Troyer Medical Inc.

Addiction Medicine

Q: What is addiction medicine?

Addiction medicine , officially recognized in 1990, is a medical subspecialty that focuses on the treatment and prevention of addiction. It also addresses the treatment and recovery of addicts, those suffering from substance-related conditions and people who abuse licit and illegal drugs. The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) officially recognized addiction medicine in 2016 as a medical subspecialty within the American Board of Preventive Medicine. This recognition emphasized the value of addiction medicine as a subspecialty within the field of medicine.

Addiction Medicine Overview

There is currently a growing concern over drug addiction, and in line with this, the demand for addiction medicine is also growing. Most treatment for drug addiction involves both medical and therapeutic intervention.

Drug addiction is a health problem that affects the brain and behavior of a person. This happens because of the overuse of legal or illegal drugs. Drug addiction leads to harmful consequences affecting the overall well-being of a person. Some commonly abused drugs are heroin, opioid, cocaine, and marijuana.

Opioid Addiction

Opioid addiction is a condition where a person has a strong urge to use certain drugs called opioids continuously. People suffering from this addiction continue to use these medicines, even if it’s a prescription by their doctor, for longer than they intended.

Opioids, quite often, are medications prescribed by doctors to help people deal with pain. There is certainly nothing wrong with using these medications. However, the problem happens when a person continues to use it, even when the doctor’s prescription runs out. People who use opioids need to strictly follow the prescription of their doctors.

Addiction starts with a simple change of medications. A person might feel that the current medicine is not effective. Thus, trying other opioid medicine to satisfy the need to relieve the pain. This is usually done without the knowledge of their doctor. This is when the problem starts. Over time, the person develops an urge to continue using opioids even without their doctor’s prescription.

How Opioids Work

Opioids deal with pain by lowering the number of pain signals the body sends to the brain. These medications can also change how your brain deals with pain. As a result, you suddenly can tolerate high levels of pain.

Here are some of the common uses of Opioids

Dealing with toothaches
Medicine for dental procedures
Dealing with injuries
Dealing with pain due to surgery
Alleviating pain due to chronic conditions

When used the right way as prescribed by the doctor, opioids are safe. The medicines become a problem when misused by people.

Below are some of these opioid drugs:

Opium
Fentanyl
Heroin
Codeine
Hydromorphone and oxymorphone
Hydrocodone and oxycodone

Signs and Symptoms of Opioids Addiction

Like other types of drug addiction, the symptoms of opioid addiction can be behavioral, physical, or psychological. A clear sign of addiction is when someone can’t stop using opioids. A person continues to use the medicine more than the amount prescribed by the doctor.

If you have a family member taking opioids you should keep an eye on his or her medicine intake. You might also want to check the person’s behavior over the past few days. If you see some drastic change in the behavior of your loved one, it could be a sign of opioid overuse. Do not wait for the condition to worsen before considering addiction medicine treatment.

Some symptoms of opioid abuse are the following:

Shallow breathing rate
Poor decision making
Always in distress
Mood swings
Irritability
Depression
anxiety
Becoming irresponsible with duties

The problem when under opioid addiction is even if you know that the medicine abuse is causing your problem, you can’t stop yourself from using it. This is the hard reality of drug addiction. Someone from your family should intervene and help you get addiction medical treatment as soon as possible.

Opioid addiction will not only affect you. It will also affect everyone that surrounds you. The trouble it creates extends to your family, friends, workmates, and neighbors. You could even get yourself in trouble with the law.

Family members are the first to notice that something might be wrong with a loved one who suffers from opioid addiction. It is essential to address the problem as soon as possible before the health condition of the person involved is affected.

Some serious medical conditions caused by opioid overdose:

Slow or irregular breathing
Slow pulse
Vomiting
Loss of consciousness
Unresponsiveness (can’t wake up)

Opioid Addiction Treatment

Opioid addiction treatment is different for each individual. The ultimate goal is to stop your urge to use the drug. Aside from eliminating your addiction to the medicine, the addiction medicine will also help you avoid misuse of the drug in the future.

During the opioid addiction treatment, your body will experience what they call “withdrawal symptoms.” These symptoms are usually in the form of anxiety, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. Your physician will prescribe medications to help you deal with these withdrawal symptoms. The treatment includes addiction medicines like buprenorphine, naltrexone, and methadone. This methadone is also an addiction medicine used in dealing with heroin addiction.

Drug Addiction Treatment

Aside from Opioids, other drugs, like heroin and marijuana, are commonly abused. The first step in dealing with this problem is accepting the fact that the addiction exists. Thus, there is a need for addiction medicine treatment.

Though in some cases, drug addiction is eliminated by one’s free will, in most cases, drug addiction treatment is required. Drug addiction is a medical condition that is difficult to eliminate. With the help of an addiction medicine doctor, you will be prescribed the right medicines to help you get through the tough withdrawal phases.

Aside from help from a medical professional, you also need to commit yourself to quitting. Opioid addiction treatment will be a hard battle if you lack the commitment to change. It takes determination and willpower. This isn’t an easy road, but it is certainly obtainable with the help of addiction medicine and our team by your side.

In dealing with drug addiction, it is best to be in the hands of reliable addiction medical professionals. Aside from medical intervention, your doctor will also advise therapy to deal with your mental and emotional condition. Of course, your family will also be a big part of the opioid addiction treatment. Strong family support will help you get through this life ordeal. After drug addiction treatment and therapy, your family will have a big role in helping you live a drug-free life.

If you have a family member suffering from drug addiction, call us to discuss the best treatment for addiction medicine. Troyer Medial is happy to assist in helping you beat drug addiction. Contact us today!

Addiction Medicine FAQ's

What is addiction medicine?

Addiction medicine, officially recognized in 1990, is a medical subspecialty that focuses on the treatment and prevention of addiction. It also addresses the treatment and recovery of addicts, those suffering from substance-related conditions and people who abuse licit and illegal drugs.

The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) officially recognized addiction medicine in 2016 as a medical subspecialty within the American Board of Preventive Medicine. This recognition emphasized the value of addiction medicine as a subspecialty within the field of medicine.

Who would benefit from seeing an addiction medicine physician?

Addiction medicine specialists have extensive knowledge and advanced training in Addiction medicine. They can diagnose, treat, and even cure people with addiction. They are able to understand and adapt treatments for patients based on their individual needs. Advanced training is also available for addiction medicine physicians in the treatment of substance use disorders such as opioid abuse disorder, alcohol abuse disorder, and tobacco use disorder.

Addiction medicine doctors are more aware of the interplay between substance abuse disorder and other social and structural determinants. Many of our patients have suffered from stigmatization and shame as a result of policies and practices that discriminate against those who struggle with substance abuse disorders. Addiction medicine doctors can be strong advocates for patients and drive public policy that promotes wellness in society and among patients.

However, the number of doctors who specialize in treating substance abuse disorders has increased significantly. It is important that doctors receive more education in addiction medicine and collaborate with other specialists in the field, like endocrinology and cardiology.

What are the different types of trewatment available for substance use disorders?

People with a substance abuse disorder have many options for treatment. ASAM criteria assess many factors to determine the appropriate treatment. ASAM criteria provides a holistic approach to determining the most appropriate treatment plan for each patient. Six dimensions make up the ASAM criteria. They help doctors assess the patient, rate and rank the risks and decide the frequency and intensity of services that are needed.

There are many types of treatment available, including outpatient, intensive outpatient, inpatient, continuing, medical stabilization, substance withdrawal management, mutual support groups and ongoing care. Any level of care can include medication treatments.

What does success, recovery, and remission look like?

Traditional definitions of success have meant abstinence from substance use and behavior. However, addiction is a chronic brain disease that can lead to relapse. The provider and patient should agree on what success means. The key goal is to improve the patient’s functioning. Some may seek abstinence, while others may prefer to reduce or be safer. Patients can have a variety of goals by framing their treatment within a harm reduction framework.