The prevalence of drug addiction among adults and adolescents in America has risen over the years. Excessive use of drugs such as alcohol and opioids makes you less productive and may interfere with your social and work life. Controlling your alcohol intake at home may be a challenge. However, treatment options like medications and therapies offered by your Glendale addiction specialist at 2nd Chance Treatment Center can reduce your addiction level.
What is drug addiction?
Drug addiction is a long-term disease that affects your brain and behavior, causing you to have a total dependency on substances such as alcohol and opioids. The transition in your brain may lead to behaviors such as:
· Involving yourself in activities like stealing to facilitate your drug usage
· Reckless driving under the influence of drugs
· Not being productive at work
· Spending a lot of money to purchase drugs which may cause bankruptcy
· Having a solid urge to take drugs.
When you become addicted to drug usage, you will experience different signs and symptoms depending on the type of drug.
Alcohol addiction
It is prevalent for people to take alcohol in today’s society. Establishing a difference between someone who is not addicted and an alcoholic can be challenging. However, if you are addicted to alcohol, you may find yourself having specific problems that include:
· Taking alcohol frequently and in large amounts
· Drinking during odd hours, for example, during morning hours
· Hiding from people when consuming alcohol
· Losing your job as a result of recklessness
· Having a high tolerance for alcohol
· You may become more aggressive and agitated
· Experiencing mood disorders such as Euphoria, anxiety, loneliness, and guilt.
Opioid addiction
Opioids are powerful drugs prescribed by your doctor to treat pain or illegal drugs such as heroin. Examples of opioid drugs include:
· Hydrocodone
· Fentanyl
· Opium
· Codeine
· Morphine
· Tramadol
When you use opioids for a long time, your body develops dependency and resistance, which causes you to still experience pain even after taking the drugs. There are various physical and psychological symptoms that you may experience when you are addicted to opioids. For example:
· Nausea and vomiting
· Drowsiness
· Constipation
· Irritability
· Depression
· Anxiety
· Shaking and sweating
· Slurred speech
· Irregular sleeping patterns
Diagnosis and treatment for opioid and alcohol addiction
At the 2nd Chance Treatment Center, skilled and professional addiction specialists will take you through the treatment process. Before your doctor recommends a treatment option for you, a diagnosis is required. Your specialist will evaluate you by assessing you with the help of a psychologist and a certified drug counselor. Your doctor will then use a sample of your blood and urine to check for drug use.
Types of medicines for opioid addiction
If you have an opioid overdose, your health specialist will administer naloxone by spraying it inside your nose, which reverses the effects of opioids temporarily.
Your doctor may also inject a naloxone shot on your thigh, called Evzio.
Types of medicines for alcoholism
For alcohol addiction, your addiction specialist may prescribe medicines such as:
Naltrexone blocks your body’s receptors which cause excitement when you take alcohol.
Acamprosate reduces your brain’s dependence on alcohol.
Disulfiram. This type of medicine disrupts the normal breakdown of alcohol in your body and leads to hangover symptoms such as nausea and headache when you take liquor.
Taking medicines may not get rid of your addiction. At 2nd Chance Treatment Center, your doctor works with the help of a psychiatrist and a psychologist who will offer behavioral counseling, which includes:
Multidimensional family therapy is specifically developed for adolescents with drug addiction and improves the functioning of a family.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy aimed to improve your mental health and help you avoid drug usage.
Motivational incentives. It is a therapy designed to discourage you from using drugs and promotes drug abstinence.
Do not put your health at risk by overindulging in drug usage. You can manage drug addiction with the help of your doctor, who may prescribe medications or recommend therapy for you. Reserve a session with your addiction specialist at the 2nd Chance Treatment Center and start your journey to a drug-free life.