According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, there are almost 15,000 drug centers in the United States. There are many different therapies available under a drug facility, including pharmacological and behavioral approaches. Given the volume of treatment centers, it is clear that the country is in the midst of a drug epidemic. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) carries out an annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health. In the 2017 survey some critical findings regarding drug and alcohol misuse in America were:

Approximately 900,000 people between the ages of 12 and 20 are heavy alcohol drinkers In the month preceding the survey approximately 30.5 million people have consumed illicit drugs Over 11 million people abused pain relief medication in the year before the study. Of this figure, 97.2 percent were opioid misusers.

There is some work to be done in the field of drug and alcohol misuse in America. These figures are startling and demonstrate a need for a robust rehabilitation support system. Drug treatment facilities can be found in every corner of the country and can significantly vary in quality and offering. A drug treatment facility can run into tens of thousands of dollars, and this type of facility is where celebrity addiction sufferers are likely to be found.

While addiction is indeed a national issue, on a small scale you may be experiencing heartache at the hands of a chemical dependent loved one. This article provides information on drug treatment facilities, treatments, symptoms of addiction and self-care tips to help you better prepare for the road ahead.

If you are seeking help for a loved one suffering from drug or alcohol addiction, here are some key considerations to make when searching for a drug treatment facility:

Cost - Check with the insurance provider if there is any component that covers addiction treatment. If there is no cover or no insurance at all, you might have to reconsider the options Proximity - When a loved one enters rehab it will be vital that you can continue to support them. While you might find a facility that looks fantastic, if it 100 miles away, it will make visiting regularly tough. Treatments - Always consider the variety of treatments on offer. There might be a therapy that you want access to, and if it's not available at your center of choice, this might be a deal breaker

Treatment for addiction has progressed significantly since the last century. Historically, addiction sufferers were treated with great disdain, and in some instances, they were admitted to asylums. Luckily addiction is better understood today, and there are now medical professionals that have trained explicitly in alcohol and drug dependency. Treatments can be divided roughly into two categories; those that tend to the physical addiction and those that tend to the psychological.

Treatments for Physical Addiction

The first step in drug addiction recovery is to detox. Some drug treatment facilities offer medically assisted detox as the first step for new patients. The supervision of a person, while they go through withdrawal, is imperative. Medically assisted detox involves supervised withdrawal with the addition of a pharmaceutical substitute. Heroin addicts may be prescribed methadone for example; this drug helps a person to taper off heroin. Methadone is an opioid and eases the pain of the addict. Other examples of substitute drugs used in the weaning process are suboxone and benzodiazepines.

The length of a detoxification phase can be anywhere from three days to a couple of weeks. The toughest part the detoxification process occurs in the first 48 hours. A severely ill addict will likely experience lots of pain in this early stage. Heroin-addicted patients, for example, may experience the following:

Severe cravings for the drug Flu-like symptoms Nausea and vomiting Emotional distress Leg cramps and muscle spasms Loss of appetite Low blood pressure

Detox is often one of the hardest parts of the entire recovery process. It's important that you complete the detox period until the very end in order to get the best results.

If your loved one is heroin-addicted, it is imperative that you seek help for them in a drug treatment facility. Trying to under-go detox unsupervised is dangerous so make sure to contact a drug treatment facility to see if you can admit the addict.

Treatments for the Psychological Side of Addiction

There are lots of different treatments that tend to the psychological side effects of addiction. Powerful therapies include:

Motivational Interviewing: This treatment works by empowering the patient to take control of their life and realize their true potential Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Also known as CBT, this treatment helps a person to reexamine their behaviors and thought patterns. Effective CBT methods can help a person to make better decisions in their life Group Counselling: This shared counseling experience enables people to share their addiction struggles with peers. Listening to the challenges of others can help people to recognize the destructive behaviors within themselves.

When a person enters a drug treatment facility, their medical practitioner will create a program of treatments for them. If your loved one is struggling with their treatment plan, encourage them to persist, but it might be worth also chatting to their practitioner to see if there are other options of which they can avail.

Signs and Symptoms of Drug Addiction

There are many common signs of drug and alcohol addiction. Alcohol addiction is sometimes easier to detect due to the scent of the drink on a person breath. Some other signs to look out for include:

Drinking at unsociable times - an alcoholic may drink in the mornings or during work hours Hiding alcohol - Do you find empty bottles stashed around the house or in the trash? Sneaky consumption of alcohol indicates a dependency problem. Behavioral changes - an alcoholic may display changes in mood. They may become aggressive, irritable, depressed and anxious. Slurred speech - drunkenness can cause a person to slur their words. Unkempt appearance - an alcohol-dependent person may lose interest in their physical appearance. They may look ungroomed. They may also have a reddened face from burst blood vessels.

Detecting drug addiction in someone is not always easy. Depending on the drug, there may not always be apparent signs. For example, addiction to prescription opiates may be hidden for a period. A person may be prescribed pain meds for a particular ailment and develop an addiction to them. Given that they were legitimately prescribed in the first place, friends and family may not notice that the user is abusing them.

There are some common symptoms of drug addiction that you can watch out for:

Dramatic mood changes - irritability, anger, and anxiousness can be exhibited Lack of coherence - an addict may appear spaced out or sedated Loss of appetite and rapid weight loss Acting erratically and taking risks

Various drugs such as methamphetamines have a stimulant effect so an addicted person might demonstrate boundless energy and motivation. Hallucinations are also common, as is paranoia. A meth addicted person may exhibit strange behaviors, become fixated on particular tasks or things and may stay awake for days.

A meth addict needs immediate help in a drug treatment facility; if you suspect that your loved one is grappling with methamphetamine addiction contact a rehab service and seek advice.

Self-Care

Caring for a drug or alcohol dependent person can be draining and challenging, to say the least. You need support for yourself to be able to support the addict. Here are some self-care tips that will help put you in a better position to help your loved one while maintaining your health and wellness.

Confide in a friend or family member. You need to be able to offload so seek support from someone you trust Eat well and exercise - don't neglect your health! Make sure to eat your veggies and partake in a regular physical activity. Even a 30-minute walk can help to clear your head Treat yourself - Take some time to unwind with a massage or by reading a good book. Meditate - Engage in some simple breathing activities to reduce your stress levels

Getting the Right Help Today

Finally, as you embark on the long road to recovery, try not to take too much guilt on your shoulders. A person can sometimes feel personally responsible for their loved one's addiction problem, but this is not helpful thinking. All you can do is be supportive and empathetic and most importantly encourage the addict to get professional help in a drug treatment facility. The rest is up to them.