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Alcohol Addiction Intervention

Alcohol Addiction Intervention Constance Jennings

Alcohol is a legal drug, consumed “normally”, usually in a social way. It is a central nervous system depressant such as a tranquillizer.

When consuming it, we first notice feelings of euphoria, optimism and increased sociability, later lack of muscle coordination, vision disturbances, psychomotor excitement, and depending on the dose, respiratory depression and coma.

peripheral nervous system

In the long run, alcohol abuse deteriorates interpersonal relationships, the family environment, and academic work performance, with disastrous repercussions at all levels of the subject’s life.

 

  • The rehabilitation process begins by accepting that you have a problem, appreciating the disastrous consequences that it produces, to start detoxification and cessation of the habit.
  • We can consider that a person has a problem with alcohol addicted intervention when they continue to drink even though it is interfering negatively in their life, be it in their health, psychological balance, work, family life, social image, etc.

Cocaine

Cocaine is a powerful central nervous system stimulant, generating an enormous feeling of gratification. It mainly affects the central nervous system.

 The effects that it produces at the affective-behavioural level, generally those sought, can be the elevation of mood, decreased appetite, decreased fatigue, less need for sleep and insomnia, motor and verbal hyperactivity, and quick thinking.

It is as if you progressively lose control of your behaviour and, ultimately, your life.

We are more productive or creative and, for a longer time, without feeling tired.

nasal septum

The physical signs that appear when consuming are dilation of the pupils, tachycardia and palpitations, sweating, tremors, increased blood pressure, alterations in body temperature regulation, and deterioration of the nasal septum…

  • Other effects that sometimes, given their severity, may require admission to Psychiatric Units are paranoia, distrust, ideas related to jealousy or frank psychosis.

Cocaine withdrawal syndrome

After a while of consumption, inappropriate behaviours may appear, even violent, with negative repercussions at a personal, family, social and work level, and neglect of daily obligations.

We can also risk other people's integrity, for example, by driving recklessly, with legal problems arising relatively frequently.

Furthermore, on many occasions, cocaine use is associated with alcohol abuse. Cocaine withdrawal syndrome commonly manifests as irritability, dysphoria (unpleasant mood), anxiety, nervousness, nightmares, and insomnia.

Cannabis 

Cannabis is also known as joints, marijuana, hashish,… It is a drug consumed with relative frequency, and although it is illegal, in certain areas, it is accepted and mistakenly considered a soft drug with little risk. We can develop an addiction when we abuse it, as with all drugs.

Cannabis abuse can lead to psychopathological symptoms, including decreased attention, decreased intellectual performance, memory impairment, motivational syndrome (lack of interest, inability to develop plans, indifference, neglect of personal hygiene), depressive disorders, and psychosis.

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Addictions And Detox Treatment

Detox Treatment Constance Jennings

“I have to go out by myself.” “I can with this.” “I leave it whenever I want.” These are phrases we hear frequently. But time passes, and they continue to use drugs. Because you need a safe, planned and judicious detoxification program, in certain cases, the addiction detoxification phase can be performed on an outpatient basis. However, on many occasions, hospital admission is necessary. 

What Is Substance Abuse Intervention?

For the World Health Organization (WHO), addiction is a brain disease like other recognized neurological or psychiatric disorders, such as Alzheimer’s or schizophrenia. In addition, it equates to other chronic diseases such as diabetes or arterial hypertension. So, isn’t it a vice? Isn’t it a depravity? Isn’t it a problem of a moral nature? Well no.

Specifically, addiction is a disease in which the ability to control the impulse to consume alcohol or other drugs is lost. People who are addicted are unable to stop consuming these substances, not even when they already face a serious health problem or the harmful repercussions at a psychological, family, social or work level that dependency entails. The more time passes, the more difficult it is to treat. Therefore, the sooner we try to remedy the better results we will obtain. Many people with this disease deny being addicted, often minimizing their problem by claiming they can quit whenever they want or that their friends are also using.

It takes time for someone to become addicted. The drug directly affects the brain and damages it causing us to respond this way to its effect. One of the great difficulties when proposing a detoxification process is the perverse mechanism of addiction, not only psychological but also physical, generated by these substances.

We call “craving” the intense desire, the craving, to consume drugs. These powerful desires are part of the human condition because our brains are wired to appreciate and pursue natural rewards like food or sex. The drugs consumed by addicted people activate the same neural circuits that motivate pleasurable behaviours. Cravings for alcohol or other drugs can be even stronger than those for food or sex. And so, on a day-to-day basis, we frequently observe, for example, a careless diet secondary to alcohol abuse.

There comes a time when more doses of the drug are needed to achieve the same effect (tolerance), and when you stop using it, and the body lacks it, it responds with a withdrawal syndrome. Many times the person drinks or takes the drug already in the morning to avoid the appearance of withdrawal symptoms, mainly malaise and tremors. When the withdrawal syndrome appears, it must be treated appropriately because apart from the fact that the person has a very bad time, sometimes symptoms of sufficient severity may appear to require medical attention on their own.

Physical Symptoms

The physical symptoms of the withdrawal syndrome may vary according to the substance consumed and its severity. Seizures and the presence of delirium tremens can complicate it. This toxic-metabolic disorder could be considered the maximum degree of withdrawal syndrome and is a vital emergency since it is life-threatening. It usually begins with anxiety, insomnia, tremors, and dilated pupils. Feeding may not be tolerated, causing nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea. Subsequently, a clouding of consciousness appears, with a confusional state and disorientation, hallucinations, delusions, psychomotor agitation, inversion of the sleep-wake cycle, profuse sweating and generalized tremors.

There is scientific unanimity that drug use damages neural connections and brain functioning. Alcohol consumption can lead to severe neurological disorders such as Wernicke’s encephalopathy and Korsakoff’s syndrome. The first, fortunately, has pharmacological treatment in the initial phases, and the second no longer.…

Treatment Stages

Detox Treatment Constance Jennings

In general, we can differentiate three stages in the treatment of addiction:

  1. Detox

In this first step, many addicted people must enter the centre. It is about eliminating alcohol or other drugs from the body and achieving physical stability without the body missing the substance. It should always be carried out under the watchful eye of the doctor and psychiatrist since intense discomfort can appear and become dangerous. This way, the detoxification will be carried out safely, and the possible physical withdrawal symptoms will be managed. Doctors will prescribe drugs to avoid withdrawal effects and make this process safer and easier. Sometimes, fluid therapy will be required, given the intolerance to food and the severity of the condition. Intervention Specialisttreatment tries to avoid the appearance of complications. For it,

The evolution that occurs these days of hospital admission is very significant, and the change is radical in a high percentage of patients. The first 48 hours of the hospital phase are crucial. By all means, we must avoid the appearance of the feared withdrawal syndrome and, if it appears, make it as bearable as possible. The patient becomes calmer, begins to see things differently, improves sleep and appetite and, in general, feels much better. Laboratory tests (biochemical, neurobiological and nutritional parameters) and an electrocardiogram are performed to monitor physical condition.

There is currently a general trend to reduce admission times. Pharmacology makes it possible. In our case, hospitalization time ranges from 48 hours to 7 days. Previously, seclusion was the norm and was committed for much longer periods.

However, we must not forget that detoxification is the initial phase of the process, the beginning of the path to a new life. Weaning must begin immediately to ensure definitive abstinence.

  1. Weaning

Weaning is carried out in patients who are already detoxified; that is, they do not suffer the effects of drug withdrawal. This stage must be done without hospitalization. It is a process in which the person tries not to return to substance use, mainly with psychotherapeutic treatment, to live without consuming, improving their psychosocial functioning and healthy habits. For this, professionals must foster certain personal and social skills to achieve said achievements.

  1. Reintegration

The change is consolidated in this stage, and future plans and life projects are carried out. Professionals must remember the commitment to a new life, re-living, and always support their needs.

What Are The Types Of Treatments For Addictions And Problematic Substance Use?

The word “treatment” might make most people think of rehab or detox centres. In reality, while especially important for treating excessive alcohol or benzodiazepine use (Xanax, Ativan, or Valium, among others), detoxification is not a treatment, it only focuses on relieving the physical symptoms of withdrawal, and rehab centres are just one of several options.

Substance use disorder treatments are offered in different settings (may require admission or hospitalization or maybe outpatient) and have varying degrees of intensity. In general, a person’s treatment plan is designed to alleviate their physical, psychological, emotional, and social problems and substance use. Treatments also focus on the type of substance used and may include medication for specificsubstance abuse intervention can help treat withdrawal symptoms and urges to use.

Before making any decisions, take the time to understand the types of addiction and problem substance use treatments, so you know what they offer and what options are best for your loved one.…

Types Of Treatment Programs

Treatment Stages Constance Jennings

 Outpatient

People continue living in their homes and going to specialized intervention counselor for treatment. Adults attend a maximum of nine hours of treatment per week, which can be six hours for adolescents. Many programs provide evening and weekend services to keep people in school or work.

Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)

 People receive 10 to 20 hours of treatment per week (slightly less for adolescents) at a specialized centre while still living at home. Many programs operate evenings and weekends so substance users can continue working or staying in school. This is a better option for people with other medical or psychological problems who need multiple services or have been unsuccessful with outpatient treatment.

Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)

 People attend treatment for four to eight hours a day (20 hours or more a week) while continuing to live at home, although some centres offer accommodation as part of their programs. Most families use this type of treatment when their daughter or son needs an intensive and structured program. Daytime treatment may be appropriate for people who also have mental health problems.

Residential (Rehabilitation)

 These programs offer treatment in a residential facility and can last from one month to one year. Residents typically go through different stages as they progress through the program. During certain stages, contact with your daughter or son may be limited. Ask about the program’s policies and rules and any additional services they offer, such as education or vocational training.

Inpatient

 Treatment is offered in specialized units of hospitals or clinics that provide detoxification and rehabilitation services. It is generally used for people with serious medical conditions or mental health problems.

Medication Assisted Addiction Treatment (Mat)

For people physically dependent on certain substances, such as heroin or other opioids, alcohol, or nicotine, the medication is provided in an outpatient setting or a health care provider’s office. It is often combined with therapy and other support services.

Types Of Intervention Services In Treatments

People in treatment must receive various intervention services to alleviate the problem. If a specific service is not offered in your daughter’s or son’s program, the staff at that centre may be able to help your family find that service elsewhere.

Individual Therapy

Individual therapy is suitable to focus on a person’s objectives regarding their substance use, such as abstinence, moderation, and reducing the risks of consumption, among others.

Group Therapy

Usually, six to ten people attend, with one or two therapists who facilitate a discussion about the participants’ efforts, experiences, and problems.

Educational Services

Although the primary focus is addressing substance use issues, some programs offer to contact your daughter’s or son’s school to obtain homework assignments and support their education. Others offer assistance to prepare you to take the GED test.

Vocational Services

Services to help identify a person’s vocational abilities and interests may include programs to develop job skills and help build a professional resume.

Life Skills

It focuses on teaching behaviour modification tools designed to help adolescents or young adults cope with the stress and challenges of daily life and develop greater self-esteem for better control of their recovery.

Mental Health Treatment

People also diagnosed with mental illness need treatment for both substance use and mental illness. These treatments, ideally, are offered in an integrated manner. Substance use alone will not help alleviate mental illness, and treatment for a depressive disorder alone will not resolve substance use or dependence.

Family Services

These services help family members understand substance use, its impact on their loved ones and Family Intervention and how treatment can help. Families can also explore ways to improve the family relationship and support their daughter or son after the treatment program ends.

Ongoing Care

After a person completes a formal program, it is the aftercare or follow-up, including treatment recommended by a specialist. It is a necessary support plan to ensure that the tools learned in treatment can be used successfully in the real world.…

Support After Treatment

Treatment Stages Constance Jennings

Recovering from addiction is more than just stopping using substances. The goals of recovery from substance use or addiction problems are not the same for everyone. Some people can aim to achieve total abstinence, while others can moderate their consumption or reduce the risks of their substance use. For young people, the best decision is abstinence, but any step towards wellness is progress.

Most people need support and services after they finish their initial treatment to stay in recovery. The most common recovery supports and services include:

Residences Of Sobriety Or Recovery

These are residences for adults over the age of 18 in recovery. These homes often have a limited number of residents, clear and strict rules for maintaining abstinence, and a high level of structure. Qualified employees run some of these homes; others are staffed by clinical specialists or others in recovery. 

Sobriety Bedrooms

For teens and young adults entering or already in college, some colleges have dormitories set aside for recovering students. Suppose they don’t ask what you must do to create a sober college dorm. The more people look for these dormitories for youth in recovery, the more universities will create these spaces.

make-up, high schools

High schools that combine a state-approved curriculum (make sure the school meets official diploma requirements) with recovery supports and services.

Recovery Support Groups

In groups based on the 12-step principle, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA), as well as groups based on Self-Management and Recovery Training (SMART), people come together to share their experiences with addiction, support each other, and help each other stay on the path to recovery. These groups have different styles, formats, and approaches, so finding a group that serves your daughter or son and where you feel comfortable is important.

Group Addiction Treatment

Addictions are among the most widespread psychological pathologies among the population, to the point that the abuse of certain substances with addictive potential is highly normalized (despite its disastrous consequences for physical and mental health).

But luckily, research in Clinical Psychology and Health Sciences has made it possible to develop valuable and highly versatile therapeutic resources to help those who suffer from these disorders. In addition, a good part of the effectiveness and flexibility of professional interventionist.The treatment of addictions is not seen as something that must always involve working with addicted people as individual entities but also involving other people.

Overcoming an addiction is not an individual process.

Addictions have as part of their causes changes in the nervous system; changes in the brain that have been induced by the consumption of a certain drug or by the repeated performance of an addictive behaviour (for example, betting money on the “slot” machines).

These transformations of some structures of the nervous system make the person much more predisposed to continue feeding that addiction (or even develop other new addictions in parallel) and, at the same time, participate in the appearance of the withdrawal syndrome: when the person takes longer than usual without satiating the addiction, they quickly begin to feel very bad. They may even suffer psychiatric symptoms of variable severity.

Keys To Alcoholic Interventiontreatment

These characteristics of group treatment for addictions make this type of intervention an effective resource for leaving behind dependence on drugs or Addictive behaviour.

Participants Motivate Each Other.

Remember the human component of group therapy sessions; in them, it is easier to find people who are sympathetic to those who suffer from addiction, and empathy is generated. From this empathy arises the desire for the group therapy partner to come out of their addiction, which is reflected in how the participants relate to each other.

However, there is also a psychosocial facet beyond the biomedical facet of addictions. The addicted person is not only limited to suffering organic alterations generated by the pathology (tremors after spending a long time without consuming, greater sensitivity to stimuli, etc.), but they also build a way of living, thinking and feeling that contributes to addiction. For example, it is common for people with a deeply rooted addiction to direct their social life towards interaction with others who are also addicted, leaving friendships, family relationships, etc., in the background.

This social and contextual element, the activities, people and environments to which the person is exposed, participate in the maintenance of the addiction… but that means that through this path, it is also possible to help the person who wants to overcome their disease.

Patients Have Theoretical And Practical Information.

Much valuable information flows about dealing with this pathology in group therapy applied to addictions. This information is provided by both the therapists and the rest of the attendees, who provide their experiential points of view.

A Therapeutic Experience Of Memorable Moments Is Generated, Which Are “Anchored” In The Person’s Memory.

Much of the effectiveness of the different forms of therapy has to do with their ability to attract the person’s attention to themselves at key moments so that they behave in a manner consistent with what they have learned daily.

Being done in a group, group therapy gives rise to many moments that remain fixed in the participants’ memory since it is an experience rich in nuances and in which they interact with several people, each with their history and identity. Thanks to this, many situations that patients will experience daily will evoke memories of what happened in previous sessions.

The Expectation Of Talking About Oneself In Front Of Several People Motivates One Not To Relapse

Having committed to overcoming addiction in front of several people, the degree of motivation with the therapeutic process and overcoming this pathology grows.

Patients are less exposed to the temptation to give in to drugs intervention or addictive behaviour because it is only “a personal decision”, and they also begin to think about the interests of the community of which they are a part and the image they project in it.

Each Person Has Multiple Examples To Draw Inspiration From

Finally, we must not forget that group therapy is also a place to find references; people who, due to their history or attitude, make other patients feel identified with them and see first-hand that getting out of addiction is possible.

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