How Can You Help Someone Who May Be an Addict?
When you see a loved one struggle with addiction, your whole life is turned upside down. You want to find ways to get them professional help. Opioid addiction is especially dangerous as it can lead to serious health complications. At Refresh Life Wellness, we use medical addiction treatment that helps our patients in Hermitage, TN to work through their addictions.
Our board-certified physician, Dr. Kimberly Collins, offers medication-assisted treatment. She prides herself on giving her patients the tools they need to overcome their addiction and get their lives back. During their first visit, she will evaluate and assess their health and create a custom treatment plan. From this information, she can decide which medication will benefit their particular addictions.
Alcoholism
Chronic episodes of heavy or binge drinking can lead to alcohol tolerance. Once this tolerance begins, it becomes more difficult to feel intoxicated. Alcohol causes significant brain changes, which affect how the body works. Over time, chronic drinking can lead to the brain becoming dependent on the dopamine feeling experienced when drinking. This occurs when alcohol is continuously abused. Those suffering from alcoholism likely will experience uncomfortable or, in some cases, life-threatening withdrawal symptoms when they stop drinking. This is why medication-assisted treatment from Refresh Life Wellness is so important.
Drug and alcohol treatment
Most drug and alcohol treatment programs use the 12-step program. However, Dr. Collins has seen success by using medications to help her patients with addiction in Hermitage, TN. These medications help prevent relapses and can be used during recovery, or during medical detox, as an alternative to complete abstinence. By using these medications, cravings and withdrawal symptoms are lessened. Many medications even block drugs or alcohol from creating the same high, so there is less temptation to drink or use drugs. While it isn’t always a cure-all, at Refresh Life Wellness, we have helped many patients get through a healthy recovery with these medications.
Medication-assisted treatment addiction medications
Dr. Collins assesses each of her patients at her Hermitage, TN office before determining which medication will benefit their health. She may offer her patients the following medications to help treat their addiction:
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Buprenorphine is used to treat opioid addiction.
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SUBLOCADE™ is an injectable form of buprenorphine, an extended-release medication, given once monthly to provide continuous medication levels. When it is combined with drug and alcohol counseling, it has helped many of our patients successfully battle opioid addiction.
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Vivitrol® is a prescription injectable that is responsible for blocking the body’s response to opioids, which lowers the chance of relapse.
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Antabuse treats alcohol abuse and dependency in our patients. It causes a severe reaction when alcohol is consumed, including nausea and vomiting.
Learn how medical-assisted addiction treatment helps keep you sober
At Refresh Life Wellness, we don’t believe there are shortcuts to recovery; however, medications can ease the transition period and increase one’s success in staying sober. Addiction is a disease that can require counseling and medication to overcome it. During this treatment at our Nashville, TN area office, we recommend that our patients visit us regularly to ensure that they have the tools they need to battle their addiction successfully. Board-certified physician Dr. Kimberly Collins has years of experience treating addiction patients throughout the Hermitage and Nashville, TN community. She believes medication can be a beneficial facet of an addiction treatment program. To schedule a consultation to learn more about medical-assisted addiction treatment, call us today.