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Oxycontin Withdrawal
Percocet Abuse
Xanax Withdrawal
Methamphetamine Detox
Cocaine Addiction
Sometimes, you are prescribed drugs by a physician, but despite taking the medication as prescribed you fall victim to addiction. Whether you buy illegal drugs such as ecstasy, heroin, or cocaine on the street or you are prescribed pain killers or sedatives from your physician, you can quickly become an addict.
Recovery Connection can help you find the right drug rehab center with the program you need to help you overcome your addiction to drugs. Call now and speak with one of our addiction coordinators.
People never start out thinking they will become a drug addict. Sometimes, addiction develops quickly, other times it takes a bit longer. In any case, a consistent pattern of drug abuse will eventually lead to an uncontrollable addiction. This addiction is a progressive and chronic disease with no known cure, but it can be treated in drug rehab. It is recognized by the American Medical Association, the World Health Organization, and the American Psychiatric Association as a state of disease, similar to any other medical or psychiatric disease. There are diagnostic criteria that must be met and drug addiction treatment protocols that should be followed.
The myth that it only takes will power to overcome addiction, or that one can just say no to addiction is misleading and harmful and prevents addicts from entering the drug treatment centers that can help them regain health. This chemical addiction alters brain functions, and alters transmissions of chemicals that enable cells to communicate throughout the body. These alterations are physical as well as psychological. Addiction is a physical and psychic reality beyond the control of "will power".
No one factor determines whether a person will become addicted to drugs. A person's propensity to become an addict is influenced by biology, social environment, age or stage of development. The more risk factors an individual has the greater the chance that taking drugs will lead to addiction.
Addiction prevention is based upon a thorough understanding of the cycle of addiction. The more one understands the addiction process the better a person's chances are of avoiding addictive and risky behavior. However, once a person has become addicted to drugs, there is a great likelihood that drug detox and drug rehab in an addiction treatment center will be necessary. Management of health problems created by drug abuse and dependence and psychological changes in personality are important factors that aid in halting the progression of addiction.
Physical problems associated with drug dependence:
Once a person uses drugs and the body has grown dependent upon the drug, more and more of the drug will be needed to maintain the body's dependence. This is called building a tolerance for the drug. Tolerance does not become stagnant. Instead, the tolerance level for any drug will continue to rise. Once the body builds a tolerance for a drug, regardless of whether the drug has been prescribed or it is being used illicitly, withdrawal symptoms will occur if the drug is not used. At this point, drug detox and rehab in a drug treatment center is advisable.
Common drug symptoms related to withdrawal may include:
It should be remembered that each specific drug will have its own set of withdrawal symptoms. Certain drugs will have overlapping withdrawal symptoms and others will have unique withdrawal symptoms. It should also be understood that drug addiction treatment protocols will vary depending upon the drug or drugs of choice.
Each year trillions of dollars are spent on medical, economic, criminal, and social consequences of addiction. Alcohol and drugs lead to over 100,000 American deaths each year. Smoking cigarettes is also a drug addiction and is closely linked with other addictive behavior. This leads to 400,000 deaths a year. (NIDA)
Research has demonstrated that quality drug addiction treatment does work. But, finding the right treatment program for your needs is paramount to building a strong recovery foundation. Call now and speak with a Recovery Connection coordinator who can help you identify the right treatment program for your needs. Don't put your life on hold another minute.
Drug addiction treatment begins with the detoxification process or detox. Detox is not treatment and is not synonymous with drug rehab. It should never be confused with addiction treatment. Indeed, a patient who goes through detox without receiving drug rehab is at greater risk of relapsing soon after detox.
The best detox and drug treatment centers provide patients with 24-hour medical, psychiatric and clinical care. Once detox has been completed, drug rehab should begin. The transition from detox to treatment can present addicts and family members with another round of decisions. A quick transition from detox into early addiction treatment provides the patient with the highest chance of a successful treatment episode. The longer the time between detox and the start of drug rehab, the less likely the drug addict or alcoholic will enter a drug treatment center. To reduce the stress of locating a drug treatment center for rehab after the detox process and coordinating a transfer can be avoided by entering detox in a facility that also offers drug addiction treatment.
Some have a single type of program, or a one-size- fits-all approach. Drug treatment centers that are founded upon a single philosophy such as a religious belief without any other treatment components can be effective for some, but are not ideal. The differences between philosophy, staff training, and the use of best practices can mean the difference between building a strong foundation for on-going abstinence and not providing patients with the necessary skills and knowledge to handling living without drugs. Once a drug rehab reaches a high standard of care and qualified staff, that facility can then apply to be accredited. These standards have been developed for the protection of the patient and the patient's family and are significant.
Accreditation is used industry wide to ensure that a healthcare facility meets or exceeds best practices and standards. The most significant national accreditation organization is The Joint Commission (JCAHO) whose mission is to "improve health care for the public." The Joint Commission was founded in 1951 and has been a patient advocate since the beginning. It is the nation's oldest and largest "standard-setting and accrediting body in health care."
Accredited drug treatment centers understand how to work with insurance companies to insure that a patient gets the best care for his coverage. Drug rehab can extend from 30-60 days, but it can be longer depending upon the patient's needs.
In a quality drug treatment center with 24-hour medical and clinical supervision, every patient should receive individualized, ongoing evaluations and regularly updated individualized treatment plans. If a patient has a psychological or psychiatric crisis at any point in the detox or drug rehab process, the patient and the family will not have to wait till the doctor arrives later in the day, the next day, or even the next week to have the crisis addressed.
Factors to be considered in choosing a drug treatment center will include but are not limited to:
Sometimes, specific issues affecting women, men, LGBT, or Christians need to be addressed in drug rehab. Drug treatment centers should have fully developed tracks, based upon best practices, to address the specific needs of particular demographics.
Not everyone needs long-term drug rehab and sometimes people can get clean and sober with the help of an outpatient drug treatment center. But, for those addicts and alcoholics who require inpatient drug rehab it is essential that you find a drug addiction treatment program that fits your specific needs. Recovery Connection coordinators can help begin this process for you. If you are:
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