Treatments For Addiction That Are Proven Successful
Addiction treatment is not one-size-fits-all. Treatments may vary based on your needs. You can choose the treatment that works best for you based on the substance you’re abusing, the level of care you need, your personal mental health needs, or what health care options you can afford. Here are some of the most common addiction treatments that have set patients on a successful path to recovery.
Why Professional Detox Is Important
When addicts resolve to get clean, many of them decide that they want to detox at home, because they feel safe there, or because they dont realize there are effective and affordable detox facilities available to oversee their withdrawal. This is a natural impulse, and for some individuals, it is also a viable option. For most individuals, however, detoxing at home will make them much more vulnerable to relapse, as well as put them at risk of serious, possibly fatal health problems.
Not only can your drug of choice cause dangerous withdrawal symptomsfor example, withdrawal from long-term, heavy alcohol use can cause seizures that could be life-threatening without medical attentionbut the withdrawal symptoms themselves can lead to serious health complications. For example, the withdrawal syndromes of many drugs include diarrhea and vomiting, which can lead to dehydration and dangerous electrolyte imbalances that affect heart function.
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Naltrexone For Alcohol Use Disorder
When starting naltrexone for AUD, patients must not be physically dependent on alcohol or other substances. To avoid strong side effects such as nausea and vomiting, practitioners typically wait until after the alcohol detox process before administering naltrexone.
Naltrexone binds to the endorphin receptors in the body, and blocks the effects and feelings of alcohol. Naltrexone reduces alcohol cravings and the amount of alcohol consumed. Once a patient stops drinking, taking naltrexone helps patients maintain their sobriety. Naltrexone MAT treatment lasts for three to four months. Practitioners should continue to monitor patients who are no longer taking naltrexone.
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What To Expect When Treated With Addiction Medications
The initial assessment for addiction treatment can help determine a persons treatment needs, level of readiness to stop using substances, and whether medication for addiction treatment is appropriate in helping to achieve their recovery goals.16 Ongoing assessment is likely to take place throughout the recovery process.16
Medication used for alcohol or drug addiction treatment can be part of an outpatient or inpatient rehab program, or they may be prescribed by emergency room physicians, primary care doctors, or other healthcare providers. Dosages may be changed by prescribers throughout the course of treatment to best meet a patients needs.16
Some may benefit from a combination of medications.9 For example, naltrexone used to reduce alcohol cravings might be prescribed alongside acamprosate, which reduces symptoms of withdrawal.9
Why Cant I Stop Using Drugs
In mixed moments of clarity, regret and desperation, you find yourself asking this question.
No matter how long youve felt like you might have a or how many times youve tried to quit using, a drug-free life is a realistic path forward for you. Its a path millions of people have successfully takenpeople from every background and all walks of life.
Thats not to say the journey will be easy. It will be a mental, physical and emotional endeavor, and it could require professional help. But we know you can get your life back. We know that with the right tools and support system, you can find a happier, healthier way to live.
Give yourself credit for simply being here. Reading tips on how to stop using, considering what life could look like without drugs is positive momentum. Lets get you even closer to finding new hope and life in sobrietyone step, one goal at a time.
You are so much more than your substance use disorder. You deserve to discover who you are without drugs. Here are eight things you can do today to take those first brave steps forward.
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Remove Your Access To Drugs And Alcohol
Eliminating access to drugs and alcohol is critical, especially in your early days of sobriety. There will be temptations in your path that you cant controlso focus on what is in your control.
- Remove all drugs, drug paraphernalia and alcohol from your home
- If you live with people who use or drink, discuss a plan for them to keep substances out of the home or, at the very least, out of your presence
- Avoid places where youve had easy access to drugs and alcohol, or frequently used in the past
About Medications For Addiction Treatment
I wish that all families would at least consider investigating medication-assisted treatment and reading about whats out there, says Alicia Murray, DO, Board-certified Addiction Psychiatrist. I think, unfortunately, there is still stigma about medications. But what we want people to see is that were actually changing the functioning of the patient.
Essentially, medications for addiction treatment can help get a patient back on track to meeting the demands of life getting into a healthy routine, showing up for work and being the sibling, spouse or parent that they once were. If we can change that with medication-assisted treatment and with counseling, says Murray, thats so valuable.
Part of the reason its so hard to overcome an opioid addiction is that it rewires your brain to focus almost exclusively on the drug over anything else, and, as a result, produces extreme cravings and withdrawal symptoms. By helping to reduce those feelings of cravings and withdrawal, medication-assisted treatment can help your son or daughters brain stop thinking constantly about the drug and focus on returning to a healthier life.
As a parent, you want to explore all opportunities to get your child help for opioid addiction, and get them closer and closer to functioning as a healthy adult holding down a job, keeping a regular schedule and tapering, and eventually, stopping their misuse of opioids. Medication-assisted treatment helps them do that.
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What Is The Treatment For Substance Use Disorder
Effective treatments are available for substance use disorder. Treatment is highly individualized one person may need different types of treatment at different times.
Treatment for SUD often requires continuing care to be effective, as SUD is a chronic condition with the potential for both recovery and relapse.
As people with SUD often have co-occurring mental health conditions, treating them together rather than separately is generally better.
The three main forms of treatment include:
- Detoxification.
- Long-term therapeutic communities, such as sober living communities.
Detoxification
In detoxification, you stop taking the substance, allowing them to leave your body. Depending on the severity of the SUD, the substance or an alternative may be tapered off to lessen the effects of withdrawal. Its the first major step of treatment for SUD. You can go through detoxification in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
Cognitive and behavioral therapies
Psychotherapy can help treat SUD and any other co-occurring mental health conditions. Therapy also teaches healthy coping mechanisms.
Healthcare providers may recommend cognitive and behavioral therapies alone or in combination with medications.
Some examples of effective therapies for adults with SUDs include the following:
Participating in self-help programs, like Narcotics Anonymous, can also play a significant role in SUD treatment.
Medication
Medication-assisted treatments are available for:
Young Brains Under Study
Using cutting-edge imaging technology, scientists from the NIDAs Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study will look at how childhood experiences, including use of any drugs, interact with each other and with a childs changing biology to affect brain development and social, behavioral, academic, health, and other outcomes. As the only study of its kind, the ABCD study will yield critical insights into the foundational aspects of adolescence that shape a persons future.
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How Does An Intervention Work
An intervention includes trained professionals like a drug and alcohol counselor, therapist, and/or interventionist who can help guide a family through the preparation and execution. It occurs in a controlled setting . Intervention works by confronting the specific issues and encouraging the person to seek treatment.
What Should Be Said During An Intervention
While a person is free to say anything they want during an intervention, its best to be prepared with a plan to keep things positive and on track. Blaming, accusing, causing guilt, threatening, or arguing isnt helpful.
Whatever is said during an intervention should be done so with the intention of helping the person accept help.
Bear in mind that setting boundaries such as I can no longer give you money if you continue to use drugs, is not the same as threatening a person with punishment.
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Signs Of Drug Withdrawal
The nature and severity of your drug withdrawal symptoms is influenced by a number of factors. These include things like:
- How long you have been addicted to the drug
- The type of drug youre addicted to
- How much of the drug youve been taking
- The method youve been using to take the drug. Snorting, smoking and injecting drugs usually result in more acute withdrawal symptoms than if you take drugs orally
- Whether you have been taking multiple types of drugs
- Your family history and genetic make-up
- Your general physical and mental health
The first sign of withdrawal is experiencing a drug comedown. This is when the initial effects of the drug begin to wear off and your brain chemistry gradually returns to normal. Find out how to manage a comedown.
Priory deliver expert addiction treatment and rehabilitation. To find out how we can help you to get your life back on track, call us today on 0800 144 8969 or enquire online. Book your FREE ADDICTION ASSESSMENT.
If you dont take any more drugs following the initial comedown, youll eventually start to experience drug withdrawal. Drug and alcohol withdrawal symptoms tend to be a combination of both physical and mental symptoms and may include:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Intense cravings for the drug
The most severe drug addiction withdrawal symptoms, known as delirium tremens , include:
- Visual and/or auditory hallucinations
How Is Substance Use Disorder Diagnosed
A single test cant diagnose substance use disorder. Instead, healthcare providers rely on a thorough evaluation of your medical history and behaviors surrounding substance use. They may order drug tests and evaluate prescription drug monitoring program reports.
A provider will also ask about your mental health history, as its common to have an SUD and a mental health condition.
According to the American Psychiatric Associations Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , a person must have at least two signs in the symptoms section over 12 months to be diagnosed with substance use disorder.
Its important to remember that SUD exists on a spectrum of severity:
- Two to three signs indicate a mild substance use disorder.
- Four or five signs indicate a moderate substance use disorder.
- Six or more symptoms indicate a severe substance use disorder.
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Deal With Life Pressures
With the busy and stressing world were living in, people feel like getting a reward at the end of the day is a good thing to do. Well, having a reward for a day well spent is not a problem, rewarding yourself with a drug is. Drugs only make life more stressful but most people come to realize this when it has turned sour.
To prevent using drugs as a reward, you need to discover new ways to handle stress and relax your mind and body. You can read a book, take up exercising, help the needy or do something productive. Doing these things will relax your mind and eliminate the feelings of drug use to relieve stress.
If You Are Struggling With Addiction Know That Addiction Is A Treatable Disease Not A Moral Failing
Substance use disorders create changes in the brain, leading to a compulsion to use drugs or alcohol. It is a chronic mental health condition however, sobriety is possible with the proper treatment and support.
Olympia House Rehab provides patients with individualized addiction treatment tailored to their long-term goals and mental health concerns.
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Naltrexone For Opioid Use Disorder
To reduce the risk of withdrawal symptoms caused by OUD, patients should wait at least 7 days after their last use of short-acting opioids and 10 to 14 days for long-acting opioids, before starting naltrexone.
Patients taking naltrexone should not use any other opioids or illicit drugs drink alcohol or take sedatives, tranquilizers, or other drugs. Patients should notify their practitioner about all medications they are currently taking as well as any changes in medications while being treated with naltrexone.
While the oral formulation will also block opioid receptors, only the long acting injectable formulation is FDA approved as MAT and requires REMS.
Patients on naltrexone, who discontinue use or relapse after a period of abstinence, may have a reduced tolerance to opioids. Therefore, taking the same, or even lower doses of opioids used in the past can cause life-threatening consequences.
Develop Quality Time With Friends And Families
The love and support provided by family and friends often play a critical role in drug addiction. Numerous studies show that people who share a close relationship with their families are less likely to become drug addicts.
Spending time, or being around friends who engage in reckless activities and abuse drugs will increase your risk of also abusing drugs. Conversely, surrounding yourself with people who constantly make you feel worthless or less confident will facilitate negative feelings and emotions that could cause you to engage in drugs and alcohol in order to feel good, which can, in turn, lead to addiction and other problems. Education about drug abuse is an important part of helping individuals understand the many aspects of this topic.
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Addiction Monthly Free Family Day For Inpatients
Our addictions family day takes place once a month and is led by an addictions and family specialist therapist. It consists of two groups.
One group is for family and partners only. It will offer them education in not only how to deal with the addicted person, but also how to safeguard themselves in this difficult situation. This can allow you to help your loved one in a healthy way while still being able to lead your own life.
The other group is to bring together the families and partners and the addicted person. It gives the addicted person the opportunity to learn how their addiction has affected family members and partners. It gives a forum for them both to express their thoughts and feelings.
Tolerance Abuse And Addiction
The physical changes to the brain are what is known as tolerance. Sometimes this is also referred to as dependence. However, it is the occasional abuse that leads to dependence. When someones body becomes dependent on a substance, it requires that substance to feel normal. Once someone continues to take a substance to avoid feeling bad or withdrawal, this is known as an addiction. Addiction is also referred to as substance use disorder .
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How Relationships And Addiction Are Connected
Love addiction or addiction to people arent formal mental health diagnoses.
In fact, the term addiction is no longer used in general. Instead, medical experts talk about substance use disorder.
But people and relationships arent substances, and they dont have the same effects on you.
Although not everyone agrees, some researchers suggest you could experience symptoms similar to those of someone living with substance use disorder.
For example:
- significant changes in mood, including feeling fearful or anxious
- neglecting other responsibilities and relationships
- having your life revolve around that person
- staying in the relationship even when experiencing negative consequences
- symptoms of withdrawal when apart from that person
But while emotional dependence can lead you to engage in behaviors that may mirror symptoms of substance use disorder, this isnt the same as addiction. The causes and processes in place are different.
because theres limited to no evidence for it. That includes relationship and sex addiction.
Researchers also distinguish between substance addiction and addiction in relationships because love, unlike substance use, is a desirable experience for most people.
Still, research from 2016 suggests that because romance can stimulate the reward centers of the brain in a similar way to substances, it could lead to certain patterns that mimic what some people call addiction or, more accurately, compulsive behavior.
Finding Drug And Alcohol Addiction Treatment
If you or a loved one is ready to start retaking control of your life, call the at Harmony Recovery Center. Our team of trained addiction specialists can help you determine the level of care needed to start getting better today.
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The Cutting Edge: The Addiction Vaccine
Experts say one reason almost any kind of drug addiction maintains such a strong hold on its victim has to do with not only the direct effects on the body, but also the somewhat indelible impression these substances make on our brain.
More specifically, imaging tests show that when exposure to drugs occurs with any kind of consistency, certain environmental and emotional cues associated with drug use become encoded in our psyche — so much so that for some folks undergoing addiction treatment, even limited exposure to those original cues can activate a craving that causes a relapse. This, say experts, is particularly true of cocaine addiction, where the risk of falling off the treatment wagon can be quite high.
One way around the problem — an “addiction vaccine” — is a new way of helping to “cushion” the fall and keep relapses from overtaking treatment successes.
“The idea here is that if you’ve been vaccinated and you relapse, the effects of the cocaine are blunted, and that shifts the probabilities that you will relapse further, so you should be able to get your life back in order more quickly,” says Margaret Haney, PhD, associate professor of clinical neuroscience at Columbia University and a researcher on the cocaine vaccine at New York State Psychiatric Institute.
Haney says the vaccine works by blocking the effects of cocaine not in the brain, but in the blood, beginning almost as soon as the patient takes the first “hit.”
