There is nothing wrong with admitting you need help, especially when trying to overcome addiction. Addiction is a medically recognized mental disorder that chemically alters your brain. Treatment of substance abuse disorder needs to be treated as the health concern that it is. Substance abuse can cause a number of health problems, as well as problems in your personal life.
Finding the help you need is simple, but it isn’t the same for everyone. Your treatment should be because you want to change, and are willing to put the work in for it. It isn’t anyone else’s choice but yours.
Types of Substance Use Disorders
Each type of addiction requires a specific type of treatment. Every substance interacts with the brain in a different way, so treatment for one will not be the same as another. The way each substance reacts with the body can be different person-to-person as well. For more information on the different types of substance use disorders visit https://www.addictionpolicy.org/post/types-of-substance-use-disorders.
Opioid Use Disorder – opioid use disorder covers prescription drugs, such as oxycodone, heroin, and fentanyl. These drugs are similar in that they all interact with the opioid receptors on nerve cells. They block the transmission of pain and induce pleasure. The way these drugs interact with the cells makes them highly addictive.
Marijuana Use Disorder – this disorder is less common, around 10 percent of the user population having an addiction to the substance. Marijuana is made from the dried leaves and flowers of the cannabis plant. Consuming the chemical THC, found inside the plant can over-activate brain receptors, causing a high.
Nicotine Use Disorder – Cigarettes and vaping cause damages to nearly every organ in the body, leading to lung disease, heart disease, and strokes. The nicotine found in cigarettes and vape pens is highly addictive, making it difficult to quit smoking.
Stimulant Use Disorder – Stimulants consist of any substance used to increase alertness, such as cocaine, methamphetamine, and some prescription medications. Some stimulants are prescribed to treat ADHD, narcolepsy, and depression. They increase the dopamine levels in the brain, providing the user with heightened senses of pleasure, movement, and attention.
Sedative Use Disorder – sedatives are anything that depresses the central nervous system. Included in this category are tranquilizers, sedatives, and hypnotics. They can slow brain activity and are used to treat sleeping disorders and anxiety. Long-term use can cause addiction and dependence.
Hallucinogen Use Disorder – these are a diverse group of substances that alter the users perception, thoughts, and feelings. They can be found in some plants, like mushrooms, or chemically created. They can disrupt the user’s chemical communications creating a hallucination or altered reality, frequently called a “trip”.
Alcohol Use Disorder – alcohol is the most common consumed substance. When it cannot be controlled or regulated, it can cause a dependence that creates many different health problems. Treatment for alcohol use disorder has evolved over the years. Treatment centers, like these rehab facilities in Arvada, provide safe places to overcome the addiction. Because of its place in society, overcoming AUD can be one of the most difficult addictions.
Treatment
Treatment should be catered to the individual. Some treatment options work well for some, and not as well for others. It is important as you look through your treatment options that you talk to your doctor and your support system. Overcoming addiction requires a large amount of support from family, friends, and sponsors. Before starting treatment, you should be serious about making lifestyle changes.
Treatment for addiction is not an easy undertaking; it requires a great deal of commitment and focus from the patient. Treatment centers and rehab facilities don’t work without the full cooperation from the user. Therefore, treatment needs to be a voluntary, personal choice.
Therapy
Most treatment involves a healthy dose of therapy, both group and individual. This therapy is meant to focus on giving the patient better ways to handle the underlying triggers that lead to substance abuse in the first place. Researchers have found that co-occurring disorders happen in about half of SUD patients. It is not necessary that one causes the other, but many factors that lead to other mental illnesses can lead to substance abuse as well. It is more effective to treat both of these issues at the same time. For more information on SUD and co-occurring mental disorders, visit this website.
Detox
Some substances will require a detox phase of treatment. Detoxing can be a painful and dangerous phase that may require medical professionals. Most in-patient facilities provide the detoxing in the program; however, if you choose an out-patient program, detoxing might still need to be done.
Detoxing with highly addictive substances, such as heroin, opioids, and alcohol can cause extreme pain and uncomfortability. Depending on the severity of the dependence, medications could be necessary to treat the withdrawal symptoms. Having the care of medical professionals can be so important during this phase, as your body’s reaction could cause some medical problems.
Lifestyle Changes
Once you have detoxed, it’s important to find a support group to help keep you accountable for the changes necessary to stay clean. This support group can be an actual group specific for those recovering from your addiction, such as alcoholics anonymous. Or it could be family and friends committed to helping you with your recovery. More often than not, you will need a healthy dose of both to be successful.
It is helpful as you move through your process to find the things that will motivate you to stay on track. New hobbies can be an outlet and motivation to stay clean. It is important to find healthy alternatives to substance use. It is easier to replace an old habit with a new one than to just cut out the negative on its own.
If you find yourself in a place where you need treatment for an addiction, there are so many options now. Since the Affordable Health Care Act, substance abuse treatment falls under mental health, and is covered by most insurance policies. State funded institutions can also provide help at a discount or even free. Finding the help you need can be as simple as picking up the phone and asking for it.
