Addiction Treatment in McAllen, TX

Experts define addiction as a disorder of the brain. At our center for addiction treatment in McAllen, it is the view that we go by each day as we help addicts find their way out of the addiction. Seeing addictions for what they really are can be a useful first step for addicts, as well. Understanding the nature of the enemy to fight can help in identifying the right approach.

Why is Addiction a Disorder?

When a person becomes addicted, the painful withdrawal syndrome that turns up may seem like the greatest challenge before the addict. As painful as the symptoms can be, however, they tend to disappear after a few weeks of abstinence and treatment. Instead, the greatest challenge appears the form of the psychological dependence that forms in the brain with drug exposure.

Psychological addiction implies a mind in love with drugs in the deepest possible way. There is no cure for such chemically induced dependence. Psychological addiction can create tidal waves of desire for drugs even years after detoxification drug rehab successfully concludes, that the addict is helpless against.

If addiction were a habit, the addict could be talked out of it with reason. This isn't possible, however. Seeing addiction as a mental disorder can help, because it makes it clear that it isn't any more voluntary than schizophrenia or excessive compulsive disorder. Neither condition can be altered through willpower.

Psychological Dependence on Substances

There's nothing simple about addiction. At our center for addiction treatment in McAllen, we hear our patients often ask why they should have become trapped in addiction when they know people with patterns of abuse even worse who never fell prey to it. It can help to go into the reasons why this kind of thing happens.

In nearly every case, when a person is drawn to addictive behavior with drugs, it is for reasons of either a psychiatric disorder or psychological one. The best treatment for drug addiction comes with dual diagnosis treatment for addiction, which means that they include psychiatric treatment as a component of the addiction treatment that the offer.

Psychological shortcomings appear in a variety of ways. An extreme tendency to self-blame and guilt, anger control issues, a tendency to self-deprecation, an absence of self-worth or confidence and severe attachment to instant gratification, are all cognitive distortions that can all play havoc with the mind's ability to function correctly. In severe cases, these conditions can make life so difficult, the escapism of drugs can seem the only choice. Dual diagnosis treatment in McAllen can treat a mental disorder that fuels an addiction.

In the vast majority of cases, having psychological challenges to battle every day can make it hard for addicts coming out of detoxification to keep their resolve. When their psychological shortcomings make life difficult, they have little defense against them. They quickly succumb.

In other cases, relapses occur because of addiction triggers. A trigger is an indelible association that the brain learns when it indulges in addictive behavior. Long after the cessation of drugs, emotional or environmental cues can powerfully remind the brain of drug use.

After detoxification concludes, it is only a matter of time before psychological issues drag the addict back into routine, addictive behavior. The only way to address these psychological challenges is to find psychological training called addiction therapy.

How Does Addiction Therapy Work?

At any good drug addiction treatment center, a number of different therapeutic approaches help with different kinds of psychological challenge.

At our center for addiction treatment in McAllen, cognitive-behavioral therapy is the primary tool used in addiction therapy. In CBT, the therapist helps patients address a variety of psychological challenges by training them to analyze the way their thought distortions control their thoughts, and attempt to find objective evidence in support of these ways of thinking. What they fail, they begin to truly see that the patterns make no sense, and are able to begin on the path of change.

The better the control is that an addict learns over his own mind, the less the need is that he feels to turn towards addiction.

CBT is also applied to help addicts work on their addiction triggers. Once addiction cues are discovered, the addict can find ways to avoid those cues or prevent exposure to them.

Many other therapeutic methods can help the recovering addict, as well. These include motivational interviewing to help increase motivation, and moral reconation therapy to help the patient develop better a better system of personal ethics. In some cases, alternative therapies such as art therapy, and yoga therapy can be used, as well, to help in specific cases.

Believe In Therapy

Choosing therapy after detoxification can be a very hard step for many. It can be hard to believe that addiction is a psychological disorder, and that it takes years of therapy to address it. If your loved one needs convincing that treatment is the best option, we help plan and stage a drug intervention in McAllen.

Knowledge is the addict's best friend. Reading and learning about the latest scientific positions can greatly help improve treatment. At our center for addiction treatment in McAllen, we provide our clients with a whole range of therapeutic treatments. Our experts talk to clients and their families to help them learn about why addiction therapy is necessary. If you would like to learn about addiction and the treatments used by speaking with highly qualified and certified addiction therapists, you should give us a call (877) 804-1531.