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How does drug addiction treatment work?

On Behalf of | Dec 2, 2018 | Drug Charges |

If you’ve received drug charges in West Virginia, you may feel as though the whole world is against you. In this case, seeking treatment for underlying addiction issues might be something to consider. Drug addiction often leads to legal woes and can also ravage a person’s home and work life. The National Institute on Drug Abuse offers the following advice in this case, which can help you find the right drug treatment for your specific needs.

First, it’s important to understand why certain treatments are successful. Certain principles must be in place for a person to have a good chance of recovery, such as the inclusion of behavioral counseling. While detox (the process of allowing substances to leave a person’s body) is crucial, it’s only the first step in addiction recovery. After detox, a participant in a drug rehab program must remain long enough for the treatment to be effective.

In this case, there are two different types of treatment available. Inpatient treatment centers offer 24/7 monitoring and access to addiction recovery resources. Timelines can vary greatly, with some programs being as long as one year. Inpatient treatment tends to be highly structured, which is essential to ensure the recipient can build a solid foundation for recovery. Outpatient therapy offers similar therapies, but without the live-in element offered by residential treatment centers.

Medications also play a role in treatment recovery. Depending on the substance being abused, some medications can prevent cravings as well as block receptors in the brain from receiving feel-good chemicals when ingesting a drug. With opiates, this includes medications like naltrexone, buprenorphine, and methadone. Medication is often useful post-treatment, as it can help control cravings and prevent relapses from occurring.