What are the treatments for addiction?

Drug Addiction in Pakistan

Ist step :The first step towards recovery is acknowledging that substance use has become a problem in the person’s life which is disrupting the quality of their life. This can result from impairment in school, work, social, recreational or other important areas of function.

Once an individual recognizes the negative impact of a substance on their life, a wide range of treatment options is available.

A person with an addictive disorder requires access to treatment. For most people, treatment may last for the rest of their life. They will need to abstain from the substance on a life-long basis, which can be difficult. Treatment plans for addictive disorders will often change to meet the needs of the patient.

Treatment options for addiction depend on several factors, including the type of addictive disorder, the length and severity of use, and its effects on the individual. A doctor will also treat or refer for treatment any physical complications that have developed, such as liver disease in a person with alcohol use disorder or respiratory issues in people with an addiction to substances which have been smoked.

Several treatment options are available, and most people experiencing addiction will receive a combination of approaches. None of the treatments for addictive disorders work for every person.

Common interventions might involve a combination of inpatient and outpatient programs, psychological counseling, self-help groups, and medication.

Detoxification:Detoxification is normally the first step in treatment. This involves clearing a substance from the body and limiting withdrawal reactions.

In 80 percent of cases, a treatment clinic will use medications to reduce withdrawal symptoms.

If a person is addicted to more than one substance, they will often need medications to reduce withdrawal symptoms for each.

In 2017, an electronic device called the NSS-2 Bridge became available to reduce opiate withdrawal. The device sits behind the ear and gives off electrical pulses to trigger certain nerves that might provide relief from withdrawal symptoms.

counseling and behavioral therapies:This is the most common form of treatment following detoxification.

Therapy might occur on a one-to-one, group, or family basis depending on the needs of the individual. It is usually intensive at the outset of treatment with the number of sessions gradually reducing over time as symptoms improve.

Different types of therapy include:

  • cognitive-behavioral therapy, which helps people recognize and change ways of thinking that have associations with substance use.
  • multi-dimensional family therapy, designed to help improve family function around an adolescent or teen with a substance-related disorder
  • motivational interviewing, which maximizes an individuals willingness to change and make adjustments to behaviors
  • motivational incentives that encourage abstinence through positive reinforcement

Counseling for addiction aims to help people change behaviors and attitudes around using a substance, as well as strengthening life skills and supporting other treatments.

In 2017, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first-ever mobile application, reSET®, as effective for use alongside outpatient management for marijuana, cocaine, alcohol, and stimulant use disorders.

Some forms of treatment for addictive disorders focuses on the underlying cause of the addictive disorder in addition to behaviors characteristic of the addiction.

Rehabilitation programs:Longer-term treatment programs for substance-related and addictive disorders can be highly effective and typically focus on remaining drug-free and resuming function within social, professional, and family responsibilities.

Fully licensed residential facilities are available to structure a 24-hour care program, provide a safe housing environment, and supply any necessary medical interventions or assistance.

A few types of facility can provide a therapeutic environment, including:

  • Short-term residential treatment: This focuses on detoxification and preparing an individual for a longer period within a therapeutic community through intensive counseling.
  • Therapeutic communities: A person seeking long-term treatment for severe forms of addictive disorder would live in a residence for between 6 and 12 months with on-site staff and others in recovery. The community and staff serve as key factors in recovery from and changes in attitudes and behaviors toward drug use.
  • Recovery housing: This provides a supervised, short-term stay in housing to help people engage with responsibilities and adapt to a new, independent life without on-going substance use. Recovery housing includes advice on handling finances and finding work, as well as providing the connection between a person during the final stages of recovery and community support services.

      Self-help groups

These may help the recovering individual meet others with the same addictive disorder which often boosts motivation and reduces feelings of isolation. They can also serve as a useful source of education, community, and information.

Examples include Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA).

People who are struggle with other types of addiction can find out about self-help groups in their community either by an internet search or by asking a doctor or nurse for information.

Medications

A person might take medication on a continuous basis when recovering from a substance-related disorder and its related complications.

However, people most commonly use medications during detoxification to manage withdrawal symptoms. The medication will vary depending on the substance that the person is addicted to.

Longer-term use of medications helps to reduce cravings and prevent relapse, or a return to using the substance after having recovered from addiction.

Medication is not a standalone treatment for addiction and should accompany other management methods such as psychotherapy.

Addiction to the following substances requires specific medications.

Alcohol

People with alcohol use disorder can take the following medications to reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms, including:

  • Naltrexone: This prevents the action of opioid receptors in the brain that produce rewarding and euphoric effects when a person consumes alcohol and reduces the risk of relapse. While not effective for all people in recovery, it has a considerable impact on abstinence in some people.
  • Acamprosate, or Campral: This might reduce long-term withdrawal symptoms, including sleeplessness, anxiety, and a general feeling of unhappiness known as dysphoria. This has a more beneficial effect in people with severe substance-related and addictive disorders.
  • Disulfiram, or Antabuse: This is a medication that disrupts the breakdown of alcohol, leading to adverse effects including facial redness, feeling sick, and an irregular heartbeat should the person in recovery attempt to consume alcohol. It acts as a deterrent for people who have high motivation levels toward recovery.

Doctors and rehabilitation specialists may prescribe other medication to address other possible mental health conditions, including depressionand anxiety, that may be a cause or result of substance-related disorders.

People in treatment programs should also receive testing for infectious diseases that might have resulted from certain high-risk situations associated with their addictive disorders such as HIV, hepatitis, and tuberculosis.

 

 

 

DRUG ADDICTION : THE STATISTICS

Drug Addiction in Pakistan

Drug addiction has reached epidemic levels across the globe withapproximately 247 million drug users worldwide.1 In America, the problem is no better as over 10 percent of individuals 12 years of age and over have used an illicit drug in the past month in the United States.2 As a matter of fact, nearly 21 million Americans ages 12 and older had a substance use problem in 2015.3 United States use two-thirds of illegal drugs worldwideExcluding alcohol and tobacco, the top ten drugs used across the world were: cannabis, MDMA, cocaine, amphetamines, LSD, magic mushrooms, prescribed & non-prescribed opioid medication, nitrous oxide, ketamine and poppers.4 Nothing is off limits with 10 percent of drug users globally having purchased drugs online via the dark net. 5 percent of respondents said they did not consume drugs before accessing them through dark-net markets.5 Overdose deaths involving prescription opioids have quadrupled since 1999, and so have sales of these prescription drugs. From 1999 to 2015, more than 183,000 people have died in the U.S. from overdoses related to prescription opioids.6 Patterns such as this suggest that drug abuse in America is steadily and significantly on the rise.
Marijuana
Since its discovery thousands of years ago, marijuana use has steadily risen to the levels it is at now. Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug with over 22.2 million people having used the drug in the past month according to the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.7
Synthetic Drugs
Synthetic marijuana is now a major role player too, being second in line to naturally grown cannabis among high school seniors.8 Other synthetic drugs, such as bath salts, have grown quickly in popularity since first entering the European drug market in 2008 and making their way to the US a year or so later.
Cocaine
Cocaine is far more popular in foreign countries like Scotland and Brazil, but the drug still was used by over 5 percent of all individuals in the US between the ages of 18 and 25 in the past year. In addition, over 16 percent of people 26 and over in the United States have used cocaine in their lifetime.9
Heroin
Heroin is still most widely used in countries like Afghanistan where the substance is harvested from opium poppy pods grown there. In recent years, growing popularity for the drug in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States led to Baltimore, Maryland, being dubbed the heroin capital of America.10 Heroin and other opioids were to blame for approximately 1.3 million emergency room visits in 2014 according to a government report. The 2014 numbers reflect a 64 percent increase for inpatient care and a 99 percent jump for emergency room treatment compared to figures from 2005. 11
Prescription Drugs
Prescription painkillers are one of the most commonly abused substances with between 26.4 million and 36 million people abuse opioids worldwide. An estimated 2.1 million people in the United States suffering from substance use disorders related to prescription opioid pain relievers. The United States accounts for almost 100 percent of the world total for the drug hydrocodone (Vicodin) and 81 percent for the oxycodone (Percocet).12 Abuse of these drugs has become increasingly common among suburbanites, likely due to their availability.
Hallucinogens and Stimulants
LSD is growing in popularity among young adults with close to 7 percent of 12th graders using LSD in their lifetime. Over 4 percent of 12th graders have used LSD in the past year.13 Inhalants are far easier to come across. This may explain why national surveys indicate that nearly 21.7 million Americans aged 12 and older have used inhalants at least once in their lives.14
>>> READ THIS NEXT: How to Motivate a Loved One to Get Help
Alcohol
Drinking too much alcohol can lead to both short-term and long-term health problems. Alcohol is also one of the major reasons for premature death. One in 10 deaths among working-age adults aged 20–64 years are due to excessive alcohol use.15 Excessive alcohol consumption is responsible for an average of 88,000 deaths each year.16
Here are some more facts to consider regarding the use of alcohol:
By age 15, about 33 percent of teens have had at least 1 drink.17
By age 18, about 60 percent of teens have had at least 1 drink.17
In 2015, 7.7 million young people ages 12–20 reported that they drank alcohol beyond “just a few sips” in the past month17
Alcohol use contributed to more than 200 diseases and injury-related health conditions, most notably DSM–IV alcohol dependence, liver cirrhosis, various forms of cancer, and injuries.17
About 1.3 million adults received treatment for AUD at a specialized facility in 2015.18 Nicotine and Alcohol 2010 statistics
Drug Addiction Treatment
All of these statistics and facts represent the choices of millions of people. There is no doubt that drug addiction is a very serious problem. But you personally can make the right choice right now. Whether you want help for yourself or your loved one, it’s time to reach out for professional help. At Michael’s House, our treatment facility is located in beautiful Palm Springs, California. Our facility is the breath of fresh air you’ve been looking for. We are a full-service program that provides interventions, detox, mental health care and addiction treatment. We truly care and will do all we can to help you leave treatment fully equipped to manage your health moving forward. If you or your loved one is addicted to drugs, please call Us.