Dr. Arnaldo Cruz igartua M.D.

Addiction Psychiatrist | Addiction Psychiatry

1513 Calle Parana San Juan PR, 00926 Show map

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About

Dr. Arnaldo Cruz igartua is an Addiction Psychiatrist practicing in San Juan, PR. Dr. Cruz igartua evaluates, diagnoses, and treats people who suffer from impulse control conditions related to addiction. As an Addiction Psychiatrist, Dr. Cruz igartua is a substance abuse expert, and is trained to fully understand the biological science behind addiction, in order to properly treat each patient.

Education and Training

University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine 1981

Board Certification

Psychiatry and NeurologyAmerican Board of Psychiatry and NeurologyABPN- Addiction Psychiatry

Provider Details

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Dr. Arnaldo Cruz igartua M.D.

Dr. Arnaldo Cruz igartua M.D.'s Expert Contributions

My Answers

How to quit smoking?
No; Vaping have being shown to be as addictive or May be more addictive than tobacco cigarets. Also has being found to increase lung illness. The goal in quitting tobacco is reducing 2 a week. Change to a trade-mark that you don’t like and use to half and put in the same case so that the bad odor impregnate all others. Then smoke the remaining half again and in that way reduce 2 a week. The use of Bupropion prescribed by a doctor may help. When smoking 3-4 cigarettes a day decide when to stop and start taking nicotine gum 2 times a day or nicotine candy 2 a day. Continue taking Bupropion for several month after quoting. Involving near support from family and their motivation is important. Is important to get medical evaluation and follow up since smoking is really dangerous to many organs including heart and lungs. Smoke has about 4K substances including about 20 or more cancer generating ones. READ MORE
My daughter is now celebrating 5 years of sobriety. What are the chances she could go back to bad habits?
First, congratulations for your daughter's happiness and sobriety. The wording used by science is abstinence and learning day-by-day skills for the recovery of wellness. This needs not only to abstain from abusing a substance, but from all addictive substances (including alcohol, marijuana, addictive pills), and also learning each day problem solving skills that results in gradual changes to a more healthy lifestyle. Support networks are important in this day-by-day process of finding new, healthy friends, activities and to recover our love for life and to serve others. Very probably your daughter is doing all this process because it is probably causal for her sustained abstinence and happiness. The danger of relapse is always there, but may be minimized maintaining support networks like 12-step groups; maintaining therapy if the person has other concurrent mental illness and minimizing contact with dangerous situations that may result in craving and managing stressful situations. During severely stressful situations, the early consult with a sponsor, therapist, or a councilor with minimize the risk of relapse. Thanks. READ MORE
Can being addicted to porn cause me any harm?
Any addiction results in cumulative harm. The porn addiction may have a negative impact on the mind and behavior of the person. On one side, it may over-sexualize his relationships impairing the capacity to have deeper knowledge and real emotional intimacy with himself and with others. If he has a relationship this may result in cycles of extreme behavior change of excessive pressure for sexual activities or lack of sexual interest with the partner. In cases of people with other mental disorders, it may complicate with the gradual introduction of risky sexual behaviors with multiple persons or even to behaviors that violate the law. Any addiction results in the loss of natural human values and creative behaviors that are gradually changed with automatic stereotyped behaviors: to get immediate pleasure behaviors or to immediate pain escape. That may probably result in a deterioration of our self esteem and self help abilities and to the stagnation in our development as human beings to our full potential. There are several professionals that offer help for sexual addiction, but I recommend to be careful in selecting a real mental health professional with good recommendations. Thanks. READ MORE
I am addicted to porn. Can an addiction psychiatrist help me?
Not all addiction psychiatrists can. Some are more specialized in biological kind of help than in psychotherapy. Others (like myself) had always combined therapies with psychotherapy. Also, some medicines may be an important help; the most important help is Cognitive Behavioral like psychotherapy to help modify deteriorated values and behavior and to recover a healthy, balanced lifestyle. May try to find also a combination of a psychologist and a psychiatrist. The most used medicines in addictive behaviors are antidepressants. Be careful when selecting your therapist if possible; that has a real preparation in mental health and good reviews. READ MORE