What does drug therapy do?

What does drug therapy do? When there are suspicions related to drug addiction – we must react quickly. In order to effectively fight this disease, we should get to know a set of substantive information about symptoms or treatment beforehand.

What is the definition of drug addiction? What are the characteristics of drug addiction? What methods of drug addiction treatment can we distinguish? What does drug therapy look like?

The answers to these questions can be found in the following article, which we cordially invite all interested readers to read.

Drug addiction – what is the definition?

Before we start any considerations related to drug addiction, we should first consider what it actually is. Well, if we decided to define this concept, then we could come to the conclusion that it is a certain progressive disease, the basis of which is addiction to intoxicants that are contained in drugs.

Drug addiction has a number of unpleasant consequences. First of all, our body is poisoned, which in turn causes it to slowly destroy itself. Very often, this type of proceeding of the process leads to death. Therefore, if we suspect that a loved one is regularly using banned substances, then a private drug addiction treatment center should be suggested.

If, on the other hand, we notice that we have a problem with psychoactive substances, then we should start drug addiction treatment.

What are the characteristics of drug addiction?

Drug addiction is a very dangerous phenomenon, which is why it is so important to know the characteristic features and symptoms. Thanks to this, it is possible to implement therapy for addicts to avoid unpleasant consequences.

One of the symptoms of the aforementioned addiction is the compulsion to reach for subsequent doses of the narcotic substance. It is worth mentioning in the first place that a drug addict loses control over the substance taken relatively quickly. Despite sincere intentions, weaning it off is not possible or turns out to be very problematic.

A characteristic warning sign for people around is a change in the way an addicted person behaves. She becomes very irritable and becomes unreasonably nervous. All areas of life become indifferent, while before they were very important.

An excellent example may be, for example, contact with friends, school and professional duties, hobbies. There are a few other symptoms worth mentioning. One of them is trying to get illegal substances at any price. As a rule, the doses of narcotic substances increase, and withdrawal symptoms appear immediately after drug withdrawal.

If the above symptoms are present in a person, drug treatment seems to be the only reasonable solution.

Treatment of drug addiction – what methods can we distinguish?

First of all, we must be aware that the method of drug addiction treatment is selected depending on the severity of the problem. Each time the patient’s individual situation is assessed, which makes it possible to make the right decision. Nowadays, three methods are common: short-term, medium-term and long-term stationary.

The former is characterized by the fact that it is undertaken in hospital wards that deal with therapy. It consists in combining medical care, pharmacological care and psychological consultations. The treatment lasts 6-8 months and is also used in a center for drug addicts. Medium-term treatment includes all therapeutic programs, while long-term treatment often lasts up to two years. Its assumption is not only therapy, but also the development of social skills.

Treatment for drug addicts is extremely important in order to be able to start functioning normally.

What does drug therapy look like?

The first, and at the same time, the most important step in addiction treatment is an effective diagnosis of the problem. Later, detoxification takes place, which allows you to overcome the abstinence syndrome. The whole thing is that the body is detoxified from toxins that have been delivered for a long period of time. The level of electrolytes, potassium, magnesium, vitamins, mineral salts is replenished.

Detox is carried out in a hospital or outpatient setting. It is worth mentioning that detoxification is usually necessary in case of acute poisoning with absorbed toxin from the drug. As a curiosity, it is worth mentioning that in such cases detoxification is carried out in centers for severe poisoning, possibly in hospital wards.

You should be aware that addicted people also take part in meetings with a therapist, as well as in group therapy – specialists teach there the mechanisms that govern addiction.