A Safe Haven That Helps You Heal

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) also known as alcoholism, is a condition portrayed by a person’s hindered capacity to stop thinking about alcohol, and having no control over the amount they consume, regardless of whether it’s creating significant issues in all aspects of their lives. Alcohol, which is a depressant, can worsen symptoms, particularly for people with co-occurring mental health disorders, and vice versa. For those with alcohol addiction, treatment includes detox, inpatient and/or outpatient programs, etc.

Benzodiazepines or “benzos” such as Valium and Xanax are widely prescribed to commonly treat anxiety disorders and insomnia. Despite being a prescription drug with medical benefits, abusing benzodiazepines is increasingly common. Research shows that benzos are addictive and cause similar euphoric effects as opiates and marijuana. As a result, repeated use of benzos is rewarding to the brain, causing a person to develop a physical and psychological dependence.

Cocaine is a drug that affects the central nervous system (CNS). This substance is a stimulant that, when abused, causes the brain to produce neurotransmitters responsible for boosts of energy and feelings of euphoria. Due to liking the feeling they get while using the drug, the body becomes tolerant of it, then dependent, and with continued use, addicted to it. Cocaine is very addictive, and people who abuse this drug are also at risk of a fatal overdose. To break the cycle of addiction, individuals must receive professional help at a facility that offers a Pennsylvania cocaine addiction treatment program.

Heroin is a powerful type of opiate that nearly 1 in 4 users become addicted to. The substance has an intense effect on the brain’s reward system. In normal circumstances, the brain releases neurotransmitters to reward behavior necessary for survival and to help people cope with pain. When someone abuses heroin, dopamine and endorphins are also released. With continual use, the user becomes addicted and can’t function without the drug. Intense withdrawal symptoms commonly occur, triggering people to use the drug to stop withdrawal symptoms. Clinical care at a Pennsylvania rehab facility that specializes in heroin addiction treatment is needed to break the vicious cycle.

Marijuana is the most commonly used substance in the United States - Pennsylvania included. When marijuana is smoked, THC passes from the lungs into the bloodstream, which carries the substance to the brain and other organs. Regardless of how it’s ingested, the substance’s THC-like chemicals create a reaction in the brain’s cannabinoid receptors (part of the endocannabinoid system). When someone smokes marijuana over time, their endocannabinoid system causes them to feel the euphoric and calming effects of being “high” that everyone associates with this substance. Marijuana is addictive and can cause some health and behavioral complications, such as mental illness when chronically abused.

Prescription drugs are medications prescribed by doctors. There are many types of prescription drugs including stimulants, depressants, opioids, and barbiturates, to name a few. These different medications each have differing degrees of abuse-potentiality. Treatment for prescription drug addiction includes MAT detox, inpatient and/or outpatient programs, therapy, etc.