By Dr. Dalal Akoury Dr. Dalal Akoury July 16, 2015

Facing addiction after overcoming denial problem: Preparing for your appointments

One of the biggest obstacles in addiction treatment is the endless problem of denial. Many addicts are never willing to consent to treatment for various reasons. As a result of this the recurrence of this problem is and will continue to be a thorn in our flesh every time we are dealing with drug addiction. However, when denial is beaten and the patient comes to the point of acknowledgement of the existing problem, then and only then that meaningful treatment can begin. Remember that I have said meaningful that means that treatment can still take place with or without denial. The only difference is that when you are attending to a patient who knows the problem he is suffering from and has accepted to be helped, treatment becomes very easy says doctor Dalal Akoury MD and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center. Nonetheless after all this is done the real work now begins by facing addiction after overcoming denial problems. The question that now comes to mind is that how do I you start? Doctor Akoury says that objectively it may be of great help for such a patient to get an independent perspective from someone they trust and who knows then too well. Opening up should be the initial starting point. It therefore means that you can start by discussing your substance use with your physician, or if you are not comfortable with this, they you may want to ask for a referral to a specialist in drug addiction, such as a licensed alcohol and drug counselor, or a psychiatrist or psychologist. The most important thing to note continues doctor Akoury is that many at times these people are isolated in themselves and therefore it will take the hand work of their loved ones to assist them in this worthy journey of addiction recovery. Besides that if you are struggling with an addiction you can take a relative or friend along with you when you are going for your appointment with your doctor.

Facing addiction after overcoming denial problem: What you can do

There are a lot of things you can do to prepare for your appointment including some of the following:

Be honest about your drug use – When you have a drug-use problem, it can be easy to downplay or underestimate how much you use and your level of dependence. To get an accurate idea of which treatment may help, be honest with your doctor or other mental health provider.

Make a list of all medications, vitamins or other supplements – that you’re taking and the dosages. Tell the doctor about any legal or illegal drugs you’re using.

Get ready to ask all your questions to questions to your doctor – this will help your doctor to identify the best recovery state the best treatment method to you. The following are some of the questions you may address to your doctor:

What’s the best approach to my drug problem?
Should I see a psychiatrist or other mental health provider?
Will I need to go to the hospital or spend time as an inpatient or outpatient at a recovery clinic?
Are there any brochures or other printed material that I can have? What websites do you recommend?
What are the alternatives to the primary approach that you’re suggesting?

Don’t hesitate to ask questions anytime during your appointment.

Facing addiction after overcoming denial problem: What to expect from your doctor?

Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions. Be ready to answer them to reserve time to go over any points you want to focus on. Your doctor may ask:

What drugs do you use?
When did your drug use first start?
How often do you use drugs?
When you take a drug, how much do you use?
Do you ever feel that you might have a problem with drugs?
Have you tried to quit on your own? What happened when you did?
If you tried to quit, did you have withdrawal symptoms?
Have any family members criticized your drug use?
Are you ready to get the treatment needed for your drug problem?

Facing addiction after overcoming denial problem: Tests and diagnosis

Depending on how your doctor will respond to your questions he run several test before making any judgment of coming up with a diagnosing drug solution. Remember that the problem of addiction can be compounded to the point that when seeking for solutions, you may engage the services of various experts including a psychiatrist, a psychologist, or a licensed alcohol and drug counselor. Blood, urine or other lab tests are used to assess drug use, but they’re not a diagnostic test for addiction. These tests may be used only for monitoring treatment and recovery. However for diagnosis of a substance use disorder, most mental health professionals use criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), published by the American Psychiatric Association, to diagnose mental conditions. This manual is also used by insurance companies for the purposes of reimbursement for treatment.

Remember that DSM-5 criteria for substance use disorder will include a behavior pattern of drug use that causes significant problems and distress, regardless of what drug is used. Experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center in their study of addiction pattern have concluded that and individual is likely to have and addiction to any substance if at least two of these listed issues happen to them with one year:

You often take larger amounts of the drug over a longer period of time than you intended
You want to cut down or quit, but haven’t been successful
You spend a good deal of time getting the drug, using the drug or recovering from the effects of the drug
You have intense urges for the drug that block out any other thoughts
You aren’t meeting obligations and responsibilities because of your substance use
You keep using the drug, even though you know it’s causing problems in your life
You give up or cut back important social, occupational or recreational activities because of your substance use
You use the substance in situations that may be unsafe, such as when driving or operating machinery
You use the substance even though you know it’s causing you physical or psychological harm
You develop tolerance, which means that the drug has less and less effect on you and you need more of the drug to get the same effect
You have physical or psychological withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking the drug, or you take the drug (or a similar drug) to avoid withdrawal symptoms

Finally if any of these questions speaks anything to you, then it is very important that you contact the house of experts (AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center) for lasting solutions today.