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ADDICTION PROGRAMS
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Alcohol Addiction
It is a sad fact that some of society's adolescents and adults become
unintentionally addicted to one drug or another, whether it is alcohol,
nicotine, food or opiates. As an expert in addiction treatments, Dr. Sheta
has devised customized programs for each of these dependencies.
In 2006, heavy drinking was reported by approximately 7 percent of the
population aged 12 or older, or about 17 million people.
More than one fifth (23.0 percent) of persons aged 12 or older participated in
binge drinking at least once in the 30 days prior to the survey in 2006. This
translates to about 57 million people.
Outpatient treatment of Alcohol addiction
is
done
with new medications that permit you live your life as you are being medically
treated with various medications that can include Vivitrol, Campral, Revia (naltexone)
and newer off label medications.
Overview
Outpatient services for alcohol rehabilitation are designed
to treat people who do not have a severe addiction to
alcohol. They are also encouraged for alcoholics who have
gone through an initial stage of inpatient treatment.
Although this treatment is quite popular and there are many
outpatient facilities throughout the country, there is
little research on its effectiveness. Outpatient
treatments do not require overnight stays and usually
include alcohol education, individual and group counselling,
support for family members of the alcoholic and case
management. The outpatient treatments programs can be
intense, requiring an alcoholic to attend four to five hours
a day - every day of the week. They can also be held in the
evening to allow a person to continue working. In some
cases, outpatient treatment consists of weekly therapy
sessions.
Basically, there are three behavioral treatments used to
treat alcoholism. They are motivation enhancement therapy,
cognitive-behavioral therapy and 12-step facilitation.
There are places that you can go to find outpatient
alcohol treatment programs in your area. The Substance Abuse
and Mental Health Services Administration's Center for
Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) has a toll-free, 24-hour
treatment referral service to help you. You can call
1-800-487-4889 for more information.
Other agencies include The American Council on
Alcoholism. They have access to an online database to help
search for outpatient rehab centers all over the US. They
can be reached at 800-527-5344. There is also The National
Drug and Alcohol Treatment Referral Routing Service that
offers lots of resource information. You can reach them at
800-662-HELP.
Aside from traditional Alcoholics Anonymous programs that
are available in all communities, alternative
 programs
include The Secular Organizations for Sobriety (SOS).This
group encourages self-empowerment approaches to recovery
from alcohol but attracts those who are uncomfortable with
the spiritual content of AA. SMART Recovery is a
self-management and recovery training program that is based
on the principles of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Its
four point program enhances motivations to Abstain,
discusses ways to cope with urges, offers problem solving
solutions, and helps an alcohol deal with lifestyle
balances.
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Medical Treatments with Campral and Vivitrol
MAT (Medically Assisted Therapies)
Medication-Assisted Treatment is pharmacotherapy relating to substance misuse.
It combines pharmacological intervention with counseling and behavioral
therapies. This provides the patient with a comprehensive approach in the
treatment of substance misuse disorders. MAT is clinically driven and focuses on
the patient as an individual and care is provided as such.
Vivitrol
In the second quarter of 2006, the FDA approved a new drug called Vivitrol to
help treat alcoholism.
Vivitrol is the first and only inject able version of Naltrexone, a powerful
weapon against alcohol dependence. It is intended for use with those who are
able to abstain from drinking in an outpatient setting. It is also indicated for
use in combination with psychosocial support, such as counseling or group
therapy.
At Breakthrough Addiction Recovery, we utilize Naltrexone (Revia) to reduce
cravings, which has been highly effective for long term recovery. Unlike
deterrent medications which may make you nauseous, Naltrexone simply and safely
eliminates the "high" or "buzz" associated with alcohol. In addition, it
significantly lessens the physical "need" to drink. Coupled with a personalized
cognitive/behavioral program, Naltrexone allows the freedom to focus on the
emotional and mental facet of addiction.
Reduces the physical and emotional distress that may occur in the
weeks and months after alcohol consumption is stopped.
Campral
Campral (acamprosate calcium) Delayed-Release Tablets were approved by the FDA
on July 29, 2004. Campral is another of the new medications approved for the
treatment of alcohol addiction.
Campral is a medication that helps people stay alcohol-free in combination with
counseling or support groups once they have stopped drinking. Campral is thought
to restore the normal brain balance, which has been disturbed in someone who is
alcohol dependent.
Other medications prescribed to help people stop drinking work differently than
Campral. They either make people very ill if they drink even small amounts of
alcohol or block the “high” associated with drinking alcohol.
Campral helps reduce the physical distress and emotional discomfort (e.g.
sweating, anxiety, sleep disturbances) associated with staying alcohol-free.
This, in combination with counseling and support groups, makes it easier for
people not to drink.
In several clinical trials, Campral was shown to help up to 3 times more people
stay alcohol-free than placebo pills (sugar pills). In addition, for patients
who did experience a slip, or relapse, Campral prolonged the periods of
abstinence and reduced the number and severity of relapses.
Campral has been used by over 1.5 million patients worldwide. Campral may also
be used by people with mild to moderate liver problems.
Campral may be taken with most other medications, including those for anxiety,
depression, and sleep disorders and is not addictive.
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