Substance Abuse and Dependency is a huge problem in our country, with thousands and thousands dying every year from drug overdoses. It is estimated that the United States spends over 30 billion dollars a year on drug addiction and all the effects which goes with it.
There are basically two types of treatment for Substance Abuse, either Inpatient or Outpatient. Both have their benefits and disadvantages. These will be discussed below.
Inpatient treatment means, the individual with the drug problem is admitted to a hospital, where 24-hour medical care is provided. One advantage of this is the individual is much less likely to be able to obtain drugs while in the hospital. In addition, there are support staff available to help get through the withdrawal symptom period, which can last from three to five days. While in inpatient treatment, regular group therapy sessions are conducted to further assist the person in overcoming his or her problem with substance abuse. One disadvantage of inpatient treatment is that the person needs to be able to eventually be discharged to Outpatient treatment, which is when relapses is more likely. Also, often a person is unable to take off work for the time it takes for the Inpatient treatment to be completed.
Outpatient treatment has its advantages and disadvantages as well. One main advantage is that the individual may not need to take off from work or be away from the family. As such, Outpatient treatment may be much more doable for some folks. One disadvantage of Outpatient treatment is that the individual may be more able to obtain drugs to again abuse, leading to a potential relapse.
For the treatment of Opiate Use Disorder, there are Medication Assisted Treatments, like the medication Buprenorphine, also known as Suboxone. Buprenorphine is also called Substitution Treatment, as the person who is addicted to Opiates is given Buprenorphine to substitute for the Opiates they are used to taking. Then, the Buprenorphine can be discontinued gradually under the supervision of a physician, preferably one who is Board Certified Specialist in Addictive Medicine.
Studies have demonstrated that treatment for Opiate Use Disorder with Buprenorphine, is at least twice as effective as practicing Abstinence in preventing deaths from Opiate overdoses.
If you or someone you know has a problem with Opiates, excellent help is now available at The Drug and Alcohol Detox Clinic of South Mississippi, at 601.261.9101, or on the web @ www.TheDrugandAlcoholDetoxClinic.com. You can follow them on Google+ for more information. There’s Still Hope!
