Faqs

At one time, it was considered standard to expect a person to first stop using all drugs and alcohol and then to undergo mental health treatment. This is no longer the case. It is accepted across the medical and mental health community that co-occurring disorders are so deeply entwined that it is necessary to treat both issues at the same time. Though it may be necessary to attend to a client’s physical needs first in terms of providing medical detox assistance as needed, therapeutic treatment, when it commences, must focus not only on the issues that drove addiction but also on the issues created by the mental health disorder.

There are a number of signs that can indicate that someone is struggling with a substance abuse or addiction disorder. These include: The fact that addiction is a concern: Substance abuse or addiction is rarely ever a concern when it is clear that there is not a problem. Only those who drink heavily and/or use a significant amount of legal or illegal addictive substances on a regular basis are concerned that they may be living with addiction – and in most cases, they are indeed struggling somewhere on the spectrum of a substance use disorder. Changes in personality: The person may once have had a sense of humor and loved hanging out with friends, and now would rather be alone. Conversely, if someone was once shy and now regularly drinks heavily and jumps into the spotlight or is suddenly very chatty and social, it can indicate a problem as well. Extreme changes in personality that are not clearly caused by other events (e.g., depression after a divorce or loss of a loved one) when drug or alcohol use is an issue can indicate a disorder. Lying, stealing, and other dishonest choices: Generally, people lie when they feel they have something to hide. Similarly, stealing and being dishonest in order to cover the use of drugs and alcohol or to buy more is a clear sign of a problem. Significant time spent under the influence: “Normal” use of alcohol is defined by having no more than a drink or two a day, and no use of illegal substances or legal drugs outside of their indicated use is considered appropriate. When someone spends a significant amount of time under the influence, recovering from using, or seeking substances, it’s a sign of addiction. Isolating if unable to be with others who drink or get high: Spending time alone or shifting to a pattern of spending time only with others who abuse substances heavily can indicate addiction as well.Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.

Therapy is arguably the main focus of addiction treatment. Though many people living in active addiction tend to focus on the withdrawal symptoms that define detox, the physical dependence upon the substance of choice is only part of the issue. Withdrawal symptoms may pass in the first few weeks of sobriety, but the cravings to drink or get high will linger for months or even years, in some cases. Therapy addresses those cravings. It delves into where those cravings began and why, and provides the client with actionable coping mechanisms to not only limit the intensity of the cravings but also their frequency, and render them powerless when they arise. After detox, clients immediately begin to take part in therapy. Many even begin attending therapy sessions during detox in order to ensure that they have the professional and peer support necessary to navigate the emotional issues that often arise during that process. Throughout treatment, therapy becomes a tool to not only connect clients with therapists and others in support groups but to also explore their own feelings and needs in day-to-day life.