Drug Addiction Treatment Blog

Drug rehab, or rehab is “industry slang” for drug rehabilitation. It is the “catch-all” term used for any treatment of chemical dependency, including alcoholism, cocaine, heroin, “manufactured” drugs, such as methamphetamine (also referred to crystal meth or meth), MDMA (Ecstasy), and prescription pills.

Rehab may also be used for treatment of nicotine addiction (smoking). A drug rehab center is the facility where groups of people are treated for chemical dependency or substance abuse.

Most drug rehabs attempt to treat not only physical substance dependency, but also include addiction treatment, or drug rehab, for psychological substance dependency.

Some form of detoxification, or detox, a time where the body “re-adjusts” to living without the substance, is usually involved with treating the physical addiction. Detox can range from mild to life threatening and should always be supervised by trained a professional.

The addiction treatment, or drug rehab, involved with psychological addiction usually involves behavior modification, where new healthy habits are sought to replace the habit of drugs or alcohol. There are two main types of psychological rehab: 12 Steps and Harm Reduction.

Within each of these styles, there are programs for outpatient addiction treatment, residential or inpatient addiction treatment, extended care and sober living.

Many drug rehabs, or addiction teatment programs, also provide special addiction programs or points of emphasis, which may include: dual diagnosis (co-occurring disorders), gay drug rehab, detoxification, DUI or DWI rehab, court ordered treatment, or teen and adolescent rehab.

Gay drug rehab programs or gay friendly drug rehab programs are not as pervalent as heterosexual drug rehab programs. If you require assistance locating a gay friendly drug rehab or gay friendly alcohol rehab, just contact Recovery Connection at 1-800-511-9225, a national drug rehab and resource referral helpline.

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Drug rehabilitation (often shortened to drug rehab or just rehab) is an umbrella term for the processes of medical and/or psychotherapeutic treatment, for dependency on psychoactive substances such as alcohol, prescription drugs , and so-called street drugs such as cocaine, heroin or amphetamines. The obvious intent is to enable the patient to cease their previous level of abuse, for the sake of avoiding its psychological, legal, social, and physical consequences, especially in extreme abuse.

Drug rehabilitation tends to address the two fold nature of drug dependency; physical and psychological dependency. Physical dependency involves a detoxification process to cope with withdrawal symptoms from regular use of a drug. With regular use of many drugs, legal or otherwise, the brain gradually adapts to the presence of the drug so that normal functioning can occur. This is how physical tolerance develops to drugs such as heroin, amphetamines, cocaine, nicotine or alcohol. It is also why more of the drug is needed to get the same effect with regular use. The abrupt cessation of taking a drug can lead to withdrawal symptoms where the body may take weeks, to possibly months (depending on the drug involved) before things get back to normal.

Psychological dependency is addressed in many drug rehabilitation programs by attempting to teach the patient new methods of interacting in a drug free method. In particular, patients are generally encouraged or required not to associate with friends who still use the addictive substance. Twelve-step programs encourage addicts not only to stop using alcohol or other drugs, but to examine and change habits related to their addictions. Many programs emphasize that recovery is a permanent process without a culmination. For legal drugs such as alcohol complete abstention rather than attempts at moderation, which may lead to relapse are also emphasized (”One drink is too many; one hundred drinks is not enough.”) Whether moderation is achievable by persons with a history of abuse remains a controversial point but is generally considered unsustainable.

There are various types of programs that offer help in drug rehabilitation, including: residential treatment (in-patient), out-patient, local support groups, extended care centers, and sober houses.

Pharmacotherapies to a greater or lesser extent have come to play a part in drug rehabilitation. Medications such as methadone and more recently buprenorphine are widely used and show significant efficacy in the treatment of opioid dependence, that is to drugs such as heroin, morphine or oxycontin. Methadone and buprenorphine are maintenance therapies used with an intent of stabilizing an abnormal opioid system and used for long durations of time though both may be used to withdraw patients from narcotics over short term periods as well. Ibogaine, an experimental medication is proposed to interrupt both physical dependence and psychological craving to a broad range or drugs including narcotics, stimulants, alcohol and nicotine. Some antidepressants also show use in moderating drug use particularly to nicotine and it has become common for researchers to reexamine already approved drugs for new uses in drug rehabilitation.

Drug rehabilitation is sometimes part of the criminal justice system. People convicted of minor drug offenses may be sentenced to rehabilitation instead of prison, and those convicted of driving while intoxicated are sometimes required to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

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The most common element surrounding all Eating Disorders is the inherent presence of a low self esteem. Having an Eating Disorder is much more than just being on a diet. An Eating Disorder is an illness that permeates all aspects of each sufferer’s life, is caused by a variety of emotional factors and influences, and has profound effects on the people suffering and their loved ones.

Dieting is about losing a little bit of weight in a healthy way. 

Eating Disorders are about trying to make your whole life better through food and eating (or lack of).

Dieting is about doing something healthy for you.

Eating Disorders are about seeking approval and acceptance from everyone through negative attention.

Dieting is about losing a bit of weight and doing it healthfully.

Eating Disorders are about how life won’t be good until a bit (or a lot) of weight is lost, and there’s no concern for what kind of damage you do to yourself to get there.

Dieting is about losing some weight in a healthy way so how you feel on the outside will match how good you already feel on the inside.

Eating Disorders are about being convinced that your whole self-esteem is hinged on what you weigh and how you look.

Dieting is about attempting to control your weight a bit better.

Eating Disorders are about attempting to control your life and emotions through food/lack of food — and are a huge neon sign saying “look how out of control I really feel”.

Dieting is about losing some weight.

Eating Disorders are about everything going on in life — stress, coping, pain, anger, acceptance, validation, confusion, fear — cleverly (or not so cleverly) hidden behind phrases like “I’m just on a diet”.

If you or someone you care about is having problemswith eating disorders, or if you are looking for a drug rehab center that treats this medical condintion, please contact us at 1-800-993-3869. Your call will be confidential. http://www.recoveryconnection.org/  

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Basic Facts About Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are extreme expressions of a range of weight and food issues experienced by both men and women. They include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and compulsive overeating. All are serious emotional problems that can have life-threatening consequences. Some people believe an eating disorder is an addiction and as such can be treated in an addiction treatment program, others believe in psychiatric hospitalization. Either can work.

The defining features of Anorexia Nervosa are an intense and irrational fear of body fat and weight gain, an iron determination to become thinner and thinner, and a misperception of body weight and shape to the extent that the person may feel or see “fat” even when emaciation is clear to others. These psychological characteristics contribute to drastic weight loss and defiant refusal to maintain a healthy weight for height and age. Many that are anorexic may also have a drug addiction as it relates to amphetamine, cocaine, diet pills etc. An addiction treatment program may be the addiction treatment of choice for the drug addiction and then referral to an eating disorder treatment program.
Bulimia Nervosa is characterized by self-perpetuating and self-defeating cycles of binge-eating and purging. During a “binge,” the person consumes a large amount of food in a rapid, automatic, and helpless fashion. This may anesthetize hunger, anger, and other feelings, but it eventually creates physical discomfort and anxiety about weight gain. Thus, the person “purges”the food eaten, usually by inducing vomiting and by resorting to a combination of restrictive dieting, excessive exercising, laxatives, diuretics, cocaine or other drugs. Because of the abuse of these drugs, addiction treatment may be necessary. If addiction treatment is necessary, more from a detox perspective if anything, referral to an appropriate eating disorder treatment program may be appropriate.

Binge-Eating Disorder or Compulsive Eating Disorder is characterized primarily by periods of impulsive gorging or continuous eating. While there is no purging, there may be sporadic fasts or repetitive diets. Body weight may vary from normal to mild, moderate, or severe obesity. If a drug addiction or alcohol addiction is present, detox in an addiction treatment facility may be appropriate with a referral to an eating disorder treatment program afterwards.

A significant number of people suffer with “other” eating disorders which do not quite fit the criteria for anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Clearly there are some who abuse vomiting and/or exercise without bingeing as forms of weight management, while there are others who indulge in repetitive episodes of bingeing without purging.

Eating disorders arise from a combination of long-standing psychological, interpersonal, and social conditions. Feelings of inadequacy, depression, anxiety, and loneliness, as well as troubled family and personal relationships, may contribute the development of an eating disorder. Our culture, with its unrelenting idealization of thinness and the “perfect body,” is often a contributing factor. Once started, eating disorders may become self-perpetuating. Dieting, bingeing, and purging help some people to cope with painful emotions and to feel as if they are in control of their lives. Yet, at the same time, these behaviors undermine physical health, self-esteem, and a sense of competence and control.

Warning Signs

A marked increase or decrease in weight not related to a medical condition.
The development of abnormal eating habits such as severe dieting, preference for strange foods, withdrawn or ritualized behavior at mealtime, or secretive bingeing.
An intense preoccupation with weight and body image.
Compulsive or excessive exercising.
Self-induced vomiting, periods of fasting, or laxative, diet pill, or diuretic abuse.
Feelings of isolation, depression, or irritability

If you are looking for a drug rehab or alcohol rehab to detox from your drug addiction or alcohol addiction, go to www.lakeviewhealth.com. If you require an effective eating disorder treatment program, call our helpline at 1-800-511-9225 to oocate and eating disorder program in your local area.

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