Addiction Treatment
Addiction treatment is often seen as purely psychological. While there is a psychological element to addiction treatment that must be addressed; the psychology behind addiction does NOT need to be the focus.
Why not?
An addiction treatment program that takes both the psychological and more importantly, the physiological aspect of addiction into consideration reaps far more benefits, greatly increasing chances of long-term sobriety by leaps and bounds.
Understanding the physiological element of addiction makes addiction treatment easier to administer. The brain of an addicted individual has physical damage done to its neurotransmitter systems. This damage is for the most part reversible.
Substance abuse upsets the brain’s natural balance of neurotransmitters and neuroreceptors. Using the right medications that stimulate certain neurotransmitter production, while curbing other anxiety-causing neurotransmitter production, makes detoxification a smooth and painless process.
Beyond Detoxification
After completing detoxification, follow-up treatment should be considered to better ensure success. Many people in need of addiction treatment began abusing alcohol or other drugs because of inherited imbalances within their brain’s neurotransmitters. BRAIN IN BALANCE: Understanding the Genetics and Neurochemistry behind Addiction and Sobriety explains this phenomenon, as well as what can be done to treat these imbalances without the use of addictive substances.