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QUESTION:
What causes addiction?
ANSWER: Addiction
is a disease affected by chemical substances (alcohol and
drugs) or certain behaviors (addictive behaviors such as
e.g. pathological gambling) which disrupt the proper functioning
of the reward system in the brain. Addictive substances
and behaviors possess three qualities:
1. They sharply elevate mood.
2. Discontinuation of their use causes withdrawal symptoms,
anxiety, and depression, which increase in direct proportion
to the amount of time the substances have been used or the
behavior practiced.
3. The substances and behavior patterns systematically damage
one’s physical and mental health.
QUESTION:
What kind of behavior patterns are related to addiction?
ANSWER: Addictions
can be behavioral and substantive; thus one can be addicted
to a behavior pattern as well as to a substance (drug/alcohol).
Behavioral addictions include gambling and danger-seeking
behavior such as high risk sex.
QUESTION:
What are substantive addictions (chemical dependencies)?
ANSWER: Substantive
addictions are those which involve the abuse of various
substances which create euphoria. There are two major types
of drugs: downers and uppers. Downers such as alcohol, opiates,
benzodiazepines, and barbiturates create a pleasant sense
of relaxation and tranquility. High glycemic, sugary foods
have the same “tranquilizing” effect. That is
why consumption of large amounts of sweets can be considered
an addiction.. Another group of drugs, known as "uppers,"
create feeling of excitement. This group of drugs includes
amphetamine, ephedrine, methamphetamine, cocaine, and others.
Yet another group of addictive substances can cause a feeling
of relaxation in some people, but stimulate others. This
group includes marijuana, caffeine, and alcohol, Not all
the people who try drugs become addicted to them. For example,
many people occasionally drink alcohol but only 10% of them
develop addiction to alcohol and become alcoholics.
QUESTION:
My son is being treated for drug addiction. It is difficult
to control his attraction to this poison, and in addition
a new strange behavior has appeared – my son has developed
a terrible sweet tooth. One of our relatives thinks it is
a positive that my son has replaced drugs with something
as harmless as sweets. Others say that all these sweets
are very unhealthy, and that after a while my son will either
start using drugs again, or will become a diabetic. Who
is right?
ANSWER: After
an individual stops using drugs he or she frequently throws
himself, or herself, into some other extreme. In his practice
Dr. Marshak has repeatedly encountered cases when former
patients will eat several pounds of ice cream or chocolate
in one sitting, or rapidly devour enormous amounts of cake.
These gluttonous attacks can regularly repeat. When sugar
enters the body the level of glucose in the system sharply
increases, and insulin is released. In turn, insulin contributes
to an increase in the concentration of special substance
in the brain called metenkephalin. Increase of the metenkephalin
in the brain has an effect similar to opioids. It creates
a feeling that one’s very soul has been enveloped
in sweetness and warmth.
Of course, a candy bar does
not affect the brain as powerfully as heroin, or a comparable
drug. The “high” one gets from piece of cake
is much weaker, and lasts for less time than a drug high.
However, sweets are absolutely capable of creating a cascade
of mood states similar to those experienced by drug users.
The impact of glucose on the organism is powerful enough
that addicts who stop using drugs often become “sugarholics,”
capable of consuming sweets by the pound.
Thus, it is essential that
when someone decides to stop using drugs for good, he or
she should also forget about eating sweets for a long time.
During the rehabilitative period his diet must exclude:
bananas, white flour in large quantities, grapes, melons,
watermelon, honey, corn, sugar, and potatoes. It is not
easy to change your eating habits; however, it is important
to do so, since hyperglycemic foods (foods that contain
lots of sugar or starch) also create “sugar blues”
that are very dangerous for a person in recovery. Over the
past 12 years Dr. Marshak developed a diet for people in
recovery. This diet is based on low glycemic principles
and incorporates foods that provide “stimulatory”
type of satisfaction. The Marshak Clinic Cookbook contains
hundreds of recipes which are easy to prepare. They are
so elegant and delicious your friends will think you are
a gourmet chef and never suspect they are part of a specialized
dietary regime.
QUESTION:
What are the short-term effects of marijuana use?
ANSWER: The
short-term effects of marijuana use are the following: memory
problems, distorted perception (vision, sounds, sense of
time, touch); difficulty thinking and problem solving; loss
of coordination; accelerated heart beat; fearfulness.
These effects get stronger
if marijuana was used together with other drugs. An addict
cannot always precisely determine if marijuana has been
laced with another drug.
QUESTION:
Does the use of marijuana have an effect on academic achievement,
sports performance, or other activities?
ANSWER: Certainly
it has an effect. Marijuana distorts one’s memory,
as well as the perception and evaluation of reality. The
use of this drug can create problems in school, in sports,
and with family and friends. If you feel unusually courageous
after using marijuana, you can go on to make some foolish
mistakes which will create problems, or even injure yourself
or others. People who smoke marijuana a lot can sometimes
lose interest in how they look, and in how they behave in
the school or at work. Athletes can discover that their
success is over: when the perception of time, motion, and
coordination are all under the strong influence of marijuana.
Moreover, since marijuana also acts on the cognitive processes
and problem-solving ability, addicts can forget about staying
safe when having sex, and frequently risk exposing themselves
to HIV.
QUESTION:
Does the use of marijuana lead to the use of other drugs?
ANSWER: Yes,
it can. Several long-term studies of adolescent addicts
show that very few of them began to use hard drugs without
first smoking marijuana. For example, one’s risk of
using heroin is 100 times greater in someone who has tried
marijuana, than in someone who has never used it. Marijuana
use connects children and adolescents with other drug users,
and those who sell the drugs. In this way those who smoke
marijuana are exposed to more pressure to try other drugs.
Addiction robs people of their
dignity and life before it kills them. We can help you achieve
sobriety now - and maintain it for life.
If you or a loved one needs help call our supportive intake
staff who will address your concerns and guide you through
the intake process:
(800) 366-8101, or email us
at info@marshakclinic.com
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