I am a board certified Addiction Medicine specialist.  In my practice, I use both conventional therapies for addictions as well as natural remedies such as dietary supplements, nutritional therapies and amino acids.

Currently, I am using amino acids to treat brain abstinence syndrome.  Below is more information about this:

According to a researcher at the National Institute of Health, the key to curing addiction could lie in the balancing of neurotransmitters in the brain. A recent article by Dr. Rothman, showed that by balancing the serotonin and dopamine in the brain, cravings and withdrawal symptoms were abated almost immediately.

Dopamine is the neurotransmitter that gives us our feelings of reward. When we do things that release dopamine, we feel good, happy, motivated, excited, etc. Serotonin is the one that gives us calming, relaxed, peaceful feelings. That is why many people use serotonin enhancing chemicals before sleeping at night. These neurotransmitters play a part in satiation. In other words, they tell us when we have had enough of something.

When these are out of balance, we can get depressed, anxious, angry, etc. Our brain will start telling the body that it needs more, and we start craving things that will directly affect those neurotransmitters. An example that many are familiar with is sugar. When we are down on serotonin, many people will crave sugar. In a broader form, we will crave other substances that can help increase the amount of neurotransmitters in the brain. We can end up craving food, alcohol, drugs, or even the chemicals our own body creates through activities such as sex, gambling, or dangerous activities. Some of these may be healthy in moderation like food.

Sometimes our brain will become out of balance through a number of factors such as poor metabolism, trauma (both physical and psychological), major stress, or not caring for ourselves in a proper manner. We also take many chemicals into our system that can negatively affect our body and brain on a regular basis in the form of drinks, food and even sometimes chemicals in the air. When we are out of balance, our body wants to feel good in the fastest way possible. Sometimes this is accomplished in unhealthy ways through alcohol, drugs, etc. These aren’t neurotransmitters, but can create temporary feelings that ease the craving.  However, when this happens, we destroy receptor sites and deplete our neurotransmitters further, creating an even greater need, and a vicious cycle begins. When these receptors are filled with the real thing, the need for substitute agents like drugs or alcohol drops, and we can get back into balance and the receptor sites can return to normal.

Neurotransmitters are created from amino acids in the brain by enzymes. Amino acids are made from proteins. These same proteins can also be converted into other substances, some of which can cause health problems if there is too much in the body.

Using an integrative medicine approach, you can provide your brain with the substances it needs to restore normal brain functioning, often without the use of prescription medications.

In my private practice, I also offer Suboxone as a treatment for opiate / prescription pill addiction.

EMAIL me today to discuss your treatment:  carolyn@carolynrossmd.com