How to Diagnose and Treat Addiction

The good news is that addiction therapy may be obtained in a safe and effective manner. Treatment for drug use disorders has shown great success with both medicine and treatment.

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In addition to helping control addictive behaviors, treatment reduces the likelihood of future relapses. Additionally, since each patient receives a customized care plan that meets their specific needs, it is never too late to seek therapy. Every patient is unique.

A certified professional will inquire about the type of substances you consume and how they are impacting your life in order to identify addiction. Inquiries into your personal and family background, as well as the existence of any concomitant mental health conditions, may also be made. Receiving an appropriate diagnosis throughout this procedure depends on being honest and including family members.

A mix of pharmaceuticals, family therapy, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), exposure and response prevention therapy, and group therapy techniques may be used in the treatment of addiction and co-occurring disorders. Additionally, mindfulness-based treatments are becoming increasingly widely used.

It is crucial to get in touch with your healthcare providers before beginning any treatment program in order to get the right care for you or a loved one.

The type of disease determines the different treatments. These are a few of the most popular forms of care and assistance.

Inpatient/Detox Care

This type of brief therapy is intended for those who are physically dependent on alcohol or drugs.

For those coming off of alcohol, benzodiazepines, and barbiturates, detox may be required since the withdrawal symptoms can occasionally be lethal without medical care. Physicians keep an eye on their patients to make sure they withdraw safely and comfortably.

Confidential Care

A stay of 14–30 days at a treatment facility such as McLean is required for this kind of therapy. Those who would rather be in a controlled, drug-free setting away from temptations and triggers may find great benefit from this kind of treatment.

Programs for dual diagnosis focus on assisting those who battle addiction in addition to other mental health conditions. Medication management along with individual, family, and group therapy may be part of the treatment.

Partially Inpatient or Outpatient Care

Less structure is provided by outpatient and partial hospital (day) programs as patients do not reside at the institution. Every day when their therapy is over, patients go back home.

Talk therapy and/or medication may be used as a kind of treatment. Sessions may take place once a week or more frequently. Individuals in solid recovery could go to treatment less regularly.

There Is Hope—Recovery Is Possible!

Rebuilding a purposeful life is essential to a successful recovery, in addition to medicine and counseling. As you put your family and social connections back together and start to take on more of a role in your community, this process can be difficult and drawn out. Regretfully, those who are experiencing homelessness, unstable finances, a lack of social support, or low levels of education may find the procedure challenging.

Moreover, pursuing new activities and giving your life purpose might be part of the healing process. Realizing that your issues are often transient is one of the keys to a successful addiction treatment. Acknowledging that life isn’t always meant to be enjoyable is another step toward recovery.

Possessing personal agency is a crucial stage in the healing process. Being a part of greater things might help you recover in many different ways. Longer-lasting healing is possible by spreading out interests and objectives, recognizing and overcoming setbacks, and keeping in mind that life has its highs and lows.

People are urged to concentrate on good actions such as:

Setting attainable objectives

Being adaptable

Making a list of appreciation

Helping individuals

Making an effort to change your perspective

Whether these practices are used in isolation or in the company of close friends and family, optimism may play a significant and productive role in the healing process.

Addiction: The Brain’s Impact

Loss of control over drug use is the driving force behind addiction, as the brain undergoes a sequence of changes beginning with the awareness of pleasure and culminating in an inclination toward compulsive behavior.

Recognizing the Principle of Pleasure

The brain interprets all forms of pleasure, be they sexual, drug-induced euphoria, or other, identically. It causes the pleasure region of the brain to release more dopamine.

What makes a difference is how quickly, strongly, and consistently the brain releases dopamine. Abuse medicines usually cause a large dopamine spike. They will always be very addicting because of this. The elevated levels open up a different pathway to the brain’s reward system, which floods the brain with dopamine and eventually exacerbates addiction.

Put Too Much Reward on the Circuit

Scientists once believed that pleasure was the only factor contributing to addiction. However, current research indicates that dopamine influences the brain’s capacity for memory retention and learning.

When dopamine interacts with glutamate, another neurotransmitter, it takes over control of the brain’s reward-learning process. Promoting the bodily functions that are important for survival, like as feeding and sex, requires this learning process.

Once more, dopamine increases motivation since it is released from the portions of the brain’s reward circuit that are responsible for this effect, but it does so excessively.

When drugs are used consistently, the brain stimulates the body, creating a strong urge to take more drugs.

Tolerance Is Developed by the Brain

Less pleasure results from the chemicals over time as the brain becomes accustomed to them. We all know, of course, that enjoyment requires effort. However, these medications overburden the brain, which causes it to either stop releasing dopamine or stop producing its receptors.

This indicates a considerable reduction in dopamine’s impact on the reward center. You no longer get the pleasure you used to, even if you were hooked. And in order to get the dopamine “high” levels that might provide intense pleasure, it may encourage someone to consume even more.