One out of every twelve Americans struggle with addiction. People with anxiety or depression often develop dependency issues learning to rely on these substances for relief from their symptoms. This abuse can lead to actual changes in a person’s brain chemicals. Substance abuse affects the neurotransmitters that allow people to feel pleasure, along with their ability to learn and remember. Abuse of mind-altering substances often creates a downward spiral of abuse that often does not end until the person seeks professional help. For those who need help recovering from an addiction, The Bergand Group offers medication management in Baltimore.

Learning About Medication Management in Baltimore

Some people recognize the negative effects their addiction has on their lives and try to deal with the problem themselves, too often with detrimental results that can involve horrific withdrawal symptoms, and even death. Professional intervention in addiction cases can save lives, particularly when it includes medication management. Serious health problems can result from long term misuse of physically addictive substances, especially when it comes to opiates, alcohol, and benzodiazepines.

Using Medication Management Saves Lives

Doctors in treatment use different medications for the various periods of the recovery process. As an example, treatment centers often use methadone early on for opiate abusers to alleviate the worst symptoms of withdrawal, weaning users off of it slowly, then later using other medications to minimize cravings. Doctors prescribe naltrexone once the individual has gone without opiates for an extended period, as it helps curb the psychological pull the drug has over users by removing pleasant effects from usage. Similarly, medications that help alleviate symptoms of alcohol withdrawal often do so through removing the pleasant side effects sought after by addicts.

Medical detox allows patients to safely stop using physically addictive substances. Utilizing medication, professional treatment centers help avoid the most dangerous physical withdrawal symptoms for those struggling with addictions. Not only can such pharmacological tools ease and reduce the severity of physical withdrawal symptoms, these medications curtail mental cravings over the course of treatment. This leads to higher incidence of successful treatment and fewer relapses.

The Bergand Group

When it comes to treating those struggling with addictions, the Bergand Group can help deal not only with the physical symptoms, but in the root mental health issues that often lead to the cycle of recurring abuse. It provides professional and comprehensive out-patient programs and psychiatric addiction services, including medication management in Baltimore.