"Most often the result of untreated physical pain, emotional pain or inefficiency, treating addiction requires attention to the substance as well as the underlying causes." - Dr. Gadh
What is addiction?
Addiction is a complex brain disease that occurs when you use substances like drugs and alcohol to the point where the substance takes over your life. A sign of addiction is the continued use of a substance even when you know it is causing problems in your life.
Addiction distorts your thoughts, behaviors, and body functions. You may associate addiction with dangerous behaviors or social stigmas, but you can also live with addiction and function normally in society. In this case, addiction normally still leads to social exclusion and dangerous behaviors, but usually behind closed doors.
What causes addiction?
Dr. Gadh believes that addiction develops when you try to self-medicate to numb either physical pain or the psychological pain of unresolved trauma or untreated attention deficit disorders. When these problems are left untreated, they typically lead to depression and anxiety.
Once you start to self-medicate with drugs or alcohol, those substances can trigger changes in your brain chemistry that increase your cravings for the substance and inhibit your ability to self-regulate your use. Then, you can develop a compulsive need to drink or use drugs despite the negative consequences.
The reason that some people develop addiction and others don’t fully understand. However, medical researchers and physicians understand that people who have addictions show signs that their brain chemistry has been changed due to substance abuse.
How is addiction treated?
Dr. Gadh uses a multifaceted approach to treating addiction. He says that true treatment is addressing the underlying conditions while simultaneously weaning you off the substance with medical assistance. He will create a customized treatment plan to address your needs, which may include medication, therapy, and lifestyle modifications.
Dr. Gadh often prescribes medicines like Suboxone to control your cravings and withdrawal symptoms and to provide you with the mental clarity to address the underlying issues that led to your addiction. Suboxone is a step forward in the treatment of opiate addiction best provided with supplemental treatments to reduce relapse rates.
He may also suggest a low dose of lithium, which can improve your mood and support healthy and constructive behaviors.
If you’re ready to get help for your addiction, book an appointment with Sudhir Gadh, MD, online or over the phone today.
