Drug Addiction Treatment Centers Near Me

Being addicted to drugs is considered a chronic disease which presents itself as uncontrollable urges to seek out drugs and use them. It continues to occur despite harmful physical and life-altering consequences. Drugs generally change the chemistry of the brain, making it more difficult for the user to stop. They often lose their income because they miss work and can lose relationships due to neglect because of the drugs. They can also lose their physical health and even face death because of overdosing, having a severe withdrawal without medical assistance, or deterioration of the body from the effects of the drugs.

How do people get addicted?

No one plans on becoming addicted when they take that first hit of a drug, whether it’s sip of beer, a snort of coke, or an injection of heroin. One of the feelings that people continuously seek to remove from their lives is the physical discomfort of pain, so when someone has a surgery or a disease that presents itself with chronic pain, drugs can ease the pain. Many drugs only take a short amount of time to change the chemistry of the brain so that it thinks it needs that drug to function normally. Someone can physically and psychologically think that they won’t live without it.

What’s the difference between abuse, addiction, and dependence?

People who are blind to the world of drugs use the words abuse, addiction, and independence interchangeably but they all have vastly different meanings. When professionals are considering what to do to help someone who uses drugs, they must use the terms appropriately or risk misinterpretation. When a family is involved in treating a loved one who is found to have been using drugs and wants to seek out treatment, knowing the language makes it less of a challenge when calling various centers and researching the best options.

• Dependence
  • Occurs after being repeatedly exposed to any drug, even alcohol. The body and brain get used to the substance. They then require higher amounts to feel the same effects as the first time they used. There will be withdrawal symptoms if the drug is stopped.  What are the signs of dependence?
    • Tolerance is built up where more of a dose is needed to feel high
    • Continued use long past the medical necessity of it
    • Behavioral changes, such as low energy and difficulty concentrating
    • A lack of interest in spending time with family and friends, even cancelling social plans
• Abuse
  • Using a chemical, mind altering substance even thought it is harmful to themselves or others. Usually starts as a means of experimentation then used further because it helps them ease anxiety and stress. Signs of abuse include:
    • Doing the drug when alone
    • Consuming it first thing in the morning
    • Trembling hands
    • Going through withdrawal symptoms when trying to stop
    • Fluctuations of appetite, mood, sleep, weight, and more
• Addiction
  • When the user cannot fight the intense urge to use their drug of choice or engage in a specific activity even though it begins to interfere with someone’s work, health, and relationships. The excess use of drugs can change their ability to make decisions and think clearly so they may not even be aware that they are having a problem and how negatively their life is being affected.
  • When a user crosses over from abuse into complete addiction, the disease of abuse is totally in control and manipulating all their thoughts. They are not even deciding if they are taking drugs but just have it include in their daily routine. Signs of addiction include:
    • Using drugs repeatedly after promising they would stop or cut back
    • Hiding the amount of drugs consumed
    • Mounting financial difficulties
    • Spending less time with family and friends
    • Losing interest in hobbies
    • Spending time with a new group of friends
    • Spending time alone or not accounting for increasing time away
    • Withdrawal symptoms that begin when the drug is not available

What are the symptoms of withdrawal?

When a user has a drug that has built up in their system and then attempts to stop, their brain and their body must try to adapt to the removal of the substance. The substance caused a chemical change to how the neurotransmitters did their job. Symptoms of withdrawal vary according to the drug but can include many of the same responses:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Trembling
• Headache
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Loss of appetite
• Fatigue

Depending on the substance that was abused, the withdrawal symptoms can fluctuate from barely noticeable to life-threatening. Withdrawing from alcohol and tranquilizers are the most difficult in terms of physical response of the body. A detox center is designed to help make this as comfortable as possible, whether it’s with medication-assisted therapy or monitoring. Medications such as methadone and suboxone have been proven to help reduce side effects.

Is relapse a common occurrence?

Family members and friends who aren’t familiar with the dramatic upswings and downswings of drug addiction don’t understand the feelings that accompany using a drug. They don’t understand how the brain is actually changed due to the chemical substance. Many of them and even those who are in recovery feel that if they backslide; they are a complete failure. That is simply not true. Going through treatment is the reconditioning of behaviors. It’s learning to change behaviors and habits. It is a process that takes time, motivation, and a commitment that most people do not ever have to even think about in their lifetime.

When someone either drops out of drug addiction treatment, it is simply a sign that their plan needs adjusted. Physical conditions, such as gout and arthritis, can flare occasionally. Drugs make changes to the brain and can flare occasionally. This indicates that the medication being administered to help control the cravings has stopped working or that more aggressive care is necessary. Everyone is different, but it can be because they are having a problem coping with triggers, which commonly include:

• Physical triggers
  • where they got their drugs
  • who they used their drugs with
  • A song or a movie that accompanied their drug use
• Mental triggers
  • Exposure to initial causes of drug abuse
    • Difficult job
    • Bad relationship
  • Past traumas
    • Sexual abuse
    • Physical abuse

What are common treatment methods?

When someone decides to regain control of their life, they must go through a standard regimen that has been proven to help throughout the years. They can be inpatient or outpatient and are set up to match the interests of a large variety of the population. When someone chooses a drug addiction treatment center, they do so with the idea that it suits their personality and income level, from standard to luxury. The following are some examples of interest-based therapy:

• Dual diagnosis - drug abuse with a mental health component
• Teens
• Women only – whether a woman feel more comfortable because she isn’t used to men or because she experienced sexual trauma, this may suit her needs better
• Men only
• Veterans
• Holistic
• Jewish
• Christian
• Pet Friendly

Not like commonly thought, when someone goes through an addiction and comes out clean on the other side, it is no small feat that they have accomplished. They have put their body and soul into regaining control of their life. It means that they not only fought the urge to use drugs and fight the cravings on a daily basis, but it also means that they fought the demons that led them down that path in the first place. Finding drug addiction treatment that is perfect for your situation can be the key to all the success in the world.