Monday, July 18, 2016

Drug Rehabilation for Cocaine Addiction

 

 Cocaine is constructed from a South American plant called the coca plant. The drug made from the leaves of this plant is infrequently used for medicinal purposes, however so much ceaselessly it is sold as a boulevard drug. As a boulevard drug, it's extremely addictive and reasons many issues for each the user and their family and friends.
 
On the streets, cocaine is used to get top. This is a high-quality white powder, and a large number of dealers will combine it with things like talc powder, cornstarch, or even other drugs. They do this to extend their income. Other folks the use of the drug take it by way of snorting it, rubbing it on their gums, or blending it with water so it can be injected into the bloodstream.
 
When first growing a cocaine habit, other folks get addicted to the quantity of power and the glad feeling it provides them. It isn't until it is too late that they realize the negative effects, similar to quick mood, paranoia, hypersensitivity, nausea, bloody noses, malnourishment, and lots of different things that may occur with a cocaine habit.
 
Sadly, a few individuals who increase an addiction to cocaine keep wanting an increasing number of to deal with new levels of top. They either take more of the drug at a time, take it extra regularly, or they start blending it with heroin. Too incessantly an addiction this bad leads to overdose and dying.
 
After growing a cocaine addiction, it is arduous for a person to get sober. They're going to want to, but their body goes into withdrawal and so they begin to enjoy such things as depression, slow thinking and transferring, fatigue, massive appetite build up, unhealthy goals, and insomnia.
 
If a person has a cocaine habit, it is important to get them to a rehab facility to permit their body move throughout the withdrawals the place there are team of workers to assist them 24/7. After leaving rehab, being around people who are drug unfastened and actually love the person is what will lend a hand keep them from relapsing.a

Monday, July 11, 2016

How Alcohol Rehab Centers Use Medication Assisted Treatment

Thanks to advances in modern medicine, many aspects of human healthcare include medication as part of treatment. The physicians working in addiction medicine are no strangers to this approach and often rely on dispensing medication to their patients. No doubt, you are familiar with methadone, for decades a component of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid addicts. There are actually quite a few medications approved for opioid treatment.



Alcohol addiction also has a few medications that are FDA approved to use as part of a larger medication-assisted treatment plan. If you are concerned about giving addicts medication, you must understand that the treatment does not encourage participants to substitute one drug for another. MAT is facilitated by medical professionals who understand the role that medication should play in treatment and there are checks in place to keep patients from developing secondary addiction. Further, the medications given lack a likelihood for abuse.

What follows is a discussion of MAT and of the medications commonly prescribed during alcohol addiction treatment.

Medication-Assisted Treatment

MAT begins with a comprehensive period of screening and assessment. The medications aren’t simply handed out. Clinicians need to choose the best treatment plan for each individual. Assessment includes:
  • Screening for risky alcohol use: using a validated screening tool, doctors identify people with dependent or risky levels of alcohol use
  • Review of patient history: this includes substance use history, medical history, psychiatric history, an appraisal of family and psychosocial provisions, records from past treatment, prescription drug use history, and information from family and significant other
  • Physical examination: looking at neurocognitive function and health consequences related to alcohol misuse
  • Laboratory testing: used to confirm the presence of alcohol and alcohol-related damage
Once the data has been gathered, medical professionals will develop a treatment plan and select a medication. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the treatment plan should address the following issues:
  • The therapies and medications that will be used and the rationale behind their use
  • Schedules for lab testing and follow-up visits that will be used to monitor progress and health
  • Motivations for participating in mutual-help groups
  • How to involve significant others and family in the treatment
  • A strategy for addressing and treating co-occurring psychiatric or medical conditions and other substance use disorders
  • Conditions for stopping use of medication or other therapies

Disulfiram

Disulfiram is prescribed because it functions as a deterrent to consuming alcohol. If the medication is taken in combination with any alcohol, it causes a physical reaction, flushing, heart palpitations, nausea/vomiting.

According to the Defense Centers of Excellence, Disulfiram neither decreases cravings nor eliminates withdrawal symptoms.

It is a pill taken once daily.

The most common side effects are headache, drowsiness, and metallic taste.

It can be taken safely only after all alcohol has been flushed from your system.

Naltrexone

Naltrexone is prescribed because it curbs the pleasures of drinking by blocking the opiate receptors involved in creating a reward effect when the patient drinks. This also curbs cravings for alcohol.

According to the Defense Centers of Excellence, Naltrexone reduces the number of relapses, but does not eliminate withdrawal symptoms.

It is available as a pill, taken once per day. Or, it can be a long-acting injectable given at a doctor’s office or treatment facility. The injectable lasts four weeks.

The most common side effect is nausea.

It may be taken at the beginning of recovery, unless the patient is also undergoing opioid detoxification. If that is the case, it should follow the opioid detox to avoid withdrawal problems.

Acamprosate

Acamprosate is prescribed because it supports continued alcohol abstinence by returning brain function to normal and decreasing cravings. It is not effective for people who continue to drink or do drugs.

According to the Defense Centers of Excellence, Acamprosate does not change the drinking experience and does not prevent or get rid of withdrawal symptoms.

It is a pill usually taken three times a day, generally at a meal time, though it can be taken without food.

The most common side effect is diarrhea.

It can be safely taken at the beginning of treatment.

All three medications are effective and can be taken safely for long periods of time. People considering taking medications to assist with alcohol addiction treatment should consult their physician and undergo a thorough assessment to guarantee a solid treatment plan.