Addiction is a complex, chronic brain disease characterized by drug craving, seeking, and use that persists even in the face of devastating life consequences. An addict has both the physical and psychological need to constantly use a substance, no matter its side effects. An addict might find themselves in financial trouble or isolated from family and friends. They might begin unhealthy friendships, neglect responsibilities and/or employ poor judgment.

If the use of your drugs or alcohol is becoming a concern for either you or your loved ones, you might want to question whether or not you are an addict. Other signs include negative consequences that are directly involved with substance abuse; failing relationships; and the inability to complete work or school responsibilities.

The signs vary from person to person and, indeed, from drug to drug, but there are some common signs. They include:

Impaired speech and motor coordination

Bloodshot eyes or pupils that are larger or smaller than usual

Changes in physical appearance or personal hygiene

Changes in appetite or sleep patterns

Sudden weight loss or weight gain

Unusual smells on breath, body, or clothing

Changes in mood or disinterest in engaging in relationships or activities

Yes – they fall under the categories of behavioral and medication. Treatments vary from person to person and some might find themselves returning for treatment.

Withdrawal varies along with the type of drug. In many cases, medication might be employed to help the person going through withdrawal. Bear in mind that treating withdrawal is NOT the same as treating addiction.

Good therapy can help you live a happier, healthier, more productive life. A mental health professional can suggest ways to cope and help restore you to the person you were before you began experiencing issues.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA or Obamacare as it’s also known) does indeed cover mental health issues. They’re also generally covered by work insurance; 87% of work insurance covers mental health but it’s always good to check directly with your insurer. Presumably, as with other services your health insurance covers, there might be a small co-pay.

Not only can you, it’s more common than you think. Co-occurring disorders (having depression and anxiety, for example) are common too. Of course, not everyone has several addictions that they’re dealing with at any one time but there is a lot of overlap to be found here.

While there’s nothing inherently wrong about attending 12-step programs for the support you need to kick a habit, a treatment program is more personalized and intense and brings with it credentialed help. Most treatment programs actually involve a 12-step anyway, so you’ll be getting the benefits of both.

Long-term drug abuse often results in long-term changes to the brain – which, in turn, leads to the inability to control impulses despite the negative and destructive consequences that accompany those urges.

Drug use costs the United States economy more than $700 billion annually in increased health care costs, crime, and lost productivity.

Any and all drug addictions are accepted at rehabs.

Studies have shown that most people who get into and remain in treatment stop using drugs, decrease criminal activity, and improve their occupational, social, and psychological functioning. Like other chronic diseases, addictions can be managed.

Rehab programs provide the process for recovering from drug addiction writ large – while detox is simply one step in that process when the body purges itself of the drug(s).

Rehab helps people to stop using drugs and get over an addiction. Recovery, on the other hand, is the lifelong process of not taking drugs anymore. It includes rehab but continues long after it.

Substance abuse annually costs America over $600 billion. Treatment is much less expensive than its alternatives, such as incarcerating addicted persons. The average cost for one full year of methadone maintenance treatment is approximately $4,700 per patient, whereas 1 full year of imprisonment costs approximately $24,000 per person.

There is no simple answer as it varies from patient to patient. However, research shows that better outcomes depend on adequate treatment length. What’s adequate? Usually, for residential or outpatient treatment, participation for less than 90 days is of limited effectiveness, and treatment lasting significantly longer is recommended for maintaining positive outcomes.

There are a good few elements that factor into how long a person stays in treatment. They include motivation, family support, and pressure from the criminal justice system, employers or child protection services.

Yes. A patient has to commit to following their Doctor’s instructions to a tee; taking them in a manner other than prescribed can lead to major problems. A doctor should screen their patients for histories of drug abuse before prescribing anything to minimize risk.

As many as 6 in 10 people with an illicit substance use disorder also suffer from another mental illness. People needing treatment for a substance use disorder or for another mental disorder should be assessed for the co-occurrence of the other condition. Research indicates that treating both (or multiple) illnesses simultaneously in an integrated fashion is generally the best treatment approach for these patients.

The best qualities to look for include:

Certified: Make sure all staff is certified mental health professions with appropriate education/degrees).

Psychiatric and Medical Care: Both are required – not one or the other.

Family Therapy: Having family involved with treatment is generally a positive thing so check the center allows for that.

Customized Plans: Because everyone is different, there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all answer.

Every institution is different but there are some recognized basics. They include:

An Intake Evaluation

Detox

Medication

Therapy/Counseling

Family Involvement.

Therapists will guide individual therapy, allowing patients plenty of time to speak. Group therapy is an environment where everyone shares and learns from each other.

Yes. You can go an unlimited amount of times if that’s what it takes to help you recover from addiction.

Through the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid is supposed to cover rehab.

Once treatments are finished, the patient should enter aftercare to ensure that the problem doesn’t recur. Aftercare often includes things like 12 Step programs, group counseling, individual therapy, and sober living homes.

Mental illnesses are health conditions that involve changes in either thinking, emotion, or behavior – or a combination thereof. Mental illnesses are commonly associated with distress and/or problems functioning in social, work or family activities.  There are 200 classified forms of mental illness.

Mental illnesses can arise from a variety of sources; they can be caused by stress, genetics, biochemical imbalances or a combination. They can also be physical – not just emotional and psychological.

SNRI stands for serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. They are a class of medications that are effective in treating depression. SNRIs are also sometimes used to treat other conditions, such as anxiety disorders and long-term (chronic) pain, especially nerve pain. SNRIs may be helpful if you have chronic pain in addition to depression.

There is no minimum age – especially when considering that the longer you leave a problem unchecked, the worse it gets. For example, leaving eating disorders unchecked can be life-threatening. Ignoring a child who is cutting themselves will only make their underlying issues worse. Other life events – parental divorce, new siblings, changing schools – don’t necessarily need intervention as they involve an adjustment period. The criteria for many children and adolescent psychiatric disorders to be seen by mental health counselors require problem behaviors or feelings to be present for at least a number of weeks or months.

To be diagnosed with depressive disorder, a person must have experienced a depressive episode lasting longer than two weeks. The symptoms of a depressive episode include:

• Loss of interest or loss of pleasure in all activities
• Change in appetite or weight 
• Sleep disturbances
• Feeling agitated or feeling slowed down
• Fatigue
• Feelings of low self-worth, guilt or shortcomings
• Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
• Suicidal thoughts or intentions

Yes. If left unchecked, it can lead to suicide. It can also lead to a growing dependency on substances (drugs, alcohol, etc) that can lead to death. The good news is that it is treatable.

A session generally begins with a patient explaining and describing their situation and their feelings about it. The psychologist then uses their knowledge and expertise to help you resolve the issues. You are expected to talk openly and candidly because the psychologist can only do their job if they know as much as possible. You won’t be judged or criticized. The psychologist may give you assignments to do between appointments.

Depression used to be known as “melancholia” – the earliest mentions of it are from the Ancient Greeks. But Psychologists and psychiatrists collated the American Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 1952.

Some of the various types include:

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) 

Bipolar Disorder

Borderline Personality Disorder 

Dissociative Disorders

Anorexia Nervosa

Bulimia Nervosa

Major Depression or Depressive Disorder

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Panic Disorder

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Psychosis

Schizophrenia

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Tourette’s

If you are feeling stress or anxiety, a psychologist can help you manage them by both discovering the source of your issues and finding ways to overcome them.

Psychiatrists are trained medical doctors so they can prescribe medications – thus medications are a strong part of the treatment that they monitor. A psychologist, however, focuses almost exclusively on psychotherapy and treating mental issues with behavioral intervention.

Mental illness is very common. Nearly one in five US adults experience a form of mental illness. One in twenty-four has a serious mental condition. And one in twelve has a substance abuse disorder. This averages out to an estimated 54 million Americans suffering from a form of mental illness each year. The majority of mental illnesses are treatable.

Some of the symptoms of mental illness include confused thinking, prolonged depression, extreme highs and lows, excessive anxieties, social withdrawal, serious changes in either eating or sleeping habits (or both), anger, delusions, hallucinations, inability to cope, suicidal thoughts, and substance abuse.

Good therapy can help you live a happier, healthier, more productive life. A mental health professional can suggest ways to cope and help restore you to the person you were before you began experiencing issues.

The Affordable Care Act (ACT or Obamacare as it’s also known) does indeed cover mental health issues. They’re also generally covered by work insurance; 87% of work insurance covers mental health but it’s always good to check directly with your insurer. Presumably, as with other services your health insurance covers, there might be a small copay.

There are a variety of treatments available. They include:

• Psychotherapy
• Medication
• Case management
• Hospitalization
• Support Groups
• Complementary/Alternative Medicine
• Self-help plans
• Peer support
• Art therapy

Obviously, they differ from person to person and a specialist will help you put together the treatment that will work best for you.

The most common forms of medication involve antidepressants, anti-anxiety, anti-psychotic, mood stabilizing and stimulants. The form of mental illness you have will dictate precisely what you should be taking and you will find that with a doctor’s help.

Yes, a person can become addicted to medications prescribed by a doctor. A patient has to commit to following their doctor’s instructions to a tee; taking them in a manner other than prescribed can lead to major problems. A doctor should screen their patients for histories of drug abuse before prescribing anything to minimize risk.

As many as 6 in 10 people with an illicit substance use disorder also suffer from mental illness. People needing treatment for a substance use disorder or for another mental disorder should be assessed for the co-occurrence of the other condition. Research indicates that treating both (or multiple) illnesses simultaneously in an integrated fashion is generally the best treatment approach for these patients.

The best qualities to look for include:

Certification: Make sure all staff is certified mental health professions with appropriate education/degrees.

Psychiatric and Medical Care: Both are required – not one or the other.

Family Therapy: Having family involved with treatment is generally a positive thing so check the center allows for that.

Customized Plans: Because everyone is different, there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all answer.