- SUD is a Substance Use Disorder, which is considered a brain disorder affecting decision-making, behavior, and emotions that can lead to a compulsive need to use controlled substances.
- Is substance abuse a mental health disorder? Medical professionals are finding increasing evidence that substance abuse is a disorder and that recovery is better supported by treating it like a mental health disorder.
- Substance Use Disorders have both a physical dependence element and mental health concerns, and both aspects need to be treated for long-term recovery.
Addiction is a disease, and it has nothing to do with individual willpower. Substance Use Disorders, or SUDs, are medical conditions that you and certified medical professionals can treat through a combination of integrated mental health care and direct substance use treatments. DeCoach Recovery Centre offers evidence-based care and medical support that includes same-day detox options and Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT/MOUD), a combination of behavioral counseling and FDA-approved medications that target withdrawal symptoms. Learn more about our comprehensive approach to SUD treatment at our patient-centred recovery centre.
Mental Health and Substance Abuse: The Connection
People with substance use disorders often face stigma due to misunderstandings about what actually causes it and why it happens. Science shows that stigmatizing it can actively prevent people from seeking treatment and regaining control over their lives. Substance use disorders are chronic mental health disorders that medical professionals can treat with multi-faceted medical care plans. Regulated substances like alcohol, drugs, and some medications can actually alter your brain chemistry, compromising your decision-making and entrenching reward pathways that you don’t want. Over time, you’ll crave the substance more powerfully, develop a tolerance for smaller doses, and suffer withdrawal symptoms when trying to end your substance use. Willpower can’t solve this, and that’s not your fault.
Scientists have uncovered clear links between substance use disorders and mental health symptoms like depression, anxiety, and trauma. They have also found substantial similarities to other chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension that manifest from similar risk factors like environmental causes, genetics, chronic stress, and acute trauma. These links have helped doctors create detox and withdrawal management frameworks that lead to much better outcomes. At DeCoach Recovery Centre, we partner with our patients with SUDs to create an evidence-based recovery plan.
Integrated Treatment for SUD and Mental Health
Integrated treatment is a broad term for interdisciplinary medical treatment plans that combine mental, physical, and emotional considerations and treatments to address conditions holistically. For example, SUDs have both clear physiological factors and mental health concerns. Treating either the underlying stressors or the direct substance dependence alone isn’t enough, but treating both the addiction and mental health can significantly reduce the risk of relapse.
Our MAT process centers on initial detox and withdrawal management under medical supervision. We use medications like methadone, suboxone, and vivitrol to manage withdrawal symptoms and cravings, and we also provide behavioral support and concrete, long-term recovery planning so patients feel in control of the future. Each treatment plan is individualized with options like counseling available.
Post-Detox: Recovery Housing, Support, and Legal Options
Detox is a big step, but the medical professionals at DeCoach Recovery Centre know it’s not the final one. We provide ongoing structure, support, and medical supervision to improve long-term recovery and outcomes. Each plan is individualized and may include options such as recovery housing during the early stages of stabilization, transition planning, community support that provides both independence and accountability, and diversion programs based on each patient’s potential legal requirements.
Recognizing When to Seek Help for SUD in SW Ohio
We recommend reaching out for medical support if you’re suffering withdrawal symptoms or your substance use is affecting your legal standing, health, work, or personal relationships. If you find yourself relying on substances to manage stress or a mental health condition, can’t stop pursuing the substance, experience physical withdrawal symptoms or tolerance, or have tried to quit before, the professionals at DeCoach Recovery Centre can help. We provide safe and medically supervised same-day withdrawal, a supportive care team, and assistance with every stage of recovery. Contact us today to learn more about our services, or walk in to get an immediate assessment. We’re here to help you find a dignified path to long-term recovery.
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