Drug Treatment
Table of Contents
Treating drug addiction requires a careful combination of treatments from a variety of medical disciplines. The initial step is to completely stop using the offending drug, but the succeeding steps in drug treatment are much more complex. Drug addicts suffer from both physical and psychological dependency on their drug or drugs of choice. Without proper treatment, addicts are rarely capable of overcoming their potentially lethal drug problem. However, proper treatment that has been uniquely tailored for the patient greatly increases the chances of full recovery.
Who Needs Treatment for Drug Abuse?
Drug addiction is characterized by the continued compulsion to use drugs despite the dangerous effects that may occur. Addicts often understand the risk involved with using drugs, but still decide to take their drug of choice. Identifying the signs of drug addiction help healthcare professionals determine who needs specialized treatment.
According to the National Institutes of Health, signs of drug addiction include:
- Hostility and defensiveness when confronted about drug use
- Behaving violently at times
- Confusion
- Continued use of the drug even when there is personal harm or damage to the patient’s family.
- Consistent decrease in workplace efficiency
- Constant use of excuses to take drugs
- Decreased appetite
- Lack of social outings due to drug use
- Haggard physical appearance
- Using drugs when alone
- Suffering symptoms of withdrawal (such as profuse sweating, nervous tremors and cardiovascular problems) when not taking drug of choice
Drug addicts often become very secretive and think about drugs to the exclusion of all else. In such cases, treatment is required to break the vicious grasp drugs have on the patient’s life.
Complications of Untreated Drug Addiction
If left untreated, drug addiction leads to numerous complications. Complications can include health problems as well adverse changes in the addict’s social environment, according to the Mayo Clinic.
- Health problems: Depending on which drug the addict favors, drug addiction can cause heart problems, liver failure, impairment of the nervous system, bowel damage, cardiovascular disease, and other life-threatening conditions. The longer an addict avoids treatment, the greater the risk of developing these health conditions.
- Overdose: Untreated drug addicts are at a high risk of overdosing. Overdosing on certain drugs may lead to a loss of unconsciousness, coma and even sudden death.
- High risk of acquiring a communicable disease: Drug addicts often engage in unsafe sex or share needles. This type of behavior profoundly enhances the risk of getting a communicable disease, such as HIV and hepatitis.
- Financial difficulties: Addicts often neglect work deadlines and are therefore less likely to maintain stable employment. Furthermore, any money they do receive is often spent acquiring more drugs. Often, drug addicts do not have any money to pay for basic items such as shelter and food.
- Accidents: Untreated drug addicts are often involved in accidents due to driving or operating equipment while intoxicated.
- Suicide risk: Addicts who are not receiving treatment are more likely to commit suicide.
Due to these complications and other possible hazards, drug addicts are always encouraged to seek treatment. Without treatment, each time the addict uses drugs they risk losing their lives. Addicts are often reluctant to seek treatment due to embarrassment or denial of their addiction. In some cases, the addict’s family and friends are the first to inquire about treatment options. If the addict is in trouble with the law, the court may remand the addict to a rehabilitation center. No matter the circumstances, helping an addict receive treatment gives them the opportunity to improve their life.
Detoxification
Detoxification is the first step is the treatment process. Detoxification clears all drugs from the addict’s body. However, this initial step does not treat the drug addiction, but clears the way for addicts to receive additional treatment. Without further treatment, addicts who undergo detoxification will soon relapse and revert back to drug use. Addicts require a carefully planned regimen that involves the use of medications as well as behavioral therapy.
Addicts undergoing detoxification commonly develop symptoms of withdrawal. Healthcare professionals should be present to treat these symptoms. If no treatment is provided for withdrawal, the addict may die. Never try to treat drug addiction without direct medical supervision.
Medication Used to Treat Drug Addiction
Modern medicine has developed a variety of drugs that are used to treat drug addiction. When combined with behavioral therapy, medications are fully capable of reversing a drug addiction. When doctors are deciding which medication to use, they must first establish the type of drug addiction they are trying to treat. Each group of medications focuses on combatting a certain drug. If a patient is addicted to more than one drug, the doctor must treat each drug separately.
- For Opiate Addicts
Drug addicts using opioids, like heroin or morphine, are often treated with methadone, buprenorphine and naltrexone. Opioids enter the blood stream and act on receptors in the brain. Long-term abuse of opioids causes the brain and the rest of the body to need the drug. Once the drug is removed from the body, the patient begins to suffer from intense cravings and withdrawal symptoms. To reduce these detrimental effects, doctors prescribe buprenorphine or methadone. These drugs act on the same neural sites as the other opioids and reduce the patient’s adverse symptoms. Naltrexone, on the other hand, prevents opioids from binding to the brain and this inhibits the effects of the drugs. However, naltrexone should only be used in patients who are no longer in danger of suffering from withdrawal.
- For Alcoholics
Alcohol addiction is one of the more common drug addictions. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that more than 52 percent of Americans 18 years old and above regularly drink alcohol, and alcohol is associated with more than 23,000 death per year. This is not including deaths caused by drunk drivers.
Medical treatment for alcohol addiction includes:
- Naltrexone: A drug that prevents addicts from feeling the positive benefits of alcohol use. Naltrexone reduces the risk of heavy binge drinking in patients who are recovering from alcoholism.
- Disulfiram: Disulfiram interferes with the metabolism of alcohol and this increases “hangover” effects like flushing, nausea and palpitations. This unpleasant reaction only occurs when drinking alcohol, and therefore, disulfiram use decreases the temptation to drink alcohol.
- Acamprosate: Severe or chronic alcoholics often develop intense symptoms of withdrawal when attempting to stop their alcohol abuse. That National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) says that acamprosate reduces insomnia, anxiety, restlessness and depression in recovering alcoholics.
- Tobacco use is associated with various forms of cancer, emphysema and cardiovascular problems. Nicotine (the addictive component of tobacco) initiates changes within the body, which causes the body to crave the drug. To counter this addiction, addicts can use nicotine patches or nicotine gum. These devices help alleviate the cravings for nicotine without exposing the patient to the other dangerous substances found within tobacco. Furthermore, two medications, varenicline and bupropion, have been approved by the FDA to help treat addiction to tobacco. Both of these medication decrease the risk of relapse in smokers who are trying to quit.
The aforementioned medications affect each patient differently. Due to genetic differences, one patient may react well to a certain drug, while another patient will show no improvement when using the same drug. This is why treatment regimens should be created to suit the specific addict. There is no treatment plan that works perfectly for all patients.
There are no approved drugs for other common illicit drugs, such as cocaine and marijuana. Researchers are testing certain compounds that may help curb addiction to these drugs. In these cases, more generic drugs are used to treat symptoms of withdrawal and the patient is placed into behavioral modification treatment.
Behavioral Treatment
In most cases, the use of medications is not enough to treat a drug addiction. Doctors often recommend a combination of both pharmaceutical and behavioral treatment. Behavioral treatment allows the patient to become a part of the treatment process. Patients are encouraged to change their attitudes and beliefs when it comes to drug use. Behavioral modifications also motivate the patient to perform healthy life interactions, such as spending time with family and providing quality work either at a job or in school.
Behavioral therapy also inspires addicts to adhere to treatment timetables for a longer period of time. Addicts who receive treatment for an extended timeframe are less likely to relapse.
Inpatient Therapy
Critical cases of drug addiction often require addicts to stay in a facility that can provide 24/7 support and treatment. Residential treatment programs surround the patient with communities that are geared towards recovery. Rehabilitation centers provide medical treatment, individual and group counseling, and other treatment options that help the patient develop the necessary changes required to overcome addiction.
Drug addicts often stay within these facilities for six to 12 months. Inpatient therapy is usually reserved for patients with a history of long-term drug use or patients who live in a setting where drug use is rampant. In these cases, behavioral treatment focuses on providing the patient with the skills needed to kick their drug habit even if they are exposed to their previous lifestyle.
Outpatient Behavioral Therapy
In less serious cases, or in cases where the addict has shown some improvement, NIDA recommends outpatient therapy. Outpatients spend most of their lives in their homes, but attend regularly scheduled individual or group appointments with a drug therapist. These recovering addicts are provided with information that allows them to cope with situations that may lead to drug abuse. There are numerous forms of outpatient therapy, such as:
- Multidimensional family therapy: Typically used in cases of adolescent addiction, family therapy requires members of the addict’s family to recognize any patterns or influences that lead to drug addiction. This is especially important if other members of the addict’s family are using drugs.
- Motivational interviewing: In this form of outpatient therapy, the goal is to help the addict realize their addiction and consent to receiving treatment. Once the addict accepts the presence of the drug problem, the likelihood of successful treatment is increased.
- Incentives: In some cases, the promise of incentives may help patients abstain from drug use. However, this form of therapy is only useful in the short term, as most addicts will often revert to drug use if the promise of a reward is taken away. Ideally, a recovering addict should choose to give up their drug use without the use of any incentives.
Treatment Services
Over 1.2 million Americans are currently receiving some form of treatment for substance abuse, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association (SAMHSA). There are over 13,000 treatment facilities in the United States. Around 13 percent of these facilities are operated by the local or federal government, while the remaining 87 percent are private institutions. Obviously, choosing the right facility can be a difficult process.
If you are looking for help with or information about drug addiction, the professionals at Axis are here to provide you with expert advice and counseling. Our drug rehabilitation program offers a variety of treatment options that are geared towards healing your mind and body. Contact us today, for immediate and personal care that will soon have you or your loved one on the road to permanent recovery.