People feel intoxicated after using substances. Over time the brain's function is altered through drugs. The brain becomes desensitized to the drug, and more of the drug must be used to create the same effects.
The treatment may be intensive at first, with patients having to have multiple outpatient appointments each week. After they have completed intensive treatment, patients are able to transition to regular outpatient treatment that meets less frequently and for fewer hours per week in order to sustain their recovery. In September 2017, the FDA allowed the commercialization of the first app for mobile devices, reSET(r), to assist in the treatment of substance abuse disorders. The application was designed to be used with outpatient treatments to treat alcohol, cocaine, marijuana, and stimulant substance usage disorders. In December 2018, the FDA approved an application for mobile medical use, reSET(r) that can help treat addiction to opioids. This application is a prescribed cognitive behavioral therapy that is best used in conjunction with treatment that includes buprenorphine and contingency management. Learn more on reSET(r) within the following FDA News Release.
When a person drinks more, the effects of drugs start to take over a person's life. It is possible that one will stop enjoying the other things in life. Many people find that family, social and work obligations fall to the side. People with SUD begin to feel as if something is wrong even if they is not under the influence of the substance. They can become obsessed with the need to recapture the feeling they had before.
Inpatient or residential therapy can also be very beneficial, especially for people with more serious problems (including co-occurring disorders). The licensed residential treatment facilities provide 24 hour structured and intense care, including secure housing and medical assistance. Residential treatment facilities may use different therapeutic strategies, and they are generally designed to help the patient maintain a clean, drug-free lifestyle following treatment. Examples of residential treatment settings include:
Anyone can develop a substance use disorder. No one thing can predict whether a person may develop an addiction. You may be more prone to addiction due to:
Research conducted since the mid-1970s suggests that treatment for addiction can help many people who are addicted to drugs change their attitudes behavior, beliefs, and attitudes toward addiction and remove themselves from a life of substance abuse and crime. Many of the principles of treating drug addiction are similar for people within the criminal justice system, as for people in people in general. However, many offenders don't receive the types of treatment they require. Treatment that is of poor quality or is not well suited to the needs of the offenders might not be effective in reducing drug use and criminal behavior.
Substance use disorders and alcohol use disorder are the leading causes of preventable illnesses and early death. Studies have shown that approximately one in nine Americans consumes illicit substances (about 11% of the population). The most commonly misused drugs are marijuana and prescription drugs.
Alongside the standard rules of treatment, a few considerations specific to offenders are the following:
Humans are naturally attracted by rewards. Often, these rewards come from healthy behaviors. If it is a time to spend with your loved one or eat a delicious food the body releases a substance called dopamine, which makes you feel pleasure. This creates a loop where you are looking for these experiences since they provide you with positive feelings.
The effects of drug abuse alter the functioning of the brain. many factors can "trigger" cravings for drugs in the brain. It is crucial for people in treatment, especially those treated at an inpatient facility or prison to know how to identify, avoid, and manage triggers they are likely to be exposed to during treatment.
Drugs send massive surges of dopamine throughout the brain, too. Instead of feeling motivated to accomplish the things you need to survive (eat, work, spend time with your loved ones) These massive dopamine levels can trigger negative changes in the way you think, feel and behave. It can cause a negative urge to find pleasure in the substance and not so much from positive, healthy moments. The process revolves around looking for and using drugs to attain that pleasurable feeling.
In the SAMHSA's National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 22.5 million people (8.5 percent of the U.S. population) aged 12 or older needed medical treatment due to an* drinking or drug use disorder in 2014. Just 4.2 million (18.5 percent of those who required treatment) received any substance use treatment that year. Of these, about 2.6 million were treated through specialized treatment facilities (CBHSQ, 2015).
The effects of addiction to drugs alter the brain in time. It alters the way that the brain works , and also the structure of the brain. That's why healthcare providers consider substance use disorder a brain disorder.
*The term "illicit" refers to the use of illegal drugs which includes marijuana as per federal law and the use of prescription medicines in a way that is not legal.