Addiction Treatment in Norwalk, CT
Drug and alcohol addiction treatment in Norwalk uses a combination of treatments and therapies designed to improve intended outcomes for recovering people. As the triggers behind addiction are unique to each person, the correct combination of drug and alcohol rehab treatments should be tailored to suit individual needs.
Programs for addiction treatment aim to treat both the physical and psychological aspects of addictive behaviors. It's common for many people to assume that an addicted person should somehow be cured once they've successfully completed the detox process.
However, detox only rids the body of the substance's effects. Detox treatment in Norwalk on its own does nothing to treat the underlying psychological triggers behind addictive behaviors. Specialized drug and alcohol rehab therapies are required to begin addressing the psychological side of addiction.
What Is Addiction?
Addiction is a chronic relapsing disease of the brain characterized by compulsive use of drugs or alcohol despite negative consequences. Abusing drugs or alcohol causes changes within the brain's chemistry.
Mind-altering substances artificially trigger the brain to release a flood of hormones and neurotransmitters into the body that simulates the body's natural reward responses. The act of taking the substance and subsequently receiving a reward response is stored in long-term memory as a short cut to receiving rewards usually reserved for life survival acts.
Why Does a Person Become an Addict?
Consistently abusing drugs or alcohol over a period of time causes the brain to develop a level of tolerance to the substance. The person may feel they need to take higher doses in order to achieve the same effects that used to be reached with smaller amounts. The frequency of use may also increase.
As the user continues taking more drugs or drinking more alcohol, the brain comes to expect the continued stimulus from the substance in order to keep releasing certain hormones and neurotransmitters.
Eventually, the brain becomes dependent on the continued use of the substance. The user needs to continue using in order to provide the necessary stimulus for the brain to function ‘normally'. At this point, the user is considered physically dependent on the substance or addicted.
If usage stops or is reduced suddenly, the brain is unable to adapt to the lack of the substance. The user experiences the lack of adjustment as unpleasant and potentially dangerous withdrawal symptoms. Many users continue a self-destructive cycle of substance abuse in an effort to avoid the onset of horrible withdrawal symptoms.
Who Needs to Enter an Addiction Treatment Center?
Anyone caught in the grip of drug or alcohol addiction should seek professional addiction treatment in Norwalk. Programs for addiction treatment are tailored to suit each person's individual needs, taking into account several factors, including:
- The type of drug being taken
- The length of use
- The dosage being taken prior to treatment
- The severity of the addiction
- The likelihood of withdrawal symptoms emerging
- The presence of any polydrug use (i.e. more than one substance being taken)
- The presence of any co-occurring mental health disorders
Drug and alcohol rehab treatments begin with the process of drug detox in Norwalk. Depending on the type of drug being taken, some people may be given prescription treatment medications that help alleviate the worst of any withdrawal symptoms. Other people may require around-the-clock medical supervision throughout the detox process to ensure their safety
Addiction Treatment in Norwalk doesn't end when detox is complete. Rather, programs for addiction treatment use a combination of behavioral therapies, individual counseling sessions, and group support meetings to begin addressing the psychological side of addictive behaviors.
Counseling sessions also help the recovering person develop a strong relapse prevention strategy. The recovering person is encouraged to identify their own unique addiction triggers and high-risk situations, before working to develop strategies that help them avoid returning back into a pattern of self-destructive behaviors.
Graduating from any of the comprehensive drug and alcohol rehab programs for addiction treatment is a significant achievement. However, the recovery process requires ongoing management and maintenance in order to stay clean and sober over the long term.
Programs for addiction treatment in Norwalk also incorporate a range of aftercare services and programs for recovering people. Aftercare programs provide access to a range of recovery tools and resources needed to provide the ongoing support needed to maintain sobriety and learn healthy new ways for living a productive lifestyle without the need for drugs or alcohol. Call Norwalk Drug Rehab Centers now for help (877) 804-1531.