Drugs and alcohol have an unparalleled ability to ruin people’s lives. As both show a high potential for abuse and the eventual development of addiction, addiction rehabilitation centers have opened up all throughout the country, designed to help people kick their drug or alcohol habits.
Hospitalizations and ER visits related to drugs were actually up 116 percent for people aged 55 to 64 between 2004 and 2010. To combat the spread of drug and alcohol use, addition rehab centers provide cocaine addiction treatment, alcohol detox centers and even alternative advanced pain management techniques for those addicted to opiates because of chronic pain.
Interestingly, a patient addicted to opiates should not quit “cold turkey.” It can lead to a relapse and other serious medical issues. Instead, physicians typically administer an opiate withdrawal program, which eases patients off of opiates. With that said, a detox program for physical dependence to drugs or alcohol does not usually address the psychological, behavioral or social factors that led to addiction. Usually, to get someone off drugs or alcohol it requires a multi-faceted approach.
Typically, drugs that require detoxification include mostly opiates, like oxycodone, oxycontin, heroin, morphine and methadone. People addicted to opiates have built up a physical need for those drugs in their body, and not having them can cause serious medical issues and even death. After detox, however, patients transition to addiction rehabilitation centers.
At the end of the day, though drugs and alcohol have the power to ruin lives, they don’t always have to. When a person addicted to drugs or alcohol can find help with their addiction and dependence, they can get their life back. Ultimately, however, it takes a lot of effort and intense determination, as drug addiction is not just physical, but mental and physiological as well. More research here.