Top 10 Ways Addiction Treatment Save Lives
At its core, addiction is a life-threatening condition with a high fatality rate. Long before frequent drug use or alcohol consumption is recognized as a problem, this practice could be causing changes in the brain that put the individual on the path towards addiction.
According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), substance addiction has a direct impact on neurotransmission and interactions within the reward circuitry of the brain. This effect supplants healthy habits with addictive patterns of behavior. It also creates memories of previous use experiences that trigger cravings and in turn reinforces obsessive and compulsive pursuit of unhealthy rewards. Enabled by advancements in neuroscience and decades of study, these finding led to the decision by the ASAM to redefine addiction from a behavioral problem to a chronic brain disorder.
The conclusions are drawn from the new definition of addiction also recognize that like any chronic disease, addiction can be treated, managed and monitored. As such, treatment received at the onset of addiction can diminish or prevent the distortions in thinking, feeling, and the perception that results in the destructive behavioral patterns of addiction.
Although the advantages of seeking professional addiction treatment are multifaceted, the ultimate benefit is its ability to reduce the mortality rate by diminishing recidivism rates. Below are ten additional ways addiction treatment help to saves lives.
- Addiction treatment is a specialized care that is focused on achieving sustainable sobriety. Many people trying to overcome addiction without professional intervention often put their lives at risk by failing to address the neurological changes that drive addiction. Although determination or will-power may enable the suspension of drug use temporarily, impaired neurological functions frequently trigger cravings that override the ability to stay sober.
- The repetitive and demanding cycles of addiction are significant contributors to feelings of shame, despondency, and hopelessness. These emotions are usually exacerbated when efforts, promises, and decisions to stop addictive patterns of behavior repeatedly fail. This mental state has been linked to multiple drug-related suicide events. Even before treatment begins, people who seek or accept treatment report restoration of hope and belief in their ability to resume a normal life. This is accomplished through professional support, guidance and the application of specialized remedial tools in treatment environments that are designed to enhance and encourage the recovery process.
- Supervised Detox. The detoxification process is recognized as the first and most dangerous aspect of addiction recovery. For this reason, it is highly recommended that people struggling with addiction do not engage in “cold turkey” or “do-it-yourself” efforts to halt chronic substance abuse. Professional addiction treatment provides around the clock oversight to prevent a medical crisis by keeping the patient stabilized throughout the detoxification procedure.
- Emergency Medical Care. The severity of drug withdrawal symptoms can be unpredictable. It is not uncommon for mild symptoms to quickly escalate into a crisis situation. Without appropriate medical intervention, the escalation of these symptoms can be fatal. Emergency medical care is, therefore, an important service offered to people receiving addiction treatment in an accredited drug rehabilitation facility.
- Diagnostic Determination. Diagnosing addiction and other mental health disorders is a complex and challenging task. It is necessary, however, to determine the major contributors to the substance abuse in order to design an effective treatment program. Mental disorders that can compromise the ability to maintain long-term sobriety are often identified during the evaluation process. Accurate diagnostic determination translates into more successful treatment outcomes.
- Dual Diagnosis. When the presence of a mental illness occurs concurrently with addiction, both conditions must be treated simultaneously. “Dual diagnosis” is the term used to describe this condition and the treatment process to address it. The introduction of dual diagnosis treatment has made significant inroads in preventing dangerous relapse events that is a major contributor to drug-related fatalities.
- Therapeutic intervention is a critical component in the life-saving arsenal of addiction treatment. It proactively addresses psychological issues and self-debasing beliefs that are components of the addiction condition. Therapeutic intervention may include group therapy, family therapy, personal therapy, alternative therapies that complement pharmaceutical and other medical interventions. The support life-saving opportunities by providing recovering addicts with signature tools to discourage future substance abuse behavior.
- Peer and Family Support. Effective addiction treatment includes various peer and family support programs. Many people enjoying long-term freedom from addiction often attribute friendships forged in rehab and educational programs that improved their loved ones understanding of recovery support as important contributors to their success.
- Relapse Prevention Tools. Once habituated drug use has been halted for a period of time, tolerance levels to chemical substances are also lowered. People who relapse typically consume dangerous levels that heighten the risk for potentially fatal issues. For this reason, relapse prevention education and training are integral components of addiction treatment. It educates people in recovery about universal and personal triggers, the relapse process and enables them to recognize the onset of a relapse. It also equips them with tools to avoid triggers and implement rescue resources if necessary.
- Aftercare Support. Addiction treatment is a progressive practice that naturally segues into aftercare support. This step is often recognized as instrumental to fully embracing and maintaining a drug-free lifestyle.
We at Ebb Tide Treatment Centers believe alcoholics and addicts can and do recover. Recovering from active addiction does not have to be a long, painful process. With the help of Ebb Tide’s caring and experienced staff, you and your loved ones will learn, and take proven steps necessary to achieve success by maintaining lasting sobriety. The goal of Ebb Tide Treatment Centers is to restore lives and families. With our help, you can regain control of your life from addiction and start living happily again. Your new life is just a phone call away. Call us today at 561-508-8330 or visit us at.
West Palm Beach Addiction Treatment
Ebb Tide Treatment Center
400 Executive Center Dr. Suite 209
West Palm Beach, FL 33410
561-508-8330
Sources:
- https://www.asam.org/docs/pressreleases/asam-definition-of-addiction-2011-08-15.pdf?sfvrsn=6
- https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-Conditions/Related-Conditions/Dual-Diagnosis