Drug Addiction and Rehab in Cleveland, OH (216) 666-2727 Ohio Drug Treatment Centers
What many people do not know about drug addiction is that it is a chronic disease, not just a lack of willpower. Drug addiction not only affects a person’s behavior and thoughts, but also causes significant changes in the structure of the brain as well as how the brain functions on a chemical level. Because of this, it is almost always necessary for a person to go through drug addiction rehab or other treatment to overcome an addiction. This is supported by data collected from the National Institute on Drug Abuse which indicates that drug addiction treatment is far more successful than going it alone. Let Drug Detox Centers Cleveland Drug Rehab Centers be your ultimate guide to recovery. We can connect you with a program that is right for you.
Understanding Drug Addiction and Dependence
Addiction and dependence are two different concepts. Dependence on drugs or alcohol is a specific part of an addiction, namely the physical part. When a person consumes an addictive substance, it interacts with their brain and nervous system.
While each addictive drug has a different effect on the brain, all of them either trigger or block certain activities in the brain. With enough continued substance abuse, the brain readjusts the way it functions so that it waits to perform the affected actions until the drug tells it to do so. Once the brain actually depends on the drug to function normally, a person has developed a drug or chemical dependence.
Addiction also encompasses far more complicated issues including the original reasons that a person turned to substance abuse, their specific compulsive behaviors, and the triggers that lead them to engage in substance abuse.
Treating Addiction in Addition to Dependence (216) 666-2727
A large number of people make a major mistake when it comes to drug treatment programs. They only deal with the physical dependence that has developed and do not address the other side of the addiction. Dependence is treated through detoxification (detox). This is the process of letting all traces of a drug or alcohol get processed out of the body and allowing the brain to adjust back to functioning without the signals it was receiving from the drug.
Detox causes withdrawals as the brain and body struggle to get back to normal. As such, it should be undertaken only in a medical detox environment. Medical detox programs occur under the supervision of doctors, nurses, and mental health professionals who can provide emotional support, as well as monitor withdrawal symptoms and even give medications to help reduce the severity and duration of those withdrawals.
In order to successfully overcome a drug addiction, treatment needs to continue after detox. Those original impulses, trauma, emotions, and thoughts that led a person to abuse drugs or alcohol need to be addressed and resolved or dealt with in order for them to no longer be triggers. This requires cognitive-behavioral or other alternative therapies in both individual and group settings. These treatments can be done in a drug rehab center as part of an inpatient treatment program or can be done as outpatient treatment as well.
The important thing is that a person continues with treatment after detox to ensure that they develop coping mechanisms as well as strategies to deal with those issues and possible triggers. They also need to find positive habits to replace the negative ones they engaged in previously.
Drug Detox Centers Cleveland Drug Rehab Centers is here to help you with any drug or alcohol addiction questions or concerns you may have as well as to give you the care and support you need to successfully overcome your addiction. Just give us a call today at (216) 666-2727 to speak with one of our caring recovery advocates.
