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Understanding Addiction
Substance use disorder, also known as addiction, is when a person compulsively uses a drug or medication without being able to stop on their own. For some patients, substance abuse is continuous and for others it’s episodic. Often, substance use disorder involves a destructive cycle of use, withdrawal, shame, emotional pain, and then repeated use to escape that pain. Substance use becomes a disorder when it significantly interferes with important aspects of your life, like your work, school, or valued relationships. There is overwhelming support in medical research that, like most other diseases, substance use disorder has about a 50% genetic pre-disposition. This doesn’t absolve patients from responsibility for their actions, but it does help explain why some people are more vulnerable to certain addictions than others, regardless of their environment, intentions, or willpower.
The most effective way to treat patients with substance use disorder is through a trusting relationship with their provider. At Empower Recovery, we offer a combination of mental health counseling, peer support, urine compliance screening, and medication management. We cater our treatment to your individualized needs and addiction recovery progress. It’s not just about stopping drug use – it’s about healing the mind and body, addressing the underlying reasons that led to addiction, and learning healthier life patterns. Dysfunctional patterns are not easy to change on your own, and there are no current cures for addiction. Fortunately, with the right professional help, most patients in addiction recovery can maintain sobriety, and live full and balanced lives.
Medication-assisted treatment combines medication treatment with mental health counseling. The medication helps stabilize you physically so you can focus on learning healthier patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Medication-assisted treatment with Buprenorphine medication, like Suboxone, is especially successful in treating patients with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD).
Buprenorphine, the active ingredient in Suboxone, is the most effective medication to treat people with addiction to opioids, such as Heroin, Fentanyl, Oxycodone, and Hydrocodone. Studies report that 90-95% of patients with addiction to opioids are unable to maintain sobriety without medication assistance. Buprenorphine is also an opioid, but so weak acting that patients are unlikely to feel any intoxicating effects during treatment. Even at extremely high doses, it won’t stop an adult from breathing, which is the primary cause of overdose death from stronger opioids. When taken regularly in stable doses, Buprenorphine prevents withdrawal symptoms and helps reduce cravings, allowing patients to feel normal again.
Most patients’ path to long-term recovery, whether from substance use or mental health disorders is a winding journey, sometimes involving painful dead-ends and disappointing setbacks. Choosing to take your first steps toward recovery can be daunting. Your path to wellness is a journey in discovering yourself, finding your balance, and healing the injuries of your past. Long-term recovery isn’t just about staying sober or treating your symptoms; it’s about discovering meaning and joy where it wasn’t before.
Mental Health Services: A Step Towards Recovery
Having someone in your corner that you can trust, like one of our expert mental health therapists, is a critical aspect of successful and sustained recovery from both substance use and mental health disorders. Mental health counseling provides a safe space to explore deep-rooted issues, foster new personal growth, and start emotional healing.
Family therapy, where you engage with those closest to you in a safe setting, can be a powerful tool for your recovery. Not only is it a grounded way to take accountability; it’s a pathway to emotional healing. Family therapy also helps you learn interpersonal boundaries and mend your most important relationships.
Group therapy offers a unique dynamic where individuals are guided by a mental health professional to share experiences, learn from each other, and feel a sense of belonging. It’s a non-judgmental space for mutual support and collective healing, where members inspire and motivate each other, creating a powerful communal path to recovery.
Peer support groups for substance use disorders, such as NA, MA, CA, and Smart Recovery offer empathy and understanding from those who have walked a similar path, fostering a sense of community and shared strength. It’s also an opportunity to help others who are struggling, a process that is extremely reinforcing for patients’ resolve to stay sober.
