Addiction Rehab in Doylestown

Addiction is a broad term used to cover a variety of different ailments; drug and alcohol addiction being the most common. Regardless of your specific case, this is a dangerous disease, and those who are affected should seek out addiction rehab. Addiction rehab can help a person overcome the physical and psychological aspects of the illness; something that is extremely difficult to do without the specialists found in addiction rehabs. In order to understand which treatment options will benefit you most, it is important to understand your specific addiction. Drug Treatment Centers Doylestown offers assistance with finding drug treatment centers. Call us today at 215-383-2668 and let us help you find a program suitable for your needs.

What Is An Addiction?

The illness is a general term that refers to a chronic disease of the brain, related to the pleasure or reward mechanisms of the brain function. In other words, a person becomes addicted to a behavior or substance because they are pursuing the pleasure/reward effect it has. Addiction occurs when the desire for reward and pleasure from a particular behavior or substance becomes less of a desire and more of a need or craving, and the impulse becomes uncontrollable.

Common Addictions

It comes in many forms; below are some of the most common. However, it is important to note that any behavior or substance that triggers this reward/pleasure center in the brain and results in an impulsive behavior can be categorized as a potential problem.

Drug/Alcohol

Alcohol and other drugs (both legal and illegal) are the most commonly recognized forms of addiction. They are characterized by excessive and continued use of a substance in spite of negative social, physical, and emotional effects that the use of the substance may have. Drug and alcohol problems are dangerous both in terms of mental health and physical health, and overdoses or prolonged use can result in catastrophic health conditions or even sudden death.

Secondary

Food

A substance abuse problem does not necessarily need to be in the form of a drug. An infatuation with food is a very real and prevalent problem. Often called an eating disorder, it can manifest itself in a variety of ways. Binge eating and bulimia are eating disorders (food addictions) in which the affected person eats to excess. They cannot control the compulsion to continue eating until they physically cannot hold any more food in their systems. The difference between the two is that bulimics purge their systems (either through vomiting or the use of laxatives) and binge eaters do not.

Anorexia is another eating disorder that can also be considered a food addiction. Anorexics still have that unhealthy relationship and compulsion related to food, but they go to the opposite extreme. They deny themselves food, strictly regulate their caloric intake, will only eat specific foods, and compulsively exercise to "burn off" the calories they do consume.

Gambling

People who are addicted to gambling are addicted to a behavior or activity (rather than a substance) that activates the pleasure centers in their brains. They rely on the "high" of winning when gambling as their source of reward or pleasure and cannot stop seeking out that feeling no matter how many times they win, lose, or even if they are completely out of money to gamble with. The compulsion to continue and the inability to control their behaviors are what make it an addiction.

Treatment Options

Following the initial detox, rehab and recovery for all addicts include individual therapy, group therapy, attendance of support group meetings, family therapy, and in many cases participation in a 12 step recovery program. Each type of the disease can be linked to triggers and quite often mental health issues that must be addressed in order to be successful at avoiding relapse and in continuing on the path to recovery.

As you can see, the disease can come in many shapes and forms. And while certain steps of the identification and recovery process differ, the basic underlying premise and protocols are largely the same. Remember, a person can become addicted to just about anything that triggers the pleasure/reward response in their brains and results in compulsive behavior.