Some of the Basic Facts
Stressful events can have a direct affect on the use of alcohol or other drugs. Stress is a major contributor to the initiation and continuation of addiction to alcohol or other drugs, as well as to relapse or a return to drug use after periods of abstinence.
Stress is one of the major factors known to cause relapse to smoking, even after prolonged periods of abstinence.
Children exposed to severe stress may be more vulnerable to drug use. A number of clinical and epidemiological studies show a strong association between psychosocial stressors early in life (e.g., parental loss, child abuse) and an increased risk for depression, anxiety, impulsive behavior, and substance abuse in adulthood.
When We Refer to "Stress," Just What Are We Talking About?
Stress is a term we all know and use often, but what does it really mean? It is hard to define because it means different things to different people. Stress is a normal reaction to life for people of all ages. It is caused by our body's instinct to protect itself from emotional or physical pressure or, in extreme situations, from danger.
Stressors differ for each of us. What is stressful for one person may or may not be stressful for another; each of us responds to stress in an entirely different way.
How a person copes with stress--by reaching for a beer or cigarette or by heading to the gym--also plays an important role in the impact that stress will have on our bodies.
By using their own support systems, some people are able to cope effectively with the emotional and physical demands brought on by stressful and traumatic experiences. However, individuals who experience prolonged reactions to stress that disrupt their daily functioning may benefit from consulting with a trained and experienced mental health professional.
How Does the Body Respond to Stress?
The stress response is mediated by a highly complex, integrated network that involves the central nervous system, the adrenal system, the immune system, and the cardiovascular system.
Stress activates adaptive responses. It releases the neurotransmitter norephinephrine, which is involved with memory. This may be why people remember stressful events more clearly than they do nonstressful situations.
Stress also increases the production of a hormone in the body known as corticotropin releasing factor (CRF). CRF is found throughout the brain and initiates our biological response to stressors. During all negative experiences, certain regions of the brain show increased levels of CRF. Interestingly, almost all drugs of abuse have also been found to increase CRF levels, which suggests a neurobiological connection between stress and drug abuse.
Mild stress may cause changes that are useful. For example, stress can actually improve our attention and increase our capacity to store and integrate important and life-protecting information. But if stress is prolonged or chronic, those changes can become harmful.
Stress, Drugs, and Vulnerable Populations
Stressful experiences increase the vulnerability of an individual to relapse to drugs even after prolonged abstinence.
Individuals who have achieved abstinence from drugs must continue to sustain their abstinence - avoiding environmental triggers, recognizing their psychosocial and emotional triggers, and developing healthy behaviors to handle life's stresses.
A number of relapse prevention approaches have been developed to help clinicians address relapse. Treatment techniques that foster coping skills, problem-solving skills, and social support play a role in successful treatment.
Physicians and therapists should be aware of what medications their patients are taking but should not discourage the use of medical prescriptions to help alleviate stress. Some people may need medications for stress-related symptoms or for treatment of depression and anxiety.
What is Drug Addiction Treatment?
There are many addictive drugs, and treatments for specific drugs can differ. Treatment also varies depending on the characteristics of the patient.
Problems associated with an individual's drug addiction can vary significantly. People who are addicted to drugs come from all walks of life. Many suffer from mental health, occupational, health, or social problems that make their addictive disorders much more difficult to treat. Even if there are few associated problems, the severity of addiction itself ranges widely among people.
A variety of scientifically based approaches to drug addiction treatment exists. Drug addiction treatment can include behavioral therapy (such as counseling, cognitive therapy, or psychotherapy), medications, or their combination. Behavioral therapies offer people strategies for coping with their drug cravings, teach them ways to avoid drugs and prevent relapse, and help them deal with relapse if it occurs. When a person's drug-related behavior places him or her at higher risk for AIDS or other infectious diseases, behavioral therapies can help to reduce the risk of disease transmission. Case management and referral to other medical, psychological, and social services are crucial components of treatment for many patients. The best programs provide a combination of therapies and other services to meet the needs of the individual patient, which are shaped by such issues as age, race, culture, sexual orientation, gender, pregnancy, parenting, housing, and employment, as well as physical and sexual abuse.
Drug addiction treatment can include behavioral therapy, medications, or their combination.
Treatment medications, such as methadone, LAAM, and naltrexone, are available for individuals addicted to opiates. Nicotine preparations (patches, gum, nasal spray) and bupropion are available for individuals addicted to nicotine.
Components of Comprehensive Drug Abuse Treatment
The best treatment programs provide a combination of therapies and other services to meet the needs of the individual patient.
Medications, such as antidepressants, mood stabilizers, or neuroleptics, may be critical for treatment success when patients have co-occurring mental disorders, such as depression, anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, or psychosis.
Treatment can occur in a variety of settings, in many different forms, and for different lengths of time. Because drug addiction is typically a chronic disorder characterized by occasional relapses, a short-term, one-time treatment often is not sufficient. For many, treatment is a long-term process that involves multiple interventions and attempts at abstinence.
Rehab Programs
Alcohol and drug rehab programs offer hope to men and women and their families suffering from the devastating consequences of chemical dependency. Deciding to seek recovery for yourself or someone you care about may be one of the most courageous and life-altering steps you’ll ever take.
Alcohol and drug rehab centers should offer a variety of treatment programs that can meet individual needs and offer sustained help. Programs may include inpatient, residential, outpatient, and/or short-stay options. While alcohol and drug addiction progress through predictable stages, each individual’s experience has quite personal and unique characteristics. It takes a trained professional, either a physician or therapist specializing in addictions, to make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe the most appropriate treatment program.
Not all alcohol and drug rehab centers are the same—they can differ significantly in philosophies, program options, credentials, staff skills and qualifications, and cost. The process of selecting the right drug rehab center can be confusing. Most of us don’t know exactly what to look for or the questions to ask that will help determine the drug rehab center that’s best designed to meet our needs.
No comments:
Post a Comment