Opiates are among the most commonly abused drugs worldwide. They are also among those that cause the highest levels of addictions as evidenced by the increased relapses among patients that have undergone addiction therapy. In spite of this, an equally high number of people have been able to free themselves from these substances thanks to their strong will and strong social support. There are several things on opiate addiction treatment Georgia patients need to understand.
The therapies that are used in the management of this kind of addiction fall under two major categories. Pharmacological based therapies and behavioral therapies. The common practice is to use both of these methods concurrently so as to increase the chances of success. The drugs are used in the initial phases and the behavioral therapy interventions introduced later on. Three main stages of treatment exist.
The first phase is referred to as the detoxification or chemical withdrawal stage. This is the most difficult part of the treatment and is usually managed in a medical facility where complications can be monitored by trained medical personnel. Patients may suffer from a number of withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, depression, muscular pains and shaking episodes among others.
The use of opiates is often associated with dependence particularly for the long term users. When one is dependent on a drug, they are unable to perform their daily chores normally until they take the substance. In view of this challenge, it has been recommended that alternatives be provided in the initial phase of treatment to help recovering addicts cope. A drug known as methadone has been shown to be quite useful for this. Others are naltrexone and buprenorphine.
Therapy proper follows the chemical withdrawal stage. The main activity here is counseling. The patient will be enrolled for regular counseling sessions that are done both at individual level and at group level. At individual level, the therapist will seek to establish the cause of the problem and together with the addict come up with strategies that help in reducing the desire for the substances. Group therapy mainly helps in instilling coping skills.
One of the trends that are being adopted is the use of residential homes in therapy. Such a setting enables the patients to enjoy the comfort of a home even as they undergo treatment. They are exposed to recreational activities such as swimming, running, cycling, yoga and meditation among others. This arrangement has been shown to reduce dependence and expedite the recovery process.
The third and final step of therapy is the maintenance stage. This is the long term plan of management and starts as soon as one is released from the inpatient facility. It may last for months or years depending on the response that is exhibited by the recovering addict. The patient will be required to make regular clinic visits for assessment on their progressive. Treatment approaches may be changed or modified during such visits.
Even if drugs are administered during the maintenance stage, the mainstay of therapy is behavioral therapy. The objective of this step is to help in mitigating against relapse which are quite common. Apart from the efforts that are made by the therapists, there is a need to have a strong social support structure bearing in mind that the patient is mainly treated from home.
The therapies that are used in the management of this kind of addiction fall under two major categories. Pharmacological based therapies and behavioral therapies. The common practice is to use both of these methods concurrently so as to increase the chances of success. The drugs are used in the initial phases and the behavioral therapy interventions introduced later on. Three main stages of treatment exist.
The first phase is referred to as the detoxification or chemical withdrawal stage. This is the most difficult part of the treatment and is usually managed in a medical facility where complications can be monitored by trained medical personnel. Patients may suffer from a number of withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, depression, muscular pains and shaking episodes among others.
The use of opiates is often associated with dependence particularly for the long term users. When one is dependent on a drug, they are unable to perform their daily chores normally until they take the substance. In view of this challenge, it has been recommended that alternatives be provided in the initial phase of treatment to help recovering addicts cope. A drug known as methadone has been shown to be quite useful for this. Others are naltrexone and buprenorphine.
Therapy proper follows the chemical withdrawal stage. The main activity here is counseling. The patient will be enrolled for regular counseling sessions that are done both at individual level and at group level. At individual level, the therapist will seek to establish the cause of the problem and together with the addict come up with strategies that help in reducing the desire for the substances. Group therapy mainly helps in instilling coping skills.
One of the trends that are being adopted is the use of residential homes in therapy. Such a setting enables the patients to enjoy the comfort of a home even as they undergo treatment. They are exposed to recreational activities such as swimming, running, cycling, yoga and meditation among others. This arrangement has been shown to reduce dependence and expedite the recovery process.
The third and final step of therapy is the maintenance stage. This is the long term plan of management and starts as soon as one is released from the inpatient facility. It may last for months or years depending on the response that is exhibited by the recovering addict. The patient will be required to make regular clinic visits for assessment on their progressive. Treatment approaches may be changed or modified during such visits.
Even if drugs are administered during the maintenance stage, the mainstay of therapy is behavioral therapy. The objective of this step is to help in mitigating against relapse which are quite common. Apart from the efforts that are made by the therapists, there is a need to have a strong social support structure bearing in mind that the patient is mainly treated from home.
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