Addictions /
Addictive Tendencies

Addictions / Addictive Tendencies: Overview

An addiction exists when our body or mind becomes so accustomed to the presence of a drug, that it will not function properly or will have an adverse reaction if the drug is withdrawn.  Not all drug users become addicted and not all drugs are illegal.  Alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco are legalized drugs that may or may not become an addiction problem for those who use them.

Diagnose your symptoms now!
  • let The Analyst™ find what's wrong
  • have a doctor review your case (optional)
  • learn what you should be doing right now

Addiction is defined by tolerance, withdrawal, and craving.  We recognize addiction by a person's heightened and habituated need for a substance; by the intense suffering that results from discontinuation of its use; and by the person's willingness to sacrifice all (to the point of self-destructiveness) for drug taking.

Addiction, at its extreme, is an overwhelming pathological involvement: the object of addiction is the addicted person's experience of the combined physical, emotional, and environmental elements that make up the involvement for that person.  Addiction is often characterized by a traumatic withdrawal reaction to the deprivation of this state or experience.  Tolerance – or the increasingly high level of need for the experience – and craving are measured by how willing the person is to sacrifice other rewards or sources of well-being in life to the pursuit of the involvement.  The key to addiction, seen in this light, is its persistence in the face of harmful consequences for the individual.

There are numerous determining factors for how long drug toxins stay in a person's body which vary from person to person, such as the analytical method used, your health, your body weight, metabolism, fluid intake, the type of toxin, and the degree of exposure to the toxin.

Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, one of nearly 400 chemicals in a hemp plant, accounts for most of marijuana's psychoactive, or mind-altering, effects.  The strength of the drug is determined by the amount of THC it contains which varies from plant to plant.

Causes and Development; Contributing Risk Factors

Most researchers believe that addictions are centered around the effect that addictive drugs have on dopamine levels in the brain.  Addictive drugs, which generally have numerous other dangerous side-effects, also elevate the levels of dopamine in our brain.  Our body then continues to crave these feelings and this may account for the repetition inherent in addictive behavior.

The more drugs like alcohol, nicotine, marijuana, cocaine, and amphetamines are used to enhance mood, the more they are craved for continued mood enhancement until they become an addiction.  Additionally, anything that people do a lot of they tend to develop an enjoyment for.  This includes addictions or obsessions to potentially negative behaviors, such as sex, pain, criminal activity, etc. that produce increased levels of dopamine for "feel good" rushes.

Researchers believe that heredity may be increase the susceptibility to addiction.  Research has found that children of alcoholics or a family history of alcoholism are 400 times more likely to use drugs and have a drug addiction.

Treatment and Prevention

Considerations for Rehabilitation and Quitting Drug Use

There seems to be no single treatment that will help all people.  Thus the treatment may need to be tailored for the individual.

To minimize withdrawal symptoms it is often recommended that drugs be eliminated gradually over a period of four weeks or longer.  For serious drug addictions hospitalization and or professional help.

Many rehabilitation programs focus on body detoxification and elimination as it is thought that drug residue remaining in the body increases the desire for reuse.

Often heat therapy, detoxifying and nutritional supplementation, and other drugs that enhance dopamine production and levels without the serious side effects of the drug addiction will enhance the recovery process.

Important Lifestyle Changes for Drug Detoxification and Recovery

  • Drink lots of water – at least two quarts a day several days to assist in flushing the body of drug toxins and cleansing the body.
  • Avoid large quantities of processed foods and sugars that may produce quick energy but will have a down effect that may increase drug cravings.
  • Since THC is fat-soluble and is stored in fat cells, exercise will help burn the fat cells thus releasing more THC into your urine sample.  Exercise and dry sauna heat will help remove the THC and other drug toxins from the body.
  • You should avoid all toxins and unnecessary medications that may trigger drug cravings.
  • If residue from marijuana continues to exist in the user's body cravings for marijuana will arise and withdrawal symptoms persist.  The goal of marijuana detox is to ultimately eliminate the drug, and all its metabolites from the body to increase the chance of a successful recovery.  The human body will eventually expel the remaining marijuana residue through urination and sweating.
  • Various drug rehabilitation centers use scientifically proven methods to expedite the marijuana detox process, which in turn, makes for a faster and easier recovery.

Supplements that Support Drug Rehabilitation, Recovery and Drug Detox

  • Essential Fatty Acids Help reverse the effects of malnutrition related to drug addiction.
  • Vitamin B Complex Helps when under physical and mental stress to rebuild the liver, helps reduce stress.
  • Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) helps reduce stress and supports the adrenal glands.
  • Calcium and Magnesium help nourish the central nervous system and help control tremors by calming the body.
  • Free Form Amino Acid Complex supplies body of needed proteins in an available format.
  • L-Glutamine helps increase the levels of GABA in the brain which has a calming effect.
  • L-Tyrosine and Valerian have shown to be supportive for Cocaine withdrawals.  Do not take L-Tyrosine if using a MAO inhibitor drug.
  • Gamma Amino Butyric Acid (GABA) – may help relax and reduce cravings.
  • L-Phenylalanine may assist with withdrawal symptoms.  Do not use if taking a PKU, or if you are pregnant or nursing, suffer from panic attacks, diabetes, or high blood pressure.
  • S-Adenosylmethionine (SAMe) aids in stress reduction and depression.  An antioxidant that supports liver function.
  • 5-Hydroxytryptophan aids with stress and withdrawal symptoms.
  • Vitamin C helps detoxify and reduces drug cravings.
  • Zinc supports the immune system and protects the liver.
  • Herbs and Herb Formulas with Burdock Root, Red Clover, Milk Thistle aid in cleansing the toxins from the blood stream and the liver – St. Johns Wort has been shown to support mood and reduce depression.
  • Siberian Ginseng helps those suffering from cocaine withdrawals.
  • Multivitamin and mineral complex will ensure complete nutritional intake.

Prognosis; Complications

The amount of pleasure created by addictive substances is so strong that in many cases even after years of abstinence, there are mental and physical triggers that may cause a person to relapse into use.  Research has shown that long-term drug abuse and addictions result in changes in brain chemistry that may persist for years after the individual stops using the drug.

Our bodies have a natural tendency toward reduced reaction to foreign substances, and over time this phenomenon increases the quantity of a drug required to produce the same physical and mental pleasure.  Thus addicts must increase the quantity of drug they are using to get the same feelings of euphoria and mood enhancement.  In many cases the need for such a large quantity of the addictive drug will cause a drug overdose, often killing the user.

Conditions that suggest Addictions / Addictive Tendencies:

Addictions

Diet

Risk factors for Addictions / Addictive Tendencies:

Hormones

Histadelia (Histamine High)

Nutritional treatment for drug and alcohol users will depend on the results of a test for blood histamine levels.  In one series of such analysis, all users proved to have high histamine levels, leading the scientist to conclude that this abnormality – with its impact on brain function – is a major force in creating addiction. [Nutrition Guide for the Prevention and Cure of Common Ailments and Diseases, Carlton Fredericks, PhD. p.58]

Metabolic

Hypoglycemia

A craving for cigarettes and/or drugs is a possible symptom of hypoglycemia.

Supplements, Medications, Drugs

Counter-indicators

Symptoms - Environment

Concerned or curious about your health?  Try The Analyst™
Symptom Entry
Symptom Entry
Diagnosis
Diagnosis
Suggestions
Suggestions
LifeMeter
LifeMeter®
Full Explanations
Explanations
Optional Doctor Review
Review (optional)

Addictions / Addictive Tendencies can lead to:

Nervous System

Nervous Breakdown Tendency

Drug abuse – in particular cocaine use – is a predisposing factor for having nervous breakdowns.

Recommendations for Addictions / Addictive Tendencies:

Diet

Therapeutic Fasting

Fasting makes it easier to overcome bad habits and addictions.  Many people have overcome tobacco and alcohol cravings, and even drug addictions, by fasting.

Supplements

TMG (Trimethylglycine)

TMG or SAMe may be especially useful in treating depression associated with drug withdrawal.

Report by The Analyst™
Click to see sample report
Health problems rarely occur in isolation or for obvious reasons

Your body is a highly complex, interconnected system.  Instead of guessing at what might be wrong, let us help you discover what is really going on inside your body based on the many clues it is giving.

Our multiple symptom checker provides in-depth health analysis by The Analyst™ with full explanations, recommendations and (optionally) doctors available for case review and answering your specific questions.

KEY

Strong or generally accepted link: often suggests; often increases risk of; often leads to
Strong or generally accepted link:
often suggests; often increases risk of; often leads to
Definite or direct link: increases risk of
Definite or direct link:
increases risk of
Strong counter-indication: often decreases risk of
Strong counter-indication:
often decreases risk of
Very useful: is highly recommended for
Very useful:
is highly recommended for
We use cookies for traffic analysis, advertising, and to provide the best user experience