Do you want more information about an addiction treatment program? Are you aware of the psychological or physical consequences of your addictive habit? But you cannot stop yourself? How can you get rid of your addiction?
Well, many people considered addiction to be a problem of personal weakness. They also consider this habit to be initiated to seek pleasure and not stop due to unwillingness and lack of willpower.
But the medical experts think otherwise. People use drugs or other substances to overcome physical and emotional stress. The person’s point of view about the substance or activity they engage in change to a desire to feel better.
Addiction is very common. 1 in every 3 people is addicted to something; a drug, activity, or chemical. Approximately 21 million Americans initiate drug or substance use from their teenage. But 10 percent of them seek treatment for this problem.
According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 81,000 American people die in 2020 due to drug overdose.
Are you interested to know how addiction is treated? And how will treatment help you? If yes, then keep reading this article.
What is addiction?
According to American Psychiatric Association, addiction is a complex brain condition in which there is the uncontrolled use of substances, drugs, or activities despite the psychological and physical consequences.
Addiction can affect your life in more than one way. People with addiction may experience distorted thinking and behaviors. An individual can lose its functionality to daily activities.
Also, continuous use of drugs can develop structural and functional changes in the brain. These changes make a person have intense cravings and personal and behavioral changes.
Some common substances that can cause addiction
Addiction is not limited to substance or drug use. But people can have various kinds of addiction. For example, some people are addicted to gambling, some can’t resist gaming, or are addicted to their work. People can develop an addiction to:
- Alcohol
- Marijuana
- Anti-anxiety and antidepressant drugs
- Ecstasy
- Cocaine, meth, and other stimulants
- Tobacco
- Opioid drugs such as codeine, oxycodone, and heroin
- Gaming, work, or gambling
Sign and symptoms of addiction – how can you identify that your child is doing drugs?
People having addiction problems are well-aware of the harmful consequences of addiction, but they continue to use drugs. Several physical and behavioral changes occur in an individual with addiction
The primary indications of addiction are:
- Loss of interest in activities that do not involve drugs or harmful behavior
- Inability to stop taking drugs
- Repetitively engaging in dangerous activities even though it interferes with life
- Negative behavioral changes
- Changes in appearance, for example, changes in hygiene habits
- Become irritable, angry, and violent (some drugs, for example, ice and alcohol, are associated with these side effects)
- Changes in sleeping and eating patterns.
- It might feel extremely cold or hot irrespective of the weather.
- Feeling sick when trying to quit
- Become more secretive
Why people take drugs?
Do you think people initiate drug abuse for self-gratification or pleasure-seeking behavior? But most people use drugs to escape emotional or psychological discomfort, or they might have some underlying mental health problem such as trauma, anxiety, or depression.
According to National Institute on Drug Abuse, people use drugs:
- To feel good
- To relieve stress
- To perform better
- Peer pressure or curiosity
How does addiction develop? – the brain, addiction, and withdrawal
The brain is the most important part of our body. It regulates emotions, breathing, coordination, and decision-making. The limbic system, a part of the brain, controls pleasure-seeking behavior and emotions.
Drugs interact with this part of our brain. People continue to substance use to seek intense pleasure, supporting a cycle of drug use and intense high.
Over continuous use, the brain becomes habitual to increased levels of the chemical. And once you stop taking drugs, withdrawal symptoms appear. These symptoms are
- intense craving,
- aggression,
- frustration,
- sweating,
- chills,
- depressed mood,
- and anxiety.
With professional help, you can overcome these symptoms and reduce the chances of relapse.
The complication caused by addiction
People with addiction experience cycles of relapse and remission. It will become an emotional rollercoaster between the cycles of extreme highs and extreme lows. Addiction can cause physical, psychological, and interpersonal problems.
You will be struggling at work or school and find it difficult to complete your tasks. Also, you can become more aggressive and violent and suffer from a loss of self-control.
Physical complications such as stroke, organ damage, and other medical illnesses can occur over persistent use.
Drugs can change your brain chemistry and might interferes with judgment, learning, memory, and behavioral control.
How can you help someone with an addiction?
If your loved one has an addiction, what should you do? It is very difficult to make them ready for treatment. The main problem with adductors is that they do not accept their addictive behavior. The wrong confrontation can have negative consequences.
Show your concern sincerely. Encourage them to take treatment. Understand what addiction and how does it affect our brain. Also, look into the side effects of drug intoxication. Learn more about the available treatment options. Moral and emotional support is very important for someone to cut down their dependence on the drug.
Is it possible to quit on your own?
Although you can quit on your own, it is very challenging. Prolonged use of drugs alters the brain’s chemistry and structure, which makes it difficult to quit.
Withdrawal symptoms make it more difficult to quit. You need medical help to get rid of them; otherwise, you’ll be putting extreme pressure on yourself.
Where to start?
The first step in addiction treatment is to recognize the problem. Once you accept your condition and want your life to change into happy, sober, and stable, you are ready to go.
If your loved ones are suffering from addiction problems, motivate them to get treatment. Also, seek support from your family and friends. Moral support is a key to continue treatment.
If you do not know where to start, make an appointment with your general physician. He can examine your overall health or make a referral to an addiction treatment service.
Addiction Treatment
Addiction treatment starts with staging an intervention. Most people do not want to face their problems and might become violent and aggressive upon confrontation. So, it is best to seek help from the intervention specialist.
Staging000 0aims to motivate them for treatment, and they can get the real picture of how addiction is affecting their lives and the people around them.
Every addiction treatment has four steps
- Patient intake – creating a customized care plan
Upon contacting an addiction treatment service, a medical specialist will examine you thoroughly. They will ask you about your medical, psychiatric, and substance use history. And make a thorough assessment.
- Detoxification – getting rid of any remaining traces of the drug from your body
The next step is detoxification of your blood. This will help you eliminate any traces of drugs or chemicals remaining in your blood, and you’ll continue your treatment with a clean system.
Detox methods can vary from patient to patient. It all depends on how long the patient is taking the drugs and also the drug type.
Detoxification is of two types:
- Stopping the substance intake at once under medical supervision
- Or gradually decreasing the dose of the drug
Withdrawal effects are very challenging, and quitting drugs become difficult.
Medically supervised detox
Medical detox refers to removing toxic substances from the body under a team of licensed medical practitioners.
Before a medical detox, patient screening is done for any co-occurring disease, medical condition, psychological caliber, withdrawal risks, and drug and alcohol use disorder. The detox will be tailored according to the patient’s needs.
- Rehabilitation – Establishing a starting point for the long-term management
After the detoxification is successfully done, you will be continuing the treatment in a rehab center. The choice of rehab center depends on your need and the level of care you require.
An inpatient rehabilitation program is helpful for those who are using the drug for a long time. But if you do not want to live in a center for a long time or have other commitments, you can join an outpatient rehabilitation program.
You can shift down to less intensive rehab programs like IOP or outpatient rehabilitation upon showing treatment progress.
- Aftercare planning – maintaining long-term recovery
Treatment doesn’t end with a rehab program, but it requires long-term after-planning. The chances of relapse increase when the individual returns to their homes because there will be many temptations and no help. And they cannot adjust to their previous lives overnight.
A lot of emotional and psychological support is needed to ease them back into their lives. Different support groups are available for these people. These groups help in emotional and behavioral building and maintain recovery.
Because of strong psychological dependence, treatment of addiction is really difficult. The success of the treatment program depends on how well you stick to the treatment rules.
Long-term treatment planning is necessary to maintain recovery and prevent relapse. Peer support groups are very helpful to cut down on your dependence on drugs.
We are offering following programs:
- Intensive Outpatient Program
- Partial Hospitalization Program
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy
- Holistic Therapy
Program
Rehab Centers
Rehab programs can long from 2 weeks to 6 months. Depending on your progress, your provider can decide the time of your stay. If you have just started taking drugs, then short-term rehabilitation is right for you. But if you are using drugs for the long term, long-term inpatient rehabilitation is best to choose.
Also, your doctor may gradually transfer you to less intense programs over time to ease your recovery.
Residential Rehab
Meals, medication, rehabilitation, and support are included in in-house treatment. And the patient has to live in these rehabs under strict medical supervision.
Psychiatric Residential Centers
Patients with dual diagnosis (mental disorder and substance abuse problems) need more comprehensive treatment, including mental health care services and medical care.
Gender-specific rehab programs
Gender-specific rehab programs are specialized programs that address each gender’s physiological, psychological, and social issues. It also reduces sexual tension and avoids any distractions. Learn more about men’s drug rehabs or women’s drug rehabs by clicking on the links.
Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)
The program is less intense than inpatient rehabilitation. You have to attend a six-hour-long session each day or most of the days of the week. It aims to equip the addicts with the right skills that help them in their recovery.
Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
IOPs are less intense than PHPs. It provides the freedom to look at your recovery programs thoroughly, then follows the specialist’s recommendations.
Sober Living Homes
If you have come to an end of your particular treatment program, your priority should be find a sober living home. It helps you with your extended recovery goals.
Mental Health Homes
In mental health facilities, the patient will get psychiatric consultation along with long-term treatment in a comfortable environment.
Cost Of Addiction Rehab Centers
Although each rehab center’s cost varies but no matter the budget, you will find the right one. The cost of the program depends on the services each center provides. Premium programs with extensive services are more expensive than standard rehab centers.
Mostly your insurance can cover rehab, but if it does not, then there are other methods available, for example, by financing or state-funded rehabs.
Therapy Programs
Psychological and behavioral therapy helps you to take control of your life and respond to challenges. Therapy programs that will help you are:
Individual therapy:
A one-to-one session with the therapist will help you to understand your condition and improve your coping skills. Individual therapy is perfect for individuals who are not comfortable with expressing themselves in public. They can find a sense of security with this program
Group therapy
A single group of 8 to 15 peoples is made under the supervision of one or more therapists. During these sessions, an individual can share their struggle throughout the years. This will motivate their peers and develops empathy among them.
Family therapy
Family therapy provides a common ground for family members and patients to address their differences. It helps restore their relationship that was affected along the way. Therapy sessions with the patient and their family members will help develop a stronger support system.
The matrix models
The matrix model consists of therapy session that continues for 16 weeks. You can develop skills to cope with stress and improved communication with others. The matrix model follows three approaches
- Motivational interviewing – you can address your hesitation and concerns over starting a treatment. Also, you can tell your therapist how medications are disturbing your life.
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy – CBT address a person’s distorted views about themselves and their environment.
- 12-step facilitation – provides education about principles of the 12-step treatment program. 12-step groups include Alcoholic Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous groups.
Drug Testing And Monitoring
A once or twice weekly drug testing is done to determine the progress of treatment. Also, it helps to separate clean individuals from drug abusers. And to know if someone is still using drugs.
How will the treatment benefit you?
With the right treatment, you will live a happy, sober, productive, and stable life. Following are the benefits you can:
- Become sober and clean
- Improve your communication skills
- Make a healthy relationship with friend and family
- Learn strategies to cope with stress and avoid any temptation
- Maintain positive mental health
- Become more self-sufficient
- Address emotional and behavioral problems
- Overcome trauma
Tips to avoid relapse
If you have suffered from addiction, you will always be at risk of addiction. But by changing your lifestyle, you can avoid signs that can trigger your addiction. Here are some tips that can help you through your journey
- Get the right people to support you – your family, friends, rehab fellows, and medical specialists
- Change your company or neighborhood that can stimulate your cravings
- Join a support group
- Build healthy relationships and ask for help
- Engage in meaningful activities
- Continue your follow-up appointments
- Join a support group
- Eat a healthy and nutritious diet
- Get enough sleep
- Maintain positive mental health
- Exercise daily and develop relaxing techniques such as yoga, meditation
- Try to write down your problems and find the possible solution
- Adhere to your goals
- Keep looking for signs of relapse
Immediately get help for addiction
When a person gets addicted to a drug or activity, it might seem that he cannot recover properly. However, proper treatment can allow them to get rid of their dependence.
You could see your doctor or contact an organization to seek support. You can also search on the internet to find addiction treatment services in your area.
Addiction is a treatable condition. It doesn’t matter for how long you are using drugs; you can always get help.
Now you have enough knowledge about addiction and addiction treatment; it is time to address other personal challenges and become sober.