Alcohol and Drug Recovery Programs

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 11 Apr 2015 06:17:00 +0000

Alcohol and Drug Recovery Programs

Drug and alcohol addictions can strain your personal relationships and make it hard to focus on work or school. Many people have their health, finances and, ultimately, their lives turned upside down by addiction. If you or a loved one is struggling with an substance abuse issues, it is never too late - or too soon - to get help from a drug recovery program.

More: What Is Drug Addiction Treatment.

According to information collected by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), about 22.5 million Americans over the age of 12 were using illicit drugs in the last month. This equates to roughly 8.7 percent of people over the age of 12. Of those who admitted to have used illicit drugs in the last month, approximately 18.1 million used marijuana, 6.1 million used psychotherapeutics, 1.4 million used cocaine, 1 million used hallucinogens, 0.6 million used inhalantsand 0.3 million used heroin.

"When drug use gets out of control, the best response is to turn to a drug rehabilitation program."

Many of the people surveyed used these drugs recreationally, but many others used them because they were struggling with addiction. When drug use gets out of control, the best response is to turn to adrug rehabilitation and recovery program. If you are worried about your drug use or that of a loved one, we can help you make the change. When you call us at 1-888-556-8743 , we will help you find a drug recovery program, one that’s either close to you if you need to stay near home or work, or out-of-state if you need a clean break or to escape your current surroundings.

The Causes of Addiction

Addiction is complicated, and it can affect brain functioning in a variety of ways. Some people are able to use alcohol or medications responsibly, while others are much more vulnerable to dependence. The following factors may increase your likelihood of having a drug or alcohol addiction:

Family members who have struggled with addiction
An abusive or neglectful childhood
Mental health issues, including depression
The use of drugs at a relatively young age

All kinds of people can struggle with addiction regardless of whether or not these risk factors are prevalent in their lives.

Treating Addiction

Many people like to promote the myth that addictions can be overcome with willpower. Sadly, this is not true. When people use drugs, particularly over stretches of time, their brain changes in response to prolonged exposure to those drugs. Their cravings tend to get stronger, and they may feel compelled to use more of the drugs. This biological reality makes quitting alone very difficult. Thanks to drug and alcohol recovery programs, there is no reason to go through the recovery process in a vacuum. These programs provide addicts with the support that they need to rehabilitate.

When to Seek Help from Alcohol and Drug Recovery Programs

Many people think that they have to reach rock bottom before they seek help. They justify to themselves that the addiction isn’t bad enough to warrant treatment. The truth is that it is never too soon to get help. Sadly, the more intense an addiction is, the harder it is to treat.

If drugs or alcohol is causing problems in your life, the time to get help is now. If you are concerned about the drug or alcohol use of a friend or family member, there is no reason to wait until their problem gets worse. You should talk to them now about the benefits of a drug or alcohol rehabilitation program.

Symptoms of Drug or Alcohol Abuse and Addiction

Although the side effects of different drugs vary, the symptoms of drug or alcohol abuse are similar. If an individual is abusing alcohol or drugs, he or she may exhibit some of the following symptoms:

Ignoring responsibilities in school, at work or at home
Taking drugs in dangerous situations, including while driving
Engaging in uncharacteristically risky behavior like having unprotected sex or using dirty needles while high
Stealing to support a drug habit
Allowing drug use to cause issues in personal relationships with family members, friends or coworkers

Abusing drugs or alcohol is not necessarily the same as being addicted to them. If people are abusing drugs, it is time to to undergo intervention so that they can stop before they become addicted. To determine whether or not you or someone you love is already addicted to drugs, you should look for the following symptoms:

Increased tolerance, which leads to increased use to feel the same effects
The use of drugs to avoid physical symptoms of withdrawal
Uncontrolled use of drugs although you planned not to or even though you want to quit
A life that seems too focused on finding drugs, using them and recovering from them
The abandonment of activities that you used to enjoy so that you can use drugs instead
The continuation of drug use in spite of acknowledging that it is hurting you

Helping Friends and Family Members

If you are worried about a loved one's drug or alcohol abuse, you should look for the symptoms listed above. If you cannot identify any of the above symptoms, you may want to look for physical symptoms instead. These can often be easier to spot.

When people are addicted to drugs, they may have bloodshot eyes, dilated pupils, unexplained changes in their weight, alterations in their sleep patterns and changes to how much they eat. You may also notice that they lose interest in taking care of themselves physically. Their clothes may be dirty, and they may smell bad. They may also show signs like shaking, slurred speech or a lack of coordination.

If you or a loved one is ready to get help, we can guide you through the process. When you call1-888-556-8743 , we will connect you with the addiction recovery program that is right for you.

Drug Recovery Programs

There are multiple kinds of alcohol and drug rehabilitation programs. You can find programs that address specific drugs, programs that are tailored to people of different genders, programs that are faith based and many others. Thanks to the vast diversity of rehabilitation programs, you will easily be able to find one that is right for your unique needs.

Recovery programs are divided into two categories: inpatient and outpatient; you will need to choose between those approaches when you decide to seek help. If you enroll in an outpatient drug recovery program, you can attend counseling and rehabilitation sessions while continuing to live at home and tend to your regular life. If you enroll in an inpatient program, you will be given a break from your regular life so that you can focus on rehabilitation.

While in the inpatient program, you will learn how to live your life without drugs or alcohol. You will learn how to deal with stress and anxiety without turning to drugs or alcohol. If you struggle from amental health issue, you will also learn to deal with that issue in healthy ways.

Medication During Treatment

"Many drug treatment programs rely on a combination of therapy and medication to help the patient get over his or her addiction."Many drug treatment programs rely on a combination of therapy and medication to help the patient get over his or her addiction. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, there are several types of medication that have been approved for use during rehabilitation. People who are addicted to opioids may be able to treat their addictions using medications like methadone, buprenorphine and, in some cases, naltrexone. Those who are struggling with alcohol addiction may use medications like naltrexone, acamprosate and disulfiram during their rehabilitation. These drugs help reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings.

Finding a Drug or Alcohol Rehabilitation Program

With so many different types of drug and alcohol recovery programs available, it can be hard to know which one is right for you. If you are ready to start your treatment, we are ready to help you. You simply need to pick up the phone and call 1-888-556-8743 . When you call, we will help you find the alcohol and drug recovery programs that you really need.

What Is Drug Addiction Treatment

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 06:58:00 +0000

What Is Drug Addiction Treatment.

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.

drug addiction treatment

There are a variety of evidence-based approaches to treating addiction. Drug treatment can include behavioral therapy (such as cognitive-behavioral therapy or contingency management), medications, or their combination. The specific type of treatment or combination of treatments will vary depending on the patient’s individual needs and, often, on the types of drugs they use.

Drug addiction treatment can include medications, behavioral therapies, or their combination.

Treatment medications, such as methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone (including a new long-acting formulation), are available for individuals addicted to opioids, while nicotine preparations (patches, gum, lozenges, and nasal spray) 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.

Treatments for prescription drug abuse tend to be similar to those for illicit drugs that affect the same brain systems. For example, buprenorphine, used to treat heroin addiction, can also be used to treat addiction to opioid pain medications. Addiction to prescription stimulants, which affect the same brain systems as illicit stimulants like cocaine, can be treated with behavioral therapies, as there are not yet medications for treating addiction to these types of drugs.

Behavioral therapies can help motivate people to participate in drug treatment, offer strategies for coping with drug cravings, teach ways to avoid drugs and prevent relapse, and help individuals deal with relapse if it occurs. Behavioral therapies can also help people improve communication, relationship, and parenting skills, as well as family dynamics.

Many treatment programs employ both individual and group therapies. Group therapy can provide social reinforcement and help enforce behavioral contingencies that promote abstinence and a non-drug-using lifestyle. Some of the more established behavioral treatments, such as contingency management and cognitive-behavioral therapy, are also being adapted for group settings to improve efficiency and cost-effectiveness. However, particularly in adolescents, there can also be a danger of unintended harmful (or iatrogenic) effects of group treatment—sometimes group members (especially groups of highly delinquent youth) can reinforce drug use and thereby derail the purpose of the therapy. Thus, trained counselors should be aware of and monitor for such effects.

Because they work on different aspects of addiction, combinations of behavioral therapies and medications (when available) generally appear to be more effective than either approach used alone.

Finally, people who are addicted to drugs often suffer from other health (e.g., depression, HIV), occupational, legal, familial, and social problems that should be addressed concurrently. The best programs provide a combination of therapies and other services to meet an individual patient’s needs. Psychoactive medications, such as antidepressants, anti-anxiety agents, mood stabilizers, and antipsychotic medications, may be critical for treatment success when patients have co-occurring mental disorders such as depression, anxiety disorders (including post-traumatic stress disorder), bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia. In addition, most people with severe addiction abuse multiple drugs and require treatment for all substances abused.

Treatment for drug abuse and addiction is delivered in many different settings using a variety of behavioral and pharmacological approaches.

1Another drug, topiramate, has also shown promise in studies and is sometimes prescribed (off-label) for this purpose although it has not received FDA approval as a treatment for alcohol dependence.

Drug Addiction Treatment Review

Alcohol and Drug Recovery Programs