Is Medication Treatment Right for Me?

The renowned English philosopher Francis Bacon famously said, “The best part of beauty is that which no picture can express.” This is also true of what beauty lies underneath the troubling surface of addiction. This is the beauty that addiction treatment aims to uncover, and there are many types, of which medication treatment is just one. The key is to find the right combination of treatments that works on an individual basis.

The Prevalence of Addiction in the U.S.

Addiction remains highly prevalent in the U.S. and around the world. Millions of people are affected by addiction every day. This ranges from alcohol use disorder (AUD) and substance use disorder (SUD) to exercise addiction and gambling addiction.

The good news is there are many means, methods, and modalities to help individuals recover from addiction. This includes addiction and mental illness, which are more common comorbidities than many people may think. One of the means of recovery is medication treatment. However, it is important to work closely with responsible professionals when it comes to medication because if not prescribed properly it can do more harm than good. Of course, before being able to be prescribed for anything, one must be able to recognize the signs of addiction.

The Signs and Symptoms of Addiction

Addiction exists on a broad spectrum, and creating an exact comprehensive list of signs and symptoms is not feasible. However, there are some universal signs and symptoms that can be looked out for if one feels they or a loved one is struggling with addiction. The following are just a few of those signs and symptoms:

• Feeling overly depressed 
• Having feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, and helplessness
• Feeling anxious, nervous, or overly “stressed out”
• Having trouble sleeping, including sleeping too much and not sleeping enough (insomnia)
• Isolating away from family and close friends
• Losing interest in activities once enjoyed
• Not being able to stop drinking or using once started
• Having otherwise unexplainable physical ailments like gastrointestinal problems
• Trouble at work or school related to drinking or using
• Spending excessive amounts of money on alcohol and substances
• Committing self-harm
• Having suicidal ideations

As one can see, these are significant signs and symptoms, and they can be deadly. This is why if any, many, or all of these symptoms are present, it is important to see professional help sooner than later. Doing so could mean the difference between short-term side effects and long-term consequences.

A Focus on Recovery

Going to rehab or helping a loved one go to rehab can be one of the most daunting experiences an individual may ever go through. However, it can also be the most rewarding. After all, it is often life-saving.

But getting to rehab is often easier said than done. Many people are unaware that they have a problem, unwilling to admit that they have a problem, and worried about leaving their life behind for treatment, and/or paying for treatment. These are all understandable concerns and thoughts for one to have. However, they pale in comparison to the life-and-death reality of addiction.

When one finally chooses to go to rehab, it is also important to understand that that window is often very small, and it may not come again. This is why it is important to connect to the right recovery center immediately. Because addiction treatment is a billion-dollar industry, there are a lot of bad actors out there who are only looking to make a quick buck.

These are often the recovery centers that only offer “cookie cutter,” “one-size-fits-all” treatment plans that rarely work to address everyone’s individual needs. This is why focusing on the individual first and then the treatment is always important.

The Importance of Individualized Addiction Care

The father of Western medicine, Hippocrates, famously said, “It is more important to know what sort of person has a disease than to know what sort of disease a person has.” This is symbolic of what proper addiction care is all about.

It also makes an unintentional good point about addiction. Yes, addiction is a “disease.” It has long been touted and stigmatized as some type of moral failing or “choice,” but it is now widely agreed upon that it is a chronic disease. Addiction is actually more similar to other chronic diseases like cancer, heart disease, or diabetes in that it will almost always get worse without some type of professional intervention.

It is also important to remember that no two individual’s journey in active addiction is the same. So, why then would their recovery plan be? The answer is it never should. However, the only way to offer various treatment plans is to have various treatments, which is what comprehensive addiction care is all about.

The Importance of Comprehensive Addiction Care

One of the best forms of addiction care involves the multi-angle approach. This is when multiple means, methods, and modalities are used to treat addiction. This includes psychotherapies like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), experiential therapies like nature immersion therapy, horticulture therapy, and surf therapy, and holistic healing methods like yoga therapy and mindfulness meditation.

Comprehensive addiction care may also include medication treatment. But, medication alone is never the solution, which is why it should only be used in a comprehensive setting. Many times, comprehensive care can eventually help an individual stop taking medication, but this must be determined by professionals on a case-by-case basis. Comprehensive addiction care is also the best way to heal at the cellular level.

A Focus on Healing at the Cellular Level

Healing at the cellular level has its basis in “holism,” which simply means to heal the entire “Self” rather than some of its components. It means to heal the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual components of one’s entire being.

For example, if one is going to heal themselves mentally with psychotherapy, they should also do so emotionally with something like nature immersion therapy. If someone is to heal themselves emotionally with nature immersion therapy, they should also heal themselves physically with something like yoga or surfing. Lastly, if they are healing themselves physically with yoga and surfing, they should also focus on their spiritual lives with something like mindfulness meditation. 

It is all interconnected. This is also the best way to get to the essential underlying issues and the root/core causes of one’s addiction.

Addressing the Underlying Issues of Addiction

It is often said in many recovery communities that addiction is as much “about the thinking as it is the drinking.” This means that recovery is about much more than simply putting down the drink or the drug. It is about addressing one’s underlying issues.

One of the best ways to get to those underlying issues is with CBT and DBT. DBT can be particularly helpful when it comes to underlying issues of mental health. It also helps to focus on acceptance of oneself.

According to the peer-reviewed journal Psychiatry (Edgmont), “In DBT, several interventions and skills are geared toward conveying acceptance of the patient and helping the patient accept him or herself, others, and the world. One such intervention is mindfulness. In DBT, mindfulness skills help patients attend to what is happening in the present. Some of the mindfulness skills involve attending to and nonjudgmentally observing the current experience, describing the facts of the current experience or situation, and fully participating in the activity/experience of the present while attending to one thing at a time (‘one-mindfully’) and focusing on effective, skillful behavior.” Of course “mindfulness” is also a big part of healing at the cellular level.

What Exactly Is Medication Treatment?

It is important to understand that medication treatment for addiction is much more than simply prescribing a pill. This would not only be ineffective, but it would also be irresponsible.

One of the primary types of medication treatment is medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder (OUD). But, what exactly is MAT? According to the peer-reviewed journal Rand Health Quarterly, “MAT is the use of approved medications combined with counseling, other behavioral therapies, and patient monitoring to treat [OUD]. Medications approved in the United States for MAT for OUD include methadone, buprenorphine, Suboxone (a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone), and naltrexone.”

Now, there are many issues with MAT. One is that many people feel that it prolongs the issues of addiction, as the substances are addictive themself. Another is that many people can find a way to manipulate the system and end up using the medication to get high rather than to help. But, it does work for some people. The key is to decide if medication treatment is right for the individual. After all, as previously mentioned, individualized care is essential.

Is Medication Treatment Right for Me?

The best way to determine if medication treatment is the right choice is to work with professionals who are experts in the field. They will know the best path to take.

Usually, people who utilize medication treatment are individuals who are on the more severe end of the addiction spectrum. These are usually people who first require a detox before being put on medication treatment.

Detox can be an essential part of the recovery process. This is because it ensures that an individual gets the toxic substances out of their system safely and securely. It also ensures that the individual gets the appropriate nutrients that they need to get back into optimal shape.

Many people don’t realize just how nutrient-depleted an individual can be when they first enter a detox. This is especially true with alcohol. According to the peer-reviewed journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, “Chronic alcoholic patients are frequently deficient in one or more vitamins. The deficiencies commonly involve folate, vitamin B6, thiamine, and vitamin A…. Alcoholism can affect the absorption, storage, metabolism, and activation of many of these vitamins.” This is why we always focus on focus on nutrition here at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab. We also utilize pharmaceutical-grade supplements to ensure that nutrient levels get back to optimal levels as soon as possible.

Healing With Medication Treatment and Nutrition Therapy

Here at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab, we believe in the maxim, “Food is medicine.” This is why we have licensed dieticians, nutritionists, and a naturopath doctor on staff.

We also understand that nutrition is as much about what is left out of a diet as what is left in. According to the Journal for Nurse Practitioners (JPN), “Nutritional Therapy uses food to prevent and reverse diseases that plague most western societies: diabetes, obesity, heart disease, arthritis, and depression. In order for food to be therapeutic, it must be nutrient-dense, measured in part by the nutrients and anti-nutrients, contained in consumed foods.” It also explains that it must be void of “food products that have no biological necessity.”

We also focus on satisfaction and satiation when it comes to food here at Excslive Hawaii Rehab. This is why we only offer world-class cuisine from world-class chefs. They make sure to create tailor-made meals that always utilize local and organic ingredients to ensure nutritional value. Some of the local foods even come directly from our 30-acre luxury property.

Healing With Medication Treatment and Nature Immersion Therapy

When one walks onto the property at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab, one will be met with some of the most amazing citrus and coconut trees, guava bushes, pineapple patches, and vegetable boxes. This is because we offer the unique experiential modality of horticulture therapy to all of our clients.

Horticulture has been used for thousands of years to help individuals find a sense of balance, peace, and serenity. It also allows individuals a unique chance to commune with nature – something that is certainly lacking in modern-day society. 

Horticulture therapy is not the only experiential therapy that is utilized at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab. We also offer nature-based therapies like nature immersion therapy and surf therapy and creative output therapies like art therapy.

Healing With Medication Treatment and Yoga Therapy

Medication therapy has also benefited from the addition of holistic healing methods like meditation and yoga, which have been practiced for thousands of years. Originally they were just used as religious and/or spiritual practices, but they have since moved into the realm of recovery.

Mediation can offer a myriad of benefits like improved strength and flexibility, mental clarity, improved respiration, and a chance to quiet the “monkey mind.” It can also help when one’s medication is not working as expected. It sort of “picks up the slack.”

Whether it be medication, meditation, yoga, surf therapy, or psychotherapy, the key to recovery is to find the right combination that works for the individual and stick to it. This is the best way to ensure long-term sobriety and reduce the chances of a relapse. After all, long-term sobriety is the goal.

Many people think that recovery is over once one finishes their treatment. Perhaps, this is true for some. But, for those who truly wish to take advantage of their sobriety and live a life beyond their wildest dreams, the point is to keep going, stay active, and follow their goals with vigor. This is what it means to heal at the cellular level.

Healing at the Cellular Level With Exclusive Hawaii Rehab

Francis Bacon also famously said, “There is no comparison between that which is lost by not succeeding and that which is lost by not trying.” The same is true with addiction recovery. The key is to try, try, try, and if those tries are unsuccessful, one must try again.

Here at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab, we know that recovery is possible because we see it every day at our 30-acre luxury recovery center on the Hamakua Coast of Hawaii’s Big Island. Recovery is out there. The key is to go out and get it.

While medication treatment can be highly effective, it is important to remember that medication treatment is only one option for recovery. There are many other recovery options like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), nature immersion therapy, surf therapy, and yoga therapy (just to name a few). If you feel like you or a loved one is struggling with issues of addiction, mental illness, or co-occurring disorders, we can help get you on the right road to recovery right away. You don’t have to go through this process alone. For more information about medication treatment and other means, methods, and modalities of recovery, please reach out to Exclusive Hawaii Rehab today at (808) 775-0200.