Drug Abuse Center - Santa Monica, CASanta Monica Psychiatrist Doctors for Drug AbuseType of Physician: Psychiatrist What is a Psychiatrist? A certification by the Board of Psychiatry & Neurology; practitioners are skilled in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of mental, addictive and emotional disorders. He or she is trained to understand the biological, psychological and social components of illness and is qualified to order diagnostic laboratory tests and to prescribe medications, as well as to evaluate and treat psychological and interpersonal problems. The psychiatrist is also prepared to intervene with individuals and families who are coping with stress, crises, and other problems in living. Specialty: Psychiatry Common Name: Psychiatrist Doctors in Santa Monica * James High MD  Franklin D Rudnick MD  Robert A Shain MD  Samuel Wilson MD  Richard A Greenberg MD  John Raiss MD  Thomas Ciesla MD  The Spine Institute  Timothy J Hayes MD  Maria Lymberis MD  Thomas?Mintz MD  Charles W Portney MD  Orlando J Cartaya MD  Emil Soorani MD  Lawrence Warick MD  Pamela Perry-Hunter MD  Gary A Chase MD  David L Fogelson MD  Solomon Perlo MD FAPA  Martin S Wasserman MD  Edward A Elliott MD  James T Long MD  John Stalberg MD  Benjamin Shapiro MD  Robert Faguet MD Phd  Robert L James MD  Robert Lerner MD  S Robert Moradi MD  Nancy Rosser MD  Loren D? Woodson MD  Timothy R Burke MD  Richard Sandor MD  William Stubbeman MD  Burton N Wixen MD  Sheldon H Kardener MD  Raymond J Friedman MD  John F Leonard MD  Allen Pack MD  Paul H Ackerman MD  Irving H Berkovitz MD  Patrick T Bezdek MD Inc  Wes Burgess MD  Van Dyke DeGolia MD  Carole K Edelstein MD  Susan N Fukushima MD  Michael O Gordon MD  Eric A Lifshitz MD  Timothy McCaffrey MD  R James Perkins MD  Burton Roger MD  Alice Rudnick MD  David E Sones MD  Thomas F Trott MD  Martin E Widzer MD  Michael A Gales MD  Sara Latz MD  Winston D Alt MD  Arthur J Ourieff MD  Michael J Rosenblatt MD  J Mark Thompson MD  Rebecca L Crandall MD  Lindsay Kiriakos MD  Eric C Li MD  Marmer & Mezquita MD's  Marmer & Mezquita MD's  Marshall S Cherkas MD PHD  James Rosenblum MD  Paul R Fox MD  Shoshana Gerson MD  Christine L Hradesky MD  Sharon Jacobson MD  Richard Kettler MD  Drs Julia Lam & Frank Tan  William H Rickles MD  Ernest H Schreiber MD  Drs Julia Lam & Frank Tan  Jeffrey Weinberg MD  Raymon T Kaplan MD  Nancy Nowlin-Finch MD  Tracy L Cogbill MD  George Kline MD  Richard Ness MD  Alireza Pakkar MD  Walid O Shekim MD  Joel West MD  Robert S Carroll MD  Duane E McWaine MD  Bert J Schloss MD  Joanne Seltzer MD  Alexander S Young MD  David Bender MD  Robert H Gerner MD  Stephen Marder MD  Jack Rothberg MD  John H Altman MD  Svetlana Anic MD  Sheldon F Bloch MD  Cory M Campbell MD  David A Coffey MD Inc  Franklin H Dines MD Santa Monica, CaliforniaUpcoming Local Events2012-06-10
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Drug AbuseWhat is drug addiction?Addiction is a chronic, often relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use despite harmful consequences to the individual who is addicted and to those around them. Drug addiction is a brain disease because the abuse of drugs leads to changes in the structure and function of the brain. Although it is true that for most people the initial decision to take drugs is voluntary, over time the changes in the brain caused by repeated drug abuse can affect a person's self control and ability to make sound decisions, and at the same time send intense impulses to take drugs. It is because of these changes in the brain that it is so challenging for a person who is addicted to stop abusing drugs. Fortunately, there are treatments that help people to counteract addiction's powerful disruptive effects and regain control. Research shows that combining addiction treatment medications, if available, with behavioral therapy is the best way to ensure success for most patients. Treatment approaches that are tailored to each patient's drug abuse patterns and any co-occurring medical, psychiatric, and social problems can lead to sustained recovery and a life without drug abuse. Similar to other chronic, relapsing diseases, such as diabetes, asthma, or
heart disease, drug addiction can be managed successfully. And, as with other
chronic diseases, it is not uncommon for a person to relapse and begin abusing
drugs again. Relapse, however, does not signal
What happens to your brain when you take drugs?Drugs are chemicals that tap into the brain's communication system and disrupt the way nerve cells normally send, receive, and process information. There are at le... Recommended Reading Related to Drug AbuseWhat is job stress?Job stress can be defined as the harmful physical and emotional responses that occur when the requirements of the job do not match the capabilities, resources, or needs of the worker. Job stress can lead to poor health and even injury. The concept of job stress is often confused with challenge, but these concepts are not the same. Challenge energizes us psychologically and physically, and it motivates us to learn new skills and master our jobs. When a challenge is met, we feel relaxed and satisfied. Thus, challenge is an important ingredient for healthy and productive work. The importance of challenge in our work lives is probably what people are referring to when they say "a little bit of stress is good for you." When the challenge has turned into job demands that cannot be met, relaxation has turned to exhaustion, and a sense of satisfaction has turned into feelings of stress, the sate is set for illness, injury and job failur... Other Related Drug Abuse ArticlesEmergency Contact for Santa Monica
Nearby Santa Monica Hospitals *Santa Monica UCLA Medical Center Saint John's Health Center Marina Del Rey Hospital Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center UCLA Neuropsychiatric Hospital Brotman Medical Center Kindred Hospital Los Angeles Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Miracle Mile Medical Center Olympia Medical Center Centinela Freeman Regional Medical Center Centinela Campus VA Greater Los Angeles HealthCare System Encino Hospital Medical Center Los Angeles Metropolitan Medical Center Hawthorne Campus Los Angeles Metropolitan Medical Center Sherman Oaks Hospital Hollywood Community Hospital Tarzana Regional Medical Center Hollywood Community Hospital of Van Nuys Shriners Hospitals for Children Los Angeles Orthopaedic Medical Center Temple Community Hospital Valley Presbyterian Hospital Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center Childrens Hospital Los Angeles St Vincent Medical Center California Hospital Medical Center Motion Picture & Television Hospital Good Samaritan Hospital Kaiser Permanente Woodland Hills Medical Center Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center Vista Hospital of South Bay Memorial Hospital of Gardena Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance Gateways Hospital & Mental Health Center Barlow Respiratory Hospital Mission Community Hospital Northridge Hospital Medical Center Kaiser Mental Health Center Kaiser Permanente Panorama City Medical Center Pacific Alliance Medical Center Community Hospital of Huntington Park West Hills Hospital & Medical Center Glendale Memorial Hospital & Health Center Martin Luther King Jr MAC Service Center White Memorial Medical Center Promise Hospital of East Los Angeles Torrance Memorial Medical Center Del Amo Hospital LAC + USC Medical Center LAC + USC Medical Center Women's & Children's Hospital Pacifica Hospital of the Valley USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center LAC Harbor UCLA Medical Center USC University Hospital St Francis Medical Center Los Angeles Community Hospital East Los Angeles Doctors Hospital Glendale Adventist Medical Center Providence Holy Cross Medical Center Kaiser Permanente South Bay Medical Center Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center Monterey Park Hospital Alhambra Hospital Medical Center Verdugo Hills Hospital Promise Hospital of East Los Angeles Suburban Medical Center Campus Huntington Hospital Downey Regional Medical Center Garfield Medical Center Olive View UCLA Medical Center Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center San Pedro Kaiser Permanente Downey Medical Center Pacific Hospital of Long Beach Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
Suggested Reading on Drug Abuse by Our Doctors
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