ALCOHOLISM AND PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS

Alcohol abuse and mental illness accounts for major public health problem. Alcohol has relaxing affects on your brain in small amount of time. Intake of excessive alcohol make person intoxicated and unsteady making individual do or say things one normally won’t.

Alcohol changes the way brain cells signal one another make individual feel relaxed for short time and this effect do not last longer. When the feeling of bliss wear off symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression can worsen.

EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON BRAIN :

• Continues abuse of alcohol can cause structural and functional changes in brain. Dependence on alcohol may lead to generalized atrophic changes in brain. Certain regions of brain like Frontal lobe systems are more vulnerable to side effects of alcohol than other regions
• Common neuro-biological pathways can be involved in alcohol dependence. Psychosocial stresses which go hand in hand with life-impacting alcohol dependence can aggravate a susceptibility to mental illness.

COMMON PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS THAT OCCURE WITH ALCOHOLISM

There are many health conditions that co-exist with Alcoholism. Each psychiatric disorder affects alcoholism in contrasting ways which depends upon longevity and severity of disorder.

Alcoholism and Depression :

Depression is a type of mood disorder affecting individual’s thoughts and actions. It is the most common mental health issue with symptoms like :

• Fatigue
• Restlessness
• Loss of interest in activities and hobbies
• Insomnia
• Change in behavior

Alcohol is sometimes used to suppress signs of depression as quick fix as it stimulates brain which cause individual to experience a high leading dependence on alcohol to achieve feeling of happiness. But once individual quite alcohol it can be destructive to  health as body will crash after high which can intensify symptoms of depression as body goes into shock and greatly increase risk of self-harm.

Alcoholism and Bipolar Disorder :

Bipolar disorder includes irregular mood swings which fluctuate between extreme highs to severe lows.

• During highs individual has abundance of energy and feel overly confident
• During lows person experience feeling fatigue, loss of interest and restlessness.

Individuals  with bipolar disorder is at high risk of developing substance abuse disorder like alcoholism. Alcohol tends to aggravate the symptoms of bipolar disorder so these conditions are incredibly dangerous to co-exist.

Alcoholism and OCD (Obsessive-compulsive disorder) :

OCD involves uncontrollable obsessions which triggers repeated compulsions.

Obsessions and compulsions linked with OCD comes in different forms, like :

• Excessive hand washing
• Counting items
• Constantly arranging

Some individuals suffering from OCD turns to alcohol . But alcohol instead of managing symptoms worsen it. Relying on alcohol for OCD can rapidly turn into dangerous addiction. Co-existing alcoholism and OCD comes with health complications and emotional troubles for life time.

SYMPTOMS :

Symptoms greatly depends on mental illness , along with its frequency and longevity of alcohol consumption. The common symptoms includes :

• Loss of energy and motivation
• Self-isolation from friends and family
• Trouble in concentrating or completing tasks
• Increased anger, irritability or anxiety
• Changes in appetite
• Negligence toward professional or personal responsibilities
• Rationalizing excessive consumption of alcohol

LIFE-STYLE CHANGES :

• Regular exercising
• Developing coping methods for avoiding drinking in difficult situations
• Seeking support from family and friends
• Learning relaxation or stress reduction techniques
• Learning to socialize without alcohol
• Avoid going places serving alcohol.

CHANDIGARH AYURVEDIC CENTRE MEDICATION FOR THE TREATMENT OF ALCOHOLISM AND PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS

1. Calm Sleep Tablet:

Calm sleep tablet is an amazing combination of natural herbs like bhang, Brahmi, Tagar, jatamansi. It helps to relieve stressful conditions. They help to pacify the nervous system and also helps to calm minds and make your body relax and light. In Ayurveda when there is an imbalance of three energies i.e. vata, pitta and Kapha, it leads to disease. Vata has a sub dosha named prana doshas which regulates the sensory perception, brain, and mind. calm sleep tablets is effective in depression, anxiety, insomnia, amnesia, Alzheimer’s disease, obesity, and hypertension.

Recommended Dosage – Take 2 tablets twice a day with normal water.

2. Nerve Up Tablet:

Nerve up tablet is a herbo-mineral tablet and is purely ayurvedic formulation. CAC Nerve up tablets help in balancing the vata doshas. It reduces kapha dosha, and acts as nervine stimulant. It shows effective results in improving the central nervous system. It contains natural ingredients like shudha kuchala, shudha shilajeet, abhrak bhasma, praval pishti, shankh bhasma etc. These contains natural vatahar properties and helps in curing vata diseases.

Recommended Dosage – Take 2 tablets twice a day with normal water.

3. Brodley Syrup

The syrup contains – Shankh pushpi (Convolvulus pluricalis), Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri), Yashti madhu (Glycyrihiza glabra), Dhania (Coriandrum sativum), Saunf (Foeniculum vulgare) etc…It mainly act as an Anti – Depressant and reduces the stress level. Syrup has best results in mental fatigue, aggressive behavior, learning disorder, mental retardation etc…

Recommended Dosage – Take 2 teaspoonful twice a day with normal water.

4. Brain Relaxant Churna

Brain relaxant churna is a herbal and purely ayurvedic formulation. It is 100% natural and pure. It is prepared from herbs that show calming effect on brainand gives you relaxation. It contains various herbs like Amla, Sonth, Pippali, Marich, Haldi, Bala, Suddha Gandhak, Lauh bhasma etc. that are Stress busterand provide you relief from anxiety. Herbs present in CAC Brain relaxant churna shows antioxidant, Neuroprotective, carminative and anti inflammatory properties.

Recommended Dosage – Take 1 teaspoonful twice a day with normal water.

5. Mann Mitra tablet:

Mann Mitra tablet is herbal and purely ayurvedic medicine. It is used in Ayurvedic treatment for psychiatric conditionsand help to balance all the three doshas of body i.e vata, pitta, kapha. CAC Mann Mitra tablet improves intelligenceand speech problems. It is helpful for making the nervous system strong and nerves as well. It contains various herbs like Bala, Vacha, Shankhpushpi, Nagkeshar etc that help you fight insomnia, anxiety, and stress. It works as a antioxidant, anti depressant, immuno booster, anti epileptic and as neuro protective drug.

Recommended Dosage – Take 2 tablets twice a day with normal water.

6. Stress Care Tablet:

Stress care tablet is an amazing combination of natural herbs like Sarpgandha, Brahmi, Tagar, jatamansi. It helps to relieve stress conditions. They help to pacify the nervous system and also helps to increase the mental and physical performance. It is very helpful  in anxiety,  depression, loneliness, insomnia and Provide strength to the nervous system.

Recommended Dosage – Take 2 tablets twice a day with normal water.