Why Are Drugs Difficult To Quit
Certain drugs are highly addictive because of the way they change certain types of brain functioning. For example, many drugs can result in changes to the way your brain relays messages through a process known as neurotransmission. The activity of one neurotransmitter in particular, known as dopamine, increases in association with several types of substance use. A drug-related surge in dopamine activity can have reinforcing effects, making compulsive use of that drug more likely.2
Fighting addiction is not a matter of willpower or desire its a matter of recognizing a problem and seeking help.1
Many of the most common drugs of abuse have an impact on dopamine activity throughout the brains reward centers. Dopamine neurotransmission is thought to underlie feelings of motivation, pleasure, and reward, and is believed to play a key role in the development of addiction.2,3
Typically, people release dopamine in response to performing pleasurable activities, such as eating or having sex. However, many drugs cause a surge in dopamine activity, which can result in a rewarding euphoria, and ultimately encourages the drug-using individual to repeat the experience. This is why many drugs are referred to as reinforcing and one of the reasons why drug addiction can be so challenging to recover from.2
How Are Medications And Devices Used In Drug Addiction Treatment
Medications and devices can be used to manage withdrawal symptoms, prevent relapse, and treat co-occurring conditions.
Withdrawal. Medications and devices can help suppress withdrawal symptoms during detoxification. Detoxification is not in itself “treatment,” but only the first step in the process. Patients who do not receive any further treatment after detoxification usually resume their drug use. One study of treatment facilities found that medications were used in almost 80 percent of detoxifications . In November 2017, the Food and Drug Administration granted a new indication to an electronic stimulation device, NSS-2 Bridge, for use in helping reduce opioid withdrawal symptoms. This device is placed behind the ear and sends electrical pulses to stimulate certain brain nerves. Also, in May 2018, the FDA approved lofexidine, a non-opioid medicine designed to reduce opioid withdrawal symptoms.
Relapse prevention. Patients can use medications to help re-establish normal brain function and decrease cravings. Medications are available for treatment of opioid , tobacco , and alcohol addiction. Scientists are developing other medications to treat stimulant and cannabis addiction. People who use more than one drug, which is very common, need treatment for all of the substances they use.
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.
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What To Expect In Rehab
If your loved one has decided to enter a treatment program for their addiction, they can expect to first check-in and complete an intake interview. This will allow the program to create a plan tailored to their needs.
The next step involves detoxing to remove any substances from their body. This process can take anywhere from three to 14 days and can be aided by medications to ease withdrawal symptoms.
After detox, the next step involves therapy to help them adjust and develop new thought and behavior patterns that will support their long-term recovery.
How To Talk To Someone With A Substance Use Disorder
When you talk with your loved one about their substance use, there are things that you can do, and not do, which can help the conversation be more productive and potentially result in a positive outcome.7, 8
- Express your concerns and state facts, not opinions.
- Be patient.
- Offer help, including information about treatment, how it works, and how it can help.
- Offer to go with them to the doctor or to an appointment.
DONâT:
- Neglect your own needs. Take care of yourself, regardless of the outcome.
- Donât yell or act angry.
- Enable the person.
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Preparing To Cure Drug Addiction At Home
If youre going to attempt to cure drug addiction from home, then youre going to need to prepare mentally and physically.
Firstly, youll need to be a very strong-willed individual who is capable of honest self-reflection. So much of recovery is recognizing your own emotional and mental problems and reconciling them. Many people struggle to accomplish this without the aid of a therapist since it requires a great deal of discomfort.
Meditation is a very useful practice for helping you understand your own mental health issues.
Youll also want to prepare for withdrawal symptoms.
- Make sure that you have someone who can check in on you regularly.
- You may want to get some over-the-counter digestive aids and antidiarrheal medicine.
- Make sure that you book time away from work or school
If you are withdrawing from alcohol or benzodiazepines, dont attempt to go it alone. These drugs can cause serious withdrawal symptoms such as seizures, which can be fatal.
Treatment Approaches For Drug Addiction Drugfacts
NOTE: This fact sheet discusses research findings on effective treatment approaches for drug abuse and addiction. If youre seeking treatment, you can call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP or go to for information on hotlines, counseling services, or treatment options in your state.
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Things To Think About Before You Start
If youre thinking of taking steps to stop taking drugs or cut down, dont be afraid to reach out for help. Its much easier to make positive changes when youve got help and support from other people.
You could:
- Speak to your doctor about your worries. Theyll be able to give you advice and useful information.
- If you can, talk to family and friends about your drug use. Asking for help can make a big difference, especially in the first few weeks.
- Find your nearest drug service. You can search for your nearest service and look at treatment options further down the page.
- Join a peer support group like Narcotics Anonymous or Cocaine Anonymous.
If you have a dependency, please speak to a professional before stopping using suddenly, so you can carefully manage any withdrawal symptoms.
What Are The Principles Of Effective Treatment
Research shows that when treating addictions to opioids , medication should be the first line of treatment, usually combined with some form of behavioral therapy or counseling. Medications are also available to help treat addiction to alcohol and nicotine.
Additionally, medications are used to help people detoxify from drugs, although detoxification is not the same as treatment and is not sufficient to help a person recover. Detoxification alone without subsequent treatment generally leads to resumption of drug use.
For people with addictions to drugs like stimulants or cannabis, no medications are currently available to assist in treatment, so treatment consists of behavioral therapies. Treatment should be tailored to address each patient’s drug use patterns and drug-related medical, mental, and social problems.
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How Do The Best Treatment Programs Help Patients Recover From Addiction
Stopping drug use is just one part of a long and complex recovery process. When people enter treatment, addiction has often caused serious consequences in their lives, possibly disrupting their health and how they function in their family lives, at work, and in the community.
Because addiction can affect so many aspects of a person’s life, treatment should address the needs of the whole person to be successful. Counselors may select from a menu of services that meet the specific medical, mental, social, occupational, family, and legal needs of their patients to help in their recovery.
How To Stop Drug Addiction
The first step to stop drug addiction is by acknowledging the problem. Many who fall into addiction may not be aware that they are addicted to the drugs theyre using.
Understanding the effects of drug addiction can help in determining if someone is afflicted by it. One key symptom of drug addiction is being unable to function normally without the use of the drugs. Are you unable to focus without taking in stimulants? Does you know someone who take drugs regularly and has behavioral changes like aggression or depression?
https://www.rehabnear.me for the best drug addiction treatment center
Behavioral and physical changes are common effects of drug addiction. Excessive drug use have immense impacts on the mind and body. Drugs can make the body numb, can damage organs, can cause anxiety, and many other conditions. Even so, the victim may ignore the side effects of drug use due to the addiction.
If you suspect that you or someone you know has drug addiction, its best to seek a doctor immediately. Professional help can assure the victim an effective way to recover from drug addiction. They can also manage the withdrawal symptoms to make the recovery as comfortable as possible.
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Is Treatment For Drug Addiction Inpatient Or Outpatient
Both inpatient and outpatient treatment plans are available, depending on your needs. Treatment typically involves group therapy sessions that occur weekly for three months to a year.
Inpatient therapy can include:
- Hospitalization.
- Therapeutic communities or sober houses, which are tightly controlled, drug-free environments.
Self-help groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous can help you on the path to recovery. Self-help groups are also available for family members, including Al-Anon and Nar-Anon Family Groups. Participation in 12-step based recovery work has been proven to improve outcomes.
Why Would I Need Rehab
Rehab is widely considered to be the most effective way for drug users to sober up. This is because rehab provides a structured environment using evidence-based approaches to help people build a sober lifestyle.
San Diego addiction treatment centers offer a combination of different tools for people who are interested in sobering up.
- Therapy sessions and counselling sessions will be provided on a regular basis.
- Group meetings will allow you to connect with people who have survived similar situations.
- If you choose inpatient rehab, meals and board will be provided. You will be focused on your recovery 24/7 for the duration of your program.
These things, and many others, make rehab a preferable option for most people. However, not everyone can afford rehab and others are simply not interested, believing that they can sober up on their own.
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Study Wholesome Methods To Deal With Stress
After addressing your fast issues with recovery and beginning therapy, youll nonetheless need to face the problems that led to your drug abuse. Did you begin utilizing it to numb painful feelings, calm yourself after an argument, unwind after a nasty day, or neglect your issues?
When youre sober, the unfavorable emotions that you just dampened with medication will resurface. For therapy to achieve success, youll first resolve your underlying points.
After getting resolved your underlying points, youll, at instances, proceed to expertise stress, loneliness, frustration, anger, disgrace, anxiousness, and hopelessness.
These feelings are all a part of life. Discovering methods to handle these emotions as they come up is a vital part of your therapy and restoration.
What Medications Are Used To Treat Substance Abuse
Medications are used for 2 different reasonsto manage acute withdrawal symptoms and cravings and to maintain abstinence once withdrawal has resolved. Some treatment programs offer medical detox as a part of their services, while others require that you complete detox prior to entering their program. In some instances, once you achieve medical stability and are drug and alcohol-free, you may begin a regimen of maintenance medications. Only certain addictions can be treated with medication. These include opioids, such as heroin and prescription painkillers, and alcohol. The commonly-used medications include:1,2,3
Medications are most effective if they are combined with behavioral therapy to create a whole-person, comprehensive approach to addiction treatment. This combination is referred to as medication-assisted treatment .
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Medical Detox For Opioids
- Methadone or buprenorphine. As opioid agonist medications, these medically prescribed treatment drugs are given in controlled doses to ease cravings and minimize withdrawal distress associated with quitting heroin or prescription painkillers.
- Clonidine. More often used in inpatient settings, this medication will only treat certain detox symptoms like high blood pressure and irregular heartbeat.
Can Drug Addiction Be Treated
Yes, but its not simple. Because addiction is a chronic disease, people cant simply stop using drugs for a few days and be cured. Most patients need long-term or repeated care to stop using completely and recover their lives.
Addiction treatment must help the person do the following:
- stop using drugs
- be productive in the family, at work, and in society
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Learn To Set Smart Goals
Setting goals can help you stay drug-free, but if you set broad or expansive goals, they become more difficult to achieve and can cause more harm than good. With that in mind, remember the acronym SMARTwhen youre setting goals. SMART stands for:
- Specific Set a targeted goal that you can achieve rather than a broad one that youre working toward.
- Measurable Set a goal with progress points that you can measure. Dont rely on arbitrary statements, but on actual data.
- Achievable Make sure that this is a goal that you can achieve. Dont set your goal to walk on the moon if youre not healthy enough to pass an astronaut physical.
- Realistic Dont shoot for the stars with your goal setting. Stay firmly grounded here on Earth, especially when youre setting your goals.
- Timely Give yourself a specific time limit to complete your goal. Make sure it adheres to the other four letters of the acronym.
Setting SMART goals gives you the tools you need to set goals that will motivate you to stay drug-free instead of stressing you out and serving as a relapse trigger.
Principles Of Drug Addiction Treatment: A Research
Drug treatment is intended to help addicted individuals stop compulsive drug seeking and use. Treatment can occur in a variety of settings, take many different forms, and last for different lengths of time. Because drug addiction is typically a chronic disorder characterized by occasional relapses, a short-term, one-time treatment is usually not sufficient. For many, treatment is a long-term process that involves multiple interventions and regular monitoring.
There are a variety of evidence-based approaches to treating addiction. Drug treatment can include behavioral therapy , medications, or their combination. The specific type of treatment or combination of treatments will vary depending on the patients individual needs and, often, on the types of drugs they use.
Treatment medications, such as methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone , are available for individuals addicted to opioids, while nicotine preparations and the medications varenicline and bupropion are available for individuals addicted to tobacco. Disulfiram, acamprosate, and naltrexone are medications available for treating alcohol dependence,1 which commonly co-occurs with other drug addictions, including addiction to prescription medications.
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How Can I Help Someone Struggling With Addiction
Helping a person who is struggling with an addiction can be a difficult thing to do. Remember that you cannot control a personâs substance use, nor can you make them do anything. However, you can voice your concerns and offer your support, including offering to go to a treatment assessment with them, or encourage them to attend a self-help meeting, such as Alcoholics Anonymous.7 If your friend or family member expresses hesitation, fearing that treatment wonât work, assure them that treatment does indeed work and substance use disorders can be successfully managed. It is important to emphasize that treatment is necessary to repair damage to brain function that was caused by and promotes compulsive, repetitive substance use.8
If you want to help, and your loved one agrees to go to treatment, your next question may be where to find the help your loved one needs. You can talk to a doctor or treatment specialist or research online resources including treatment directories.
Helping Someone Quit Drugs
Watching someone you care about use drugs is stressful. Their behaviour can be erratic and talking to them about their problem is challenging.
Here are some tips on how you can help:
- Learn about the effects of drugs this will help you understand why quitting can be hard.
- Show that you care without judging being calm and respectful may encourage them to be open and honest with you.
- Be positive and encouraging rather than negative and nagging remember relapses may happen, but they dont mean the person cant try again, and succeed.
- Offer practical support sometimes just being there is enough, but you can offer to go with them to parties or join them for a walk or run.
Find more tips on helping someone quit drugs on the Alcohol and Drug Foundation site.
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Coping With Withdrawal Symptoms
Withdrawal symptoms can be a difficult aspect of overcoming addiction, both for substance and behavioral addictions. With substance addictions, the physiological aspects of withdrawal can be extremely uncomfortable, feeling like a bad flu, or can even be life-threatening. For this reason, it is a good idea to talk to a doctor about the best way and the best place to quit a substance.
Fortunately, most of the acute symptoms of withdrawal pass within a week or two of quitting. However, some people who quit an addiction find that certain withdrawal symptoms seem to go on and on. This is known as post-acute withdrawal syndrome, and it can go on for weeks, months, or even years in some cases.
The risk of dying from an overdose is extremely high if you have been through withdrawal, as your tolerance of the drug will be much lower than it was before you quit. Make sure you have someone with you if you decide to use again.
In addition, addictions can sometimes mask underlying mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, and even psychosis. If you are feeling blue or agitated, or you are concerned that the world or other people seem strange or upsetting since you quit, talk with your doctor. There are effective treatments for these problems that are much more effective than addictive substances and behaviors.
