and long-term alcohol exposure also affect the serotonin receptors that convert the chemical signal produced by serotonin into functional changes in the signal-receiving cell. Drugs that act on these receptors alter alcohol consumption in both humans and animals.

But as you drink more — and you don’t need to drink that much more — eventually, the enzymes that break down the alcohol get saturated. So, the alcohol builds up quite quickly,” explains addiction psychiatrist Akhil Anand, MD. And if you have one too many molly: uses effects risks alcoholic drinks, you may start to slur your speech and have trouble walking in a straight line — and that’s all before dealing with a hangover the next day. Alcohol addiction and dependence of late has been shown to be affected by the influence of genes.

S3 gallop sound along with apical pansystolic murmur due to mitral regurgitation is often heard. In this section, we briefly discuss the patterns of drinking, specifically binge, as well as genetic variants in certain proteins/enzymes and variability in nutrition or dietary nutrients that may influence the occurrence of ACM. Often, when a doctor suspects cardiomyopathy, they will order an echocardiogram. This test will assess the ejection fraction (EF), a measurement that expresses how much blood the LV pumps out with each contraction. Once doctors have found this, they will look for the cause of the weakened heart.

Hemostatic Factors

In that study, the daily co-administration of vitamin E (10 mg/kg) or another antioxidant, cyanidanol-3 (300 mg/kg), prevented these changes (40). The pathologic and histologic findings of alcoholic cardiomyopathy is especially dangerous because (AC) are essentially indistinguishable from those of other forms of dilated cardiomyopathy (DC). Findings from gross examination include an enlarged heart with 4-chamber dilatation and overall increased cardiac mass. Histologically, light microscopy reveals interstitial fibrosis (a finding that has been shown to be prevented by zinc supplementation in the mouse model), myocyte necrosis with hypertrophy of other myocytes, and evidence of inflammation. Electron microscopy reveals mitochondrial enlargement and disorganization, dilatation of the sarcoplasmic reticulum, fat and glycogen deposition, and dilatation of the intercalating discs. Hypertension due to alcohol may be a confounding comorbidity in that it may contribute to LV dysfunction; therefore, LV dysfunction due to hypertension must be differentiated from pure AC.

Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Changes in Mitochondrial Bioenergetics

• Finally, it is worth stressing that a large majority of studies on the physiopathology and prognosis of ACM were conducted some years ago, prior to the development of our current understanding regarding the role of genetics in DCM[67].
• To diagnose this condition, healthcare providers will typically use several of the following methods.
• Acute or chronic right heart failure leads to elevation of liver enzymes most likely due to liver congestion, whereas  cirrhosis due to cardiac disease is infrequent.
• Alcoholic cardiomyopathy affects the heart’s ability to pump oxygen-rich blood around the body.

For many decades, ACM has been considered one of the main causes of left ventricular dysfunction in developed countries. Specifically in the United States, ACM was declared the leading cause of non-ischemic DCM[7]; a fact related to the high consumption of alcoholic beverages worldwide, which is particularly elevated in Western countries[26] . Unfortunately Lazarević et al[23], as in most of these studies, systematically excluded patients with a history of heart disease or with HF symptoms. It is therefore possible that most of these studies may have also consistently omitted most alcohol abusers in whom alcohol had already caused significant ventricular dysfunction.

How is this condition treated, and can it be cured?

Regional wall motion abnormalities are not uncommon, but they are usually less prominent than those observed in persons with ischemic heart disease. Despite the key clinical importance of alcohol as a cause of DCM, relatively few studies have investigated the effects of alcohol on the heart and the clinical characteristics of DCM caused by excessive alcohol consumption (known as https://ecosoberhouse.com/). Evidence of oxidative stress is found after short periods of alcohol consumption (2 to 18 weeks), at least in animal models.

• Let your healthcare professional know if you have a family history of the condition.
• Altered platelet responses (e.g., increased platelet activation/aggregation) leads to blood-clot formation (or thrombosis) in certain CV conditions.

2 Estimation of prognosis and risk factors in ACM

The researchers found that the alcohol-drinking subjects (particularly those who were insulin sensitive) had higher insulin levels and a slower rise in glucose levels after a low-carb meal. They recommended confirming these results in younger women and in men, particularly since their subjects had been older women, who have more significant cardiovascular risk. For example, alcohol consumption typically has been measured through self-report.

Frequently, a relative decrease occurs in systolic blood pressure because of reduced cardiac output and increased diastolic blood pressure due to peripheral vasoconstriction, resulting in a decrease in the pulse pressure. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), AUD is a brain disorder that doctors characterize by the inability to stop or control alcohol consumption. This inability occurs despite adverse effects on the person’s health, occupation, or relationships. ACM is a type of heart disease that develops due to chronic alcohol consumption. One of the few papers analysing genetic susceptibility in ACM was published by Fernández-Solà et al[64] in 2002.

Finally, it is worth stressing that a large majority of studies on the physiopathology and prognosis of ACM were conducted some years ago, prior to the development of our current understanding regarding the role of genetics in DCM[67]. According to recent data, a genetic form of DCM could be present in up to 50% of idiopathic DCM cases, and other specific forms of DCM such as peripartum cardiomyopathy have been shown to have a genetic basis in a significant number of cases[68]. It is therefore possible that patients with ACM could also harbour a genetic substrate that predisposes them to this form of cardiomyopathy. In this respect, a higher prevalence of excessive alcohol consumption has been reported among individuals diagnosed with DCM than in the general population[8]. Epidemiological studies analysing the relationship between excessive alcohol consumption and the development of DCM have found the existence of a reciprocal link between both disorders.

Derangements in Fatty Acid Metabolism and Transport

In addition, people who receive early treatment for ACM, including medication and lifestyle modifications, have a better chance of improving their heart function and overall health. Studies of alcohol and stroke are complicated by the various contributing factors to stroke. Heavier drinkers are apparently at a higher risk of hemorrhagic stroke, whereas moderate drinking might be neutral or even result in a reduced risk of ischemic stroke. In the Caerphilly prospective heart disease study, platelet aggregation induced by adenosine diphosphate was also inhibited in subjects who drank alcohol [99].

What are the symptoms?

Unhelpfully, however, nowhere in the DSM-5 is this explicitly and transparently mentioned. In fact, the American Psychiatric Association (APA), who are the developers of the DSM, nonchalantly utilize the terms “substance use disorder” and “addiction” interchangeably on their website. If so, it’s important for you to treat it with the seriousness it requires http://stadion.kz/m/news/id/14 and get help before it’s too late. The only way to overcome this is by accepting you have a problem and reaching out for help. Whether you’re in the early stages or have a full-blown disorder, the earlier you get help, the greater your odds of overcoming this successfully. The longer you let this fester, it’ll only hurt you worse in the long term.

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• Antidepressants – I know how deeply depressed I was before I started taking them, and I really don’t want to go back there, so I think that what I take is a maintenance level.
• The terms “addiction” and “dependence” may sound interchangeable, but they mean different things.
• For example, it takes just 2-3 doses of opioids9 for some people to develop a tolerance.
• For example, we have long been told that people need to hit “rock bottom” before they’ll get help, but this isn’t true.
• It is hardly surprising that physicians frequently mislabel patients when the ICD terms used to code for addiction are themselves misleading.
• There are no specific medications designed to treat meth addiction; however, some medications can be helpful in managing specific symptoms of withdrawal like those that address depression, anxiety, and tremors.

Without treatment, addiction can cause serious health issues, even death. It can damage personal relationships, lead to financial difficulties and cause legal problems. Untreated addiction http://ecologylib.ru/books/item/f00/s00/z0000039/st094.shtml also harms family members, and the effects can last for generations. Over time, the substances or activities change your brain chemistry, and you become desensitized to their effects.

The Signs of Substance Abuse

If a substance harms you, your relationships, and your obligations, it’s most likely addiction. However, it’s common for physical dependence to accompany addiction. You can be addicted without being dependent and be dependent without having an addiction. Although someone with a drug addiction can end https://www.globalfashionexchange.org/explore-the-world-of-sustainable-fashion/ their physical dependence on the drug through detox, the mental component of the addiction remains, and maintaining sobriety can be an ongoing struggle. While addiction and dependence aren’t the same, they often overlap. So when you start recovery, both your body and mind will need time to heal.

• If someone with a drug dependence detoxes, especially by slowly decreasing the amount of the medication they take over a period of time, they may suffer withdrawal symptoms, but can end that physical dependence.
• It is in this so-called differential tolerance where the users usually overdose.
• Someone who’s dependent on a substance may or may not be addicted to it, but someone who’s addicted to a drug has always become dependent on it.
• After being off it for two weeks I knew that it was relieving the pain.

Drug Addiction vs. Drug Dependence

It causes uncontrollable behavior when it comes to getting and using the drug of choice. Addiction indicates more of a substance use disorder, while dependence is the physical body’s buildup of tolerance to a drug. Someone who’s dependent on a substance may or may not be addicted to it, but someone who’s addicted to a drug has always become dependent on it.

• The NHSDA reported that half of all respondents between the ages of 26 and 44 had tried illegal drugs, but only 8.3 percent of those aged 26 to 34 and 5.6 percent of those 35 to 44 said they were current users.
• You can be addicted without being dependent and be dependent without having an addiction.
• Your provider may want to do a physical exam and may request blood and urine tests.

What biological factors increase risk of addiction?

• My first thought is that I’m really mad and frustrated to be on opiods, still to this day, especially because I’m the don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t do drugs person.
• Amidst the worsening polysubstance overdose crisis driven by illicitly-manufactured fentanyl, accurately identifying opioid use disorder is crucial to target effective treatment and harm reduction efforts.
• For a person to be diagnosed with a substance abuse disorder, they must be consistently using alcohol or drugs.
• The pain-killing effects of the drug bring about higher tolerance levels.
• Addiction is a physiological or psychological need for a habit-forming substance, behavior, or activity.
• A history of sexual abuse seems to be a factor in whether women abuse alcohol, the report noted.