1930 Marlton Pike East, Suites U-99 & U-100
•
Cherry Hill, NJ
Phone: 856-888-1326 • Fax: 856-281-9898
Vivitrol Licensed ProviderThese may include genetic predispositions, social stresses, medical conditions such as metabolic conditions, hypo or hyper thyroidism, certain medications, major illnesses, prolonged pain, and/or sleeping problems.
Addiction is defined as a chronic relapsing brain disease that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences.
It is considered a brain disease because drugs change the brain - they change its structure and how it works. These brain changes can be long lasting, and can lead to the harmful behaviors seen in people who abuse drugs
Addiction affects many aspects of a person's life. Whether it is drug or alcohol related, the outcome of untreated addiction can be devastating, debilitating, and even fatal. Often, the friends and family of people with addictions ore affected negatively as well.
That's why a recovery plan must be comprehensive and address the key aspects of addiction in order to ensure long-term addiction remission. Since everyone is different, no one plan con be for everyone, people will likely need to customize their own treatment plan with the help of their personal recovery team which includes their physician, counselor or therapist, family members, and any other outside support systems.
A comprehensive plan consists of four major components:
How Science Has Revolutionized the Understanding of Drug Addiction
Throughout much of the last century, scientists studying drug abuse labored in the shadows of powerful myths and misconceptions about the nature of addiction. When science began to study addictive behavior in the 1930s, people addicted to drugs were thought to be morally flawed and lacking in willpower.
Those views shaped society's responses to drug abuse, treating it as a moral failing rather than a health problem, which led to an emphasis on punitive rather than preventative and therapeutic actions. Today, thanks to science, our views and our responses to drug abuse have changed dramatically. Groundbreaking discoveries about the brain have revolutionized our understanding of drug addiction, enabling us to respond effectively to the problem.
As a result of scientific research, we know that addiction is a disease that affects both brain and behavior. We have identified many of the biological and environmental factors and are beginning to search for the genetic variations that contribute to the development and progression of the disease. Scientists use this knowledge to develop effective prevention and treatment approaches that reduce the toll dri.tg abuse takes on individuals, families, and communities.
Despite these advance, many people today do not understand why individuals become addicted to drugs or how drugs change the brain to foster compulsive drug abuse. We believe that increased understanding of the basics of addiction will empower people to make informed choices in their own lives, adopt science-based policies and programs that reduce drug abuse and addiction in their communities, and support scientific research that improves the Nation's well-being.
Addiction is similar to other diseases, such as heart disease. Both disrupt the normal, healthy functioning of the underlying organ, have serious harmful consequences, are preventable, treatable, and if left untreated, can last a lifetime.
Nora D. Volkow, M.D. Director
National Institute on Drug Abuse
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a pattern of frequent, constant worry and anxiety over many different activities and events. It is a common condition which may involve genetic and/or environmental predispositions.
The disorder may start at any time in life, including childhood. Most people with the disorder report that they have been anxious for as long as they can remember. The main symptom is the almost constant presence of worry or tension, even when there is little or no cause.
Worries seem to float from one problem to another, such as family or relationship problems, school or work issues, money, health, and other problems. Other symptoms include: difficulty concentrating, fatigue, irritability, problems falling or staying asleep, and sleep that is often restless and unsatisfying.
The goal of treatment is to help you function well during day-to-day life. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and medications are proven treatments. If you are placed on medication as a treatment, do not suddenly stop without talking with your doctor.
Depression may be described as feeling sad, blue, unhappy, miserable, or down in the dumps. Most of us feel this way at one time or another for short periods.
True clinical depression is a mood disorder in which feelings of sadness, loss, anger, or frustration interfere with everyday life for a long period of time. Depression may be caused by genetic chemical imbalances in the brain or by events in a person's life.
Some types of depression seem to run in families, but depression can also occur in people who have no family history of the illness. Stressful life changes or events can trigger depression in some people.
Usually, a combination of factors is involved. Men and women of all ages, races, and economic levels can have depression. Depression can also occur in children and teenagers, although symptoms may present differently.
Most people benefit from antidepressant drug therapy, along with psychotherapy. As treatment takes effect, negative thinking diminishes. It takes time to feel better, but there are usually day-to-day improvements.
Bipolar disorder involves periods of elevated or irritable mood (mania), alternating with periods of depression. The "mood swings" between mania and depression can be very abrupt. Bipolar disorder affects men and women equally.
It usually appears between ages 15 – 25. The exact cause is unknown, but it occurs more often in relatives of people with bipolar disorder. There are different types of bipolar disorder.
In general the manic phase may last from days to months and can include the following symptoms with a range of intensity:
The depressed phase of bipolar disorder may include the following symptoms:
There is a high risk of suicide with bipolar disorder if it goes untreated. While in either phase, patients may abuse alcohol or other substances, which can make the symptoms worse. Sometimes there is an overlap between the two phases. Manic and depressive symptoms may occur together or quickly one after the other in what is called a mixed state.
ADHD is a problem with inattentiveness, over-activity, impulsivity, or a combination. For these problems to be diagnosed as ADHD, they must be out of the normal range for a child's age and development. Imaging studies suggest that the brains of children with ADHD are different from those of other children. These children handle neurotransmitters (including dopamine, serotonin, and adrenaline) differently from their peers.
ADHD may run in families, but it is not clear exactly what causes it. Depression, lack of sleep, learning disabilities, tic disorders, and behavior problems may be confused with, or co-morbid with ADHD. Every child suspected of having ADHD should have a careful evaluation to determine what is contributing to the behaviors that are causing concern. ADHD is the most commonly diagnosed behavioral disorder of childhood. It affects about 3 – 5% of school aged children.
ADHD is diagnosed much more often in boys than in girls. Most children with ADHD also have at least one other developmental or behavioral problem. Untreated or poorly managed ADHD lead to psychiatric problems, such as depression, anxiety or poor self esteem.
The symptoms of ADHD are divided into inattentiveness, and hyperactivity and impulsivity. Some children with ADHD primarily have the inattentive type, some the hyperactive-impulsive type, and some the combined type. Those with the inattentive type are less disruptive and are more likely to miss being diagnosed with ADHD. Inattention symptoms: Fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork,
Has difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or play, Does not seem to listen when spoken to directly, Does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties in the workplace, Has difficulty organizing tasks and activities, Avoids or dislikes tasks that require sustained mental effort (such as schoolwork), Often loses toys, assignments, pencils, books, or tools needed for tasks or activities, Is easily distracted, Is often forgetful in daily activities.
Symptoms of hyperactivity include fidgeting, squirming in seat, failing to remain seated when asked, running or climbing in inappropriate situations, difficulty playing quietly, often appearing "on the go," or as if "driven by a motor," talking excessively.
Symptoms of impulsivity may include: blurting out answers before questions have been completed, difficulty with turn taking, frequently interrupting others, (butts into conversations or games).
Although ADHD is commonly thought of as a childhood disorder, adults can also suffer symptoms of inattention and impulsivity that negatively impact their functioning. Childhood and Adult ADHD are both treatable conditions.
Autism is a spectrum of disorders that causes severe impairment in thinking, feeling, language, and the ability to relate to others. People with autism spectrum disorders show deficits in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, and unusual responses to sensory experiences. Autism spectrum disorders are usually first diagnosed in early childhood.
Social Interaction. Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as demonstrated by at least two of the following:
Communication. Qualitative impairments in communicating refer to least one of the following four areas:
Behavior. Restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, as demonstrated by at least one of the following:
Although recent studies indicate that the number of autism cases is increasing dramatically each year, the causes of this disorder are not well understood. Twin and family studies suggest an underlying genetic vulnerability to autism, and a growing area of research indicates that the disease may be caused by an interaction between genetic and environmental factors.
Treatments:
Therapies and behavioral interventions are designed to remedy specific symptoms and can bring about substantial improvement. The ideal treatment plan coordinates therapies and interventions that meet the specific needs of individual children. Most health care professionals agree that the earlier the intervention, the better.
Educational/behavioral interventions: Therapists use highly structured and intensive skill-oriented training sessions to help children develop social and language skills, such as Applied Behavioral Analysis. Family counseling for the parents and siblings of children with ASD often helps families cope with the particular challenges of living with a child with ASD.
Medications: Doctors may prescribe medications for treatment of specific ASD-related symptoms, such as anxiety, depression, or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Antipsychotic medications are used to treat severe behavioral problems. Seizures can be treated with one or more anticonvulsant drugs. Medication used to treat people with attention deficit disorder can be used effectively to help decrease impulsivity and hyperactivity.
Other therapies: There are a number of controversial therapies or interventions available for people with ASD, but few, if any, are supported by scientific studies. Parents should use caution before adopting any unproven treatments. Although dietary interventions have been helpful in some children, parents should be careful that their child’s nutritional status is carefully followed.
Insomnia is difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep, or having nonrefreshing sleep for at least 1 month. Primary insomnia refers to insomnia that is not caused by any known physical or mental condition. Insomnia is caused by many different things.
The most common causes of insomnia are: Alcohol, Anxiety, Coffee, Stress. Secondary insomnia is caused by a medical condition. Depression is a very common cause of secondary insomnia. Often, insomnia is the symptom that causes people with depression to seek medical help. Symptoms:
Difficulty falling asleep on most nights, Feeling tired during the day or falling asleep during the day, Not feeling refreshed when you wake up, Waking up several times during sleep. People who have primary insomnia tend to keep thinking about getting enough sleep. The more they try to sleep, the greater their sense of frustration and distress, and the more difficult sleep becomes.
The following tips can help improve sleep. This is called sleep hygiene:
Panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder in which someone has repeated attacks of intense fear that something bad will occur when not expected.
With panic disorder, at least four of the following symptoms occur during an attack: chest pain or discomfort, dizziness or faintness, fear of dying, fear of losing control or impending doom, feeling of choking, feelings of detachment, feelings of unreality, nausea or upset stomach, numbness or tingling in the hands, feet, or face, palpitations, fast heart rate, or pounding heart, sensation of shortness of breath or smothering, sweating, chills, or hot flashes, trembling or shaking.
The person often lives in fear that another attack will occur. The exact cause of panic disorder is unknown. Genetics may play a role, however panic disorder often occurs when there is no family history.
A panic attack begins suddenly, and most often peaks within 10 – 20 minutes. Some symptoms may linger for 1 or more hours afterwards. During a panic attack, the person believes he or she is "going crazy," having a heart attack, or about to die.
The goal of treatment is to help you function well during everyday life. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and medications are proven methods of treatment.