What Medications Can Help Overcome Certain Addictions?
Anyone who has experienced a loved one battling with addiction understands how life-changing it can be. Those suffering from addiction may not know how their life is unraveling or how it’s affecting those closest to them. Opioid addiction is especially dangerous since it can lead to serious health problems. Certain medications have been successful at helping many of our patients in Hermitage, TN to treat addiction.
Our board-certified physician, Dr. Kimberly Collins, helps patients at Refresh Life Wellness with medical addiction treatment, getting patients the tools they need to overcome addiction safely and successfully. During an initial visit, she will evaluate and assess a patient’s existing health to create a detailed treatment plan. She can help them decide if medication assisted treatment will help with their addiction.
Drug and alcohol treatment
Drug and alcohol treatment usually uses the 12-step program. Dr. Collins has seen much success with patients with addiction by using medications, which can help to prevent relapse. They can be used during recovery as a replacement option to complete abstinence or during medical detox. Cravings and withdrawal symptoms can be diminished by using these medications. Many of them even block drugs or alcohol from creating the same high, so the user does not have the desire to drink or use drugs. Although there is no single way to prevent or “cure” addiction, at Refresh Life Wellness, we have helped countless patients by using medications to get through a healthy recovery.
Alcoholism
Chronic instances of heavy or binge drinking can lead to alcohol tolerance. Once this tolerance is established, it takes longer to feel intoxicated. Alcohol can make significant brain changes, which affect how the body works. Over time, chronic drinking can lead to the brain becoming dependent on the feelings associated with the increased levels of dopamine, resulting from alcohol consumption. This dependency may evolve when alcohol is continuously abused. Those suffering from alcoholism likely will experience uncomfortable or, in severe cases, life-threatening withdrawal symptoms when they stop drinking. This is where medication-assisted treatment at Refresh Life Wellness can help.
Medication-assisted treatment addiction medications
Dr. Collins will assess each of her patients at her office near Nashville, TN before determining which medication will benefit them most. Her patients can often be treated with the following medications:
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Buprenorphine: This prescription medication is used to treat opioid addiction.
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SUBLOCADE™: This is an injectable form of buprenorphine. It is an extended-release medication that is given once a month to offer patients steady levels of the medication. This medication, combined with counseling, has helped her patients to successfully battle opioid addiction.
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Vivitrol®: This prescription injectable blocks the body’s response to opioids, which lowers the chance a patient may relapse.
While we believe that there are no shortcuts to recovery, medications can ease the transition period and increase the success rate. Ultimately, addiction is a disease that can require both counseling and medication to overcome. During treatment at Refresh Life Wellness, we ask that patients attend regular visits to make sure that they have all of the necessary tools to successfully battle addiction. Dr. Collins has years of experience treating addiction patients in Hermitage and Nashville, TN.
Call today to begin medical-assisted addiction treatment
During an annual exam, board-certified physician Dr. Kimberly Collins can explain the addiction treatment that she offers at her Hermitage, TN office. She has successfully helped many of her patients to restore their lives. To begin a journey toward sobriety, call to schedule an appointment at Refresh Life Wellness today. While medications don’t stop addictions, they can be a beneficial part of a comprehensive addiction treatment program. Our compassionate medical staff is ready and willing to help you, or someone you love, take the first step toward a healthier life.