Drug and alcohol addiction are chronic diseases that drag users through compulsive and uncontrollable use of the substances despite the potentially harmful consequences and effects on the brain. These consequences can be long-lasting, detrimental to your health, and even fatal if left untreated. The path to sobriety after developing some dependency on the substance of abuse begins with accepting that you need professional help.
Can drug or alcohol addiction be treated? Absolutely! However, it’s not as simple. In most cases, you will need long-term addiction treatment or repeated treatments to recover from substance addiction and learn how to avoid triggers. The most effective addiction treatment will help you with the following:
• Stop using alcohol and drugs.
• Live drug-free.
• Regain control of your life and be productive in society.
The following are some surprising treatments available at rehabs.
Medical detoxification
Typically, withdrawal is the first treatment in addiction treatment. Usually, when addicted to a certain substance, your body will crave the substance a few hours after your last intake. Detoxification denies the body this call to feed it with the substances. Medical detox comprises of medication, devices, and all-round professional monitoring. Detoxification may take anywhere from two days to several months, depending on the severity of the addiction. During this period, you may experience withdrawal symptoms such as amnesia, nausea, sweating, and hallucination. These withdrawal symptoms subside with time as the body weans off the substances.
The FDA granted access for rehabs to use the electronic stimulation device, NSS-2 Bridge, to aid in making opioid withdrawal symptoms more bearable. Another non-opioid medication, lofexidine, was passed to help minimize opioid withdrawal symptoms and increase the chances of successful detoxification processes.
Preventing relapse
Statistics show that 80% of patients who attempt detoxification and stop treatment at that, easily relapse. Relapse ideally describes falling back to drug or alcohol intake after treatment or detoxification. While it’s commendable how patients fight temptations and cravings to beat addiction, in some instances, medical doctors may recommend certain medications to help prevent relapse. These medications work to re-establish normal brain activity and minimize cravings.
For instance, medications such as methadone, naltrexone, buprenorphine, acamprosate, and disulfiram make withdrawal symptoms more bearable, make patients more open to behavioral treatments, and relieve cravings. Your doctor will examine your state after detox to determine if you need these additional medications to make the journey easier and decrease your chances of relapsing.
Behavioral therapies
Detox alone isn’t adequate to guarantee comprehensive addiction treatment. You may need to equip yourself with more skills that will help you prevent relapse, fight temptations, and stay on track with your sobriety goals. Depending on your treatment plan, you may attend individual therapy sessions, group sessions, and family therapy sessions. Normally, these therapy sessions start out as intensive but slowly reduce as you get better.
These behavioral therapies may include:
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy- gears at changing how you think and associate with drug or alcohol use.
• Motivational interviewing- motivate individuals to change their views and behaviors relating to drug and alcohol use.
• Multi-dimensional family therapy- enhances family function around individuals affected with substance abuse and related disorders.
• Motivational incentives- improve drug and alcohol abstinence via positive reinforcement and awards.
Counseling generally improves attitudes and behaviors towards substance abuse to help patients forgive themselves and regain their lives back. Also, the sessions equip you with strengthening life skills to beat addiction and further avoid relapse. In 2017, a mobile application reset was launched to help with outpatient counseling and management.
Rehabilitation programs
Rehab programs are mainly tasked with offering professional care, medical assistance, and a safe housing environment to help addicts recover. There are various rehab programs geared at providing multiple services. Depending on the severity of your addiction case, you may attend the following:
• Inpatient treatment- you will reside in the facility with 24/7 monitoring and therapeutic support until you recover. Inpatient rehab programs are designed for people battling chronic addiction.
• Outpatient treatment– you will be allowed to go back home, attend school, and work while receiving treatment. These treatment programs are best suited for individuals battling with mild forms of addiction.
Self-help and support groups
Self-help groups are an insightful source of support for individuals battling the same addictive disorder. These groups also minimize instances of isolation that could trigger the reuse of substances.
Have you been searching for the right rehab for your substance addiction problem? Struggle no further. Call us today to talk at 833-820-2922 to a professional and let us help you regain your tracks in life.