Wednesday, August 26, 2015

How can medications help treat drug addiction?


 

Did you know that there are medications that can be prescribed by an addiction specialist to supplement your counseling treatment plan? There are safe ways to medically detox on an outpatient basis and use medications to combat cravings and discomfort. Part of our program's success is having a doctor who specializes in addiction who closely monitors patient's progress and physical needs. The goal of our program is not to keep you on medication forever, but to assist with the process of tapering off drugs and alcohol and achieve a life of health and balance. The processes of medical management and tapering are very individualized. Call today and find out more about how we use addiction medicine in outpatient treatment.

How can medications help treat drug addiction?

Different types of medications may be useful at different stages of treatment to help a patient stop abusing drugs, stay in treatment, and avoid relapse.

·       Treating Withdrawal. When patients first stop using drugs, they can experience a variety of physical and emotional symptoms, including depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders, as well as restlessness or sleeplessness. Certain treatment medications are designed to reduce these symptoms, which makes it easier to stop the drug use.

·       Staying in Treatment. Some treatment medications are used to help the brain adapt gradually to the absence of the abused drug. These medications act slowly to stave off drug cravings and have a calming effect on body systems. They can help patients focus on counseling and other psychotherapies related to their drug treatment.

·       Preventing Relapse. Science has taught us that stress, cues linked to the drug experience (such as people, places, things, and moods), and exposure to drugs are the most common triggers for relapse. Medications are being developed to interfere with these triggers to help patients sustain recovery.

Find out more in this booklet from the National Institute of Drug Abuse called Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction.


 

Friday, August 14, 2015

SPICE-Synthetic Cannabinoids


Synthetic Cannabinoids - "Spice"

 

Spice is a relatively new synthetic drug, seen as a way to get potent effects of marijuana. Spice (or synthetic cannabinoids) has no known medical purpose; its use is highly risky from a physical and mental health standpoint. Today, many drug tests test specifically for synthetic cannabinoids such as Spice due to it's growing popularity and high risks.

The following information has been taken from the addiction weblog:


Even though the synthetic cannabinoids found in Spice bind to the same receptors that weed’s tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) does, the effects of Spice can be more potent. Note here that Spice does not contain THC. The most common side effects of Spice include (even at low doses):

·    agitation

·    increased blood pressure

·    increased heart rate

·    hallucinations

·    heart palpitations

·    nausea

·    vomiting

At Recovery Keys, we are experienced in the treatment of substance abuse addiction, including Spice. If you or a loved one is abusing a substance, call us for help. We have locations in Jacksonville (904-551-1394) and St. Augustine, FL (904-342-5965).

 

We offer excellence in outpatient treatment. Some of our programs include: PHP, IOP, Outpatient Detox, Medical Management, and Outpatient

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

There aren't many of us that haven't been affected by the disease of addiction

There aren't many of us that haven't been affected by the disease of addiction in some way. Whether it be a family member, friend, or a personal affliction, it may feel like the odds are against us and the road to recovery is closed to incoming traffic. The truth of the matter is that there is hope to be found. With the help of our team at Recovery Keys in Jacksonville, we can help you pave YOUR road to recovery and introduce you to time-tested principles that will ensure a better future. Recovery Keys offers several outpatient programs that use group and individual therapy, addiction education, medical management and more, including outpatient detox, to create a supportive means of quality treatment. Call us today to find out more.
               
Recovery Keys offers excellence in the treatment of drug and alcohol use disorders.

Services at Recovery Keys include: Comprehensive Evaluation for Substance Use Disorders, Partial Hospitalization (PHP) or Day Treatment, Intensive Outpatient Treatment (IOP) e,

Outpatient Detoxification, Addiction Education, Individual and Group Therapy, Medical Management, Discharge Planning, and AfterCare or Post-Treatment Monitoring.

Recovery Keys’ programs for both drug and alcohol addiction are abstinence-focused and 12 Step-based.