Addiction and Treatment Archives - Fifth Avenue Psychiatry

The Psychology of Addiction

PSYCHIATRY NYC April 30, 2023

Understanding the Stages of Addiction To understand the psychology behind addiction, it is important to start with the basic of the behavior. If you understand the root causes, an addiction may be easier to overcome, treat, or sympathize with the addict’s experience. Addiction is identified by an individual engaging in an activity or behavior that starts as pleasurable but cannot stop the behavior, even to the detriment of everyday living. This may include harm to family, work, hobbies, and other commitments. An addict may set aside their well-being and health or the well-being of their loved ones. In many cases, the cause of the addiction or addictive behavior is some aspect of emotional stress that is deep-rooted, often subconscious, and

Substance Abuse & Addiction Among Health Care Professionals

PSYCHIATRY NYC April 15, 2023

New York Health Care Professionals and Substance Abuse Disorders Despite societal perceptions of healthcare professionals and preconceived ideologies, these professionals are just as susceptible to drug and alcohol abuse as in other professions. Society holds healthcare workers to a higher standard than the rest and holds them in high regard for their contribution to the community. Healthcare professionals are here to take care of us. Healthcare professionals know what to do and what not to do to be healthy. Healthcare professionals prevent us from hurting ourselves and sometimes others. We often assume that healthcare professionals will do everything possible to protect their health and well-being, but that is not always the case. Unfortunately, many contributing factors can be a catalyst

Stimulant Addiction in the Professional World

PSYCHIATRY NYC February 15, 2023

How Do Stimulants Work Stimulants work on the nervous system to improve cognitive function and alertness, increasing the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. These natural chemicals help to increase concentration and reduce fatigue. Prescription stimulants treat the symptoms of ADHD, ADD, and narcolepsy, as well as sometimes treat depression. Unfortunately, although these medications can be very helpful in fighting ADD, ADHD, narcolepsy, and depression, they are widely abused, can quickly cause addiction, and are treated as “performance enhancers” in many settings. When prescribed and taken as intended, stimulant medications can help ADD and ADHD patients immensely, but the trouble starts when people without these disorders take the medications. In addition to attention disorder and narcolepsy medications, there are

Substance Abuse’s Impact on Relationships at Work

PSYCHIATRY NYC February 7, 2023

Interpersonal relationships are between two or more people and can consist of one-on-one interactions in person, via social media or email, in social settings, or the workplace. In the workplace, substance abuse can affect these relationships differently depending upon the nature of the relationship, whether among peers or in a manager/employee relationship. One of the most obvious ways addiction affects interpersonal relationships is the change in the company an addict keeps. Once drug abuse becomes a habit, the user will choose to remove themselves from family and friends who show concern and surround themselves with other users. This provides a sense of belonging and eliminates questioning, accusing, or accountability to abstain. Although drug abuse certainly affects familial and significant-other relationship

Peer Pressure and Drug Use in High-Level Positions

PSYCHIATRY NYC December 20, 2022

High-Stress Careers and the Prevalence of Peer Pressure No one is exempt from peer pressure, not top athletes, movie stars, or even executives in fast-paced, high-level companies. Executive peer pressure is often associated with the need to act successfully and show leadership, even when not in the office. Along with this comes the pressure to do what those before you did, and do what other high-level executives may be doing, including the use of alcohol, drugs, and other addictions to deal with the stress of high-pressure positions. This pressure and need to resemble the crowd are especially prevalent in the hospitality and recreation industry. Although the fun and excitement of the hospitality and recreation industry may bring professionals around illicit

Q & A: The Complex Cycle of Alcohol Use and Depression

PSYCHIATRY NYC October 10, 2022

By: Tracey Basett, Psy.D. The relationship between depression and alcohol use is a very complicated one. This is because both depression and alcohol can exacerbate the effects of each other in unhealthy ways. Although there is the common perception that depression causes alcohol misuse, the majority of studies show that alcohol use actually increases the likelihood of depression (1 & 2). In addition, studies also report a co-morbid relationship between depression and alcohol that actually increases with age. It has been shown that the combination of Alcohol Use Disorder and Depression is “associated with higher risk of alcohol dependence, suicide attempt, lower global functioning, and life dissatisfaction” (3). The complex relationship between alcohol and depression for a lot of people

Adderall Addiction in the Workplace

PSYCHIATRY NYC June 28, 2022

By Britt Gottlich, Psy.D. At Fifth Avenue Psychiatry, we often get new clients seeking stimulant medications for ADHD. These individuals are usually surprised with how cautious we tend to be with these medications, as our NYC psychiatrists require new or recent neuropsychological testing to confirm this diagnosis rather than just handing out medications based on reported symptoms. The reason we are more conservative with stimulant medications is because of the high rate of stimulant addiction that we see as a result of these controlled substances being prescribed too readily. What are Prescription Stimulants? The National Institute on Drug Abuse defines stimulants as “medications generally used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy- uncontrollable episodes of deep sleep. They increase alertness, attention,

How To Choose the Right Psychiatrist for Addiction Treatment

PSYCHIATRY NYC May 9, 2022

By Samuel Glazer, MD Addiction is understood as a brain disease that is multidimensional, and, to this point, there are still very few effective treatments. What we also know is that addiction responds best to a combination of both medicine and psychotherapy for the addiction, as well as its underlying causes (only once the substance use stops). Unfortunately, though, there is still a great deal about addiction and its treatment that is misconstrued by both patients suffering with addiction and many psychiatrists and therapists treating them. Though there are many excellent therapists and skilled psychiatrists with variable levels of training, the following are some suggestions by our New York City addiction psychiatrist on how to find a psychiatrist who can

What is Kratom? | NYC Kratom Addiction Psychiatrists

Kratom: Harmful or Helpful?

PSYCHIATRY NYC April 22, 2022

By Dr. Ronnit Nazarian There is little information on Kratom, and there is much misinformation out there. Some people believe Kratom is a safe drug to use because it is legal, easy to obtain, natural, advertised heavily, and has “claimed” to treat many illnesses from anxiety to diabetes to opioid withdrawal symptoms. However, the consequences of Kratom use have shown that the drug can create dependence and addiction similar to the effects of opioids (e.g., pain relief and euphoria) and stimulant properties. In some cases, Kratom can actually create Opioid withdrawal symptoms and lead to opiate use disorders or even mimic them.2 Our New York City addiction psychiatrists are here to help provide the following information: What is Kratom? Why

Understanding the Harm Reduction Model (Controlled Drinking)

PSYCHIATRY NYC October 11, 2021

By Dr. Britt Gottlich, Psy.D. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health performed by the NSDUH, “[A]bout 7.3 percent of adults ages 18 and older who had Alcohol Use Disorder in the past year received any treatment in the past year… People with Alcohol Use Disorder were more likely to seek care from a primary care physician for an alcohol-related medical problem, rather than specifically for drinking too much alcohol” (NIAAA). Why? Seeking help for substance abuse can be overwhelming and scary. Often, clients report that coming in for the initial appointment is the hardest part due to the unknown of this type of treatment program. What clients often do not expect, is that substance abuse treatment

Category: Addiction and Treatment