The Importance of Addiction Medicine
How Addiction Medicine Can Aid Recovery | Using Medication for Addiction Treatment | Find Medically Assisted Detox and Rehab: Call Now
Due to the complicated nature of drug and alcohol addiction, effective treatment requires a multi-pronged approach that involves medical care, counseling, and effective follow-up after treatment. Addiction medicine plays a particularly important role in helping addicts wean off of drugs and maintain a lasting recovery. Quality addiction recovery programs include specialists in addiction that can provide medical care that minimizes the side effects of withdrawal during detox and sets the patient up for effective addiction counseling. Addicts who get help at WhiteSands Treatment participate in personalized programs overseen by highly trained professionals who are dedicated to using the best methods for addiction recovery.
What Is Addiction Medicine?
Addiction medicine is a discipline that focuses on the treatment of drug and alcohol addiction. Individuals who specialize in this field receive training that focuses on methods for treating addicts with medication for addiction withdrawal symptoms, and they work alongside other addiction professionals to develop comprehensive recovery plans for each addict. Specialists in this field are also trained to offer dual-diagnosis care, uncovering and addressing co-occurring disorders such as anxiety and depression. Helping an addict to beat their addiction successfully requires not only the right medication for substance abuse but the treatment of these co-occurring disorders so that addicts are not driven to use again.
Medication and Addiction Recovery
Medication plays a particularly important role in addiction recovery for two main reasons. First, the physical dependency issues related to addiction mean that when the body is deprived of the substance to which it is addicted, a period of withdrawal ensues. Often, this withdrawal includes symptoms such as nausea, insomnia, and vomiting. Sometimes, psychological complications such as hallucinations and suicidal thoughts can accompany withdrawal as well. With the right medication for addiction, these symptoms can be alleviated and the detoxification process can be made far more comfortable and safe.
Second, medication for substance abuse can be used to decrease the body’s response to using an addictive substance, helping to reduce cravings for it. For example, medications known as opioid antagonists prevent receptors in the brain from absorbing opioids, blocking their effects. With the right medication, the cravings for the illicit substance can be severely reduced and the odds of a relapse are diminished.
Getting the Professional Help You Need
At WhiteSands Treatment, our specialists in addiction medicine are adept at treating people struggling with addiction to drugs or alcohol, including those with a dual diagnosis. At our private facility, addicts can receive the customized treatment they need, including therapies such as individual and group counseling, alternative approaches like yoga and biofeedback, and relapse prevention education. We also strive to make getting help cost-effective by accepting a variety of private insurance plans from carriers nationwide. If you don’t live nearby, we can even help you coordinate transportation to our Florida center. When you’re ready to get help, fill out our form here or call now: Our phone lines are always open, 24/7, to assist you in getting individualized addiction treatment and getting your life back.