Drug Addiction Archives - South Florida Drug Rehabilitation | Simple Path Recovery

The Role of EMDR Therapy in Drug Rehab and Long-Term Recovery

Matthew Koenig — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 13:40:46 +0000

Addiction rarely exists in a vacuum. For many people entering drug rehab, substance use is not the core problem but rather a response to unresolved trauma, chronic stress, or painful life experiences that were never fully processed. Over the last decade, addiction treatment has continued to shift toward trauma-informed care, and one therapy has become especially valuable in that shift: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, commonly known as EMDR.

Originally developed to treat post-traumatic stress disorder, EMDR therapy is now widely used in drug rehab settings to help individuals address the emotional roots of addiction, reduce relapse risk, and build a stronger foundation for long-term recovery.

What Is EMDR Therapy?

EMDR is a structured, evidence-based psychotherapy developed by Francine Shapiro that helps the brain reprocess distressing memories so they no longer trigger overwhelming emotional or physical responses. Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR does not require clients to repeatedly describe traumatic events in detail. Instead, it uses bilateral stimulation, often guided eye movements, tapping, or auditory cues, while the client focuses briefly on a memory.

This process allows the brain to refile painful experiences in a healthier way. The memory remains, but the emotional charge attached to it is reduced. Over time, triggers lose their intensity, negative beliefs soften, and clients gain more emotional stability.

EMDR follows an eight-phase protocol that includes history-taking, preparation, assessment, desensitization, installation of healthier beliefs, body scanning, closure, and reevaluation. This structured approach makes EMDR both safe and adaptable for use in drug rehab programs.

Why Trauma Matters in Drug Rehab

A significant percentage of people seeking drug rehab have a history of trauma. This may include childhood neglect, abuse, accidents, violence, military combat, medical trauma, or long-term emotional stress. When trauma goes untreated, substances often become a way to cope with intrusive memories, anxiety, emotional numbness, or shame.

Without addressing these underlying issues, relapse risk remains high. EMDR helps bridge this gap by treating the emotional wounds that fuel addictive behaviors rather than focusing only on substance use itself.

How EMDR Supports Recovery in Drug Rehab

Addressing the Root Causes of Substance Use

One of the most powerful benefits of EMDR in drug rehab is its ability to uncover and process the experiences that led to substance use in the first place. Many clients can identify when their drug or alcohol use escalated, but not why. EMDR helps connect those patterns to unresolved memories and beliefs.

As trauma is processed, clients often report fewer urges to escape or numb themselves. Recovery begins to feel less like constant resistance and more like genuine healing.

Reducing Triggers and Cravings

Triggers are not just external situations. They are often internal reactions tied to past experiences. Stress, conflict, rejection, or even success can activate emotional responses that once led to substance use.

EMDR helps desensitize these triggers by reprocessing the memories and emotional associations behind them. As a result, cravings tend to decrease in frequency and intensity, making sobriety more sustainable over time.

Improving Emotional Regulation

Emotional dysregulation is common in early recovery. Mood swings, anxiety, irritability, and emotional numbness can make day-to-day life feel overwhelming. EMDR supports the nervous system by helping the brain process unresolved stress and trauma.

As emotional regulation improves, clients gain greater control over their reactions. This makes it easier to handle discomfort without reverting to old coping mechanisms, which is a critical skill in drug rehab and beyond.

Rebuilding Self-Worth and Identity

Addiction often leaves individuals with deeply ingrained negative beliefs about themselves. Thoughts like “I am broken,” “I am weak,” or “I will always fail” are common and can quietly undermine recovery efforts.

EMDR directly targets these beliefs. Through the reprocessing of past experiences, healthier and more accurate self-perceptions begin to take hold. Clients often report increased self-compassion, confidence, and a renewed sense of identity separate from addiction.

EMDR as Part of a Comprehensive Drug Rehab Program

EMDR is not a standalone solution, nor is it meant to replace other forms of therapy. Its strength lies in how well it integrates with comprehensive drug rehab programs that include individual counseling, group therapy, medical support, and relapse prevention planning.

When combined with therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, and experiential or holistic approaches, EMDR helps create a well-rounded treatment experience. Cognitive therapies address present-day thought patterns, while EMDR works on unresolved emotional material stored in the nervous system.

This combination allows clients to understand their behaviors intellectually while also healing them emotionally.

Research Supporting EMDR in Addiction Treatment

Over the past several years, research has continued to support the use of EMDR in addiction treatment settings. Studies have shown that EMDR can reduce PTSD symptoms, lower relapse rates, and decrease substance cravings when used alongside standard drug rehab care.

Clinical observations also indicate that clients who process trauma during treatment often engage more fully in recovery, remain in treatment longer, and experience improved emotional resilience after discharge.

While research continues to evolve, EMDR is now widely recognized as a valuable component of trauma-informed drug rehab programs.

Who Is a Good Candidate for EMDR in Drug Rehab?

Not every client begins EMDR immediately upon entering treatment. Stabilization always comes first. Once a client has developed basic coping skills and emotional safety, EMDR can be introduced gradually and thoughtfully.

EMDR can be effective for individuals with substance use disorders who also struggle with trauma, anxiety, depression, grief, or chronic stress. A trained clinician will assess readiness and tailor the approach to each individual’s needs.

EMDR and Long-Term Recovery

Recovery does not end when drug rehab is completed. The goal is long-term emotional health, stability, and resilience. By addressing trauma at its source, EMDR helps reduce the likelihood of unresolved issues resurfacing later as relapse triggers.

Clients who complete EMDR often report feeling more grounded, emotionally present, and capable of handling life’s challenges without returning to substances. This sense of internal stability is one of the most meaningful predictors of sustained recovery.

A Trauma-Informed Path Forward

Modern drug rehab is no longer about willpower alone. It is about understanding the human nervous system, honoring lived experiences, and providing tools that support real healing. EMDR represents a powerful step forward in this evolution.

By helping individuals process the experiences that shaped their addiction, EMDR allows recovery to move beyond symptom management and into genuine transformation.

For those seeking drug rehab that addresses both substance use and the deeper emotional roots beneath it, trauma-informed therapies like EMDR can make all the difference.

About the Author
Matthew Mojave is a member of the Simple Path Recovery team and contributes educational content focused on mental health, addiction recovery, and overall wellness for individuals and families seeking support.

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Managing a Co-Occurring Disorder

Matthew Koenig — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 14:14:24 +0000

Managing a Co-occurring Disorder in Recovery

When you admit into addiction treatment, you may likely get a psychiatric evaluation if there is suspicion that you may be experiencing a co-occurring disorder. You will meet with a therapist to ensure you are comfortable talking about your personal history to confirm that they have an accurate diagnosis. Generally, rehab is the best environment in which this happens. Not only are you facing your addiction, but now you can focus on the mental health aspects that may be the fuel of your substance abuse. You will be in a safe space where a full evaluation can take place with little to no outside influence that may normally occur in an outpatient setting.

Dual Diagnosis is More Common Today

If you receive a dual diagnosis, you will work alongside your therapist to come up with a treatment plan designed specifically to your needs. You will examine your past, present and future conditions that led you to drink or use drugs. In these therapy sessions, you will learn how your addiction and mental health disorder may have played a role in the volatility of your life and what steps you can take to reclaim your life. This likely includes coping strategies, setting boundaries, and medications that help manage your disorders simultaneously and a referral for a psychiatrist back home to ensure transition of care.

Recent studies show that 2 out 3 people receiving addiction treatment have some form of mental health disorder. In many cases, it’s not discovered until someone admits into an addiction treatment center.

Self-Medication Anyone?

By using drugs and alcohol to ease the pain of consuming emotional problems, you are increasing the effects of your disorder even though it may feel a brief respite. For example, if someone is drinking to offset their manic-depressive disorder, they may enjoy the numbness of the alcohol without realizing the alcohol is a depressant. Also, increasing drinking over time cause acute mood swings that results in unstable behavior. The capability to rationalize fades when one has certain mood disorders and drinks or drugs chronically. No matter what the drug of choice, your co-occurring disorder will only get worse when left untreated. As your disorder becomes unbearable, you are tempted to increase amounts. The increases then intensify the effects of the disorder, and the vicious cycle repeats, over and over. Often when the situation deteriorates to this point, loved ones tend to step in. The cycle can be broken down while the decisions are still in your hands. Admitting into residential treatment is your best option to recover.

Simple Path Recovery is an oceanside, boutique addiction treatment center located in Pompano Beach, FL. Recognized as a Top Florida Drug & Alcohol Rehab, Simple Path is committed to individualized care, 12-step integration, and Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT). Their addiction helpline is available 24/7 at 855-467-3625.

About the Author
Matthew Koenig is the principal of Last Call Marketing, which devotes their efforts to Digital Marketing, Content Marketing, Website Design and SEO, primarily in healthcare and tourism concerns. Mr. Koenig is based out of South Florida. His sober date is June 10, 2013.

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Four Things That Recovery is NOT

Matthew Koenig — Mon, 04 Oct 2021 18:37:20 +0000

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How Your Addiction Affects Others

Matthew Koenig — Fri, 16 Jul 2021 15:45:24 +0000

People who are addicted to drugs often believe that their addiction is only harming themselves. They may even justify self-destructive behavior by stating it’s not affecting anyone but them, and therefore, it shouldn’t be a problem for anyone else. However, this is a selfish, self-serving opinion. In fact, addiction does impact those around someone suffering substance use disorder: it creates serious concerns and hardships. Furthermore, it can be just as destructive to family and friends as it is to the person abusing drugs. If you’re in active addiction, your predicament is also a problem for those closest to you.

Addiction is NOT All About You

Addiction drives a wedge between people. Addiction produces a disconnect in your brain and reduces a person’s interest to one thing – drugs! When your focus is drugs, it’s hard to even realize that you’re ignoring your loved ones. This leads to strained relationships because you’ve gone past normal limits and treated your loved ones badly. Addiction also causes you to lose interest in the things you once loved. What’s more, you may not even know you are disconnected to those around you when it’s obvious to everyone else.

Addiction demolishes trust. Addicts are typically deceitful. They lie, steal, and use others in serve their selfish needs. Over time, trust is lost, and friends and family members stop believing the person and begin to shield themselves by putting up walls.

Addiction creates chaos. Relationships become tense due to addict behaviors. This leads friends and family to blame themselves for problem, which can lead to their own set of mental health issues.

Addiction is difficult to understand. Unless you have a lot of experience with addiction problems, it may be difficult to understand the behaviors of someone who has substance use disorder. Addiction can change the chemistry of the brain, causing the person to make poor decisions that are not rational. Typically, addicts put themselves in dangerous situations and loved ones get caught in the crossfire of these bad decisions. Family members often shake their heads not understanding how any normal person would make these choices.

Addiction turns you into a different person. Because drugs modify a person’s brain chemistry, addiction changes the way people act. You may find yourself becoming more defensive, and you may even be cruel or hostile to those around you.

Some relationships may be shattered altogether. The anxiety and tension placed on relationships by addiction are severe, and in some cases, can lead to absolute destruction. People with substance use disorder are quantifiably more likely to get divorced, and addiction can create closed doors for some relationships forever.

Once you realize the effect your addiction is having on your loved ones, you may feel hopeless. Fortunately, that’s not true when real positive change occurs. It is viable to fix fractured relationships, but it will require genuine effort on your part. Just like overcoming addiction, fixing the connections that have been shattered is a challenging process, but it’s worth it. The first move towards restoring your relationships is getting help for your drug or alcohol addiction.

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The Real Cost of Drugs

Matthew Koenig — Thu, 08 Jul 2021 15:38:10 +0000

Drugs Cost More Than You Think

If you are speculating about the costs of drugs, you may be thinking about the costs of purchasing prescription drugs or illicit ones like heroin, cocaine, meth etc. For people who have health insurance, prescription drugs such as Oxycodone or Percocet might be nominal co-pays. However, these are hard to come by in an era of strict prescription drug legislation aimed at curtailing the opioid epidemic. While it is tricky to determine the exact price of street drugs, we know that prices can fluctuate based on location and demand. For example, when Homeland Security or the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) seize enormous shipments of Fentanyl, street supplies dwindle, and this scarcity drives up costs. This is simple supply and demand economics.

Notwithstanding the cost variance among different drugs, it is prudent to say that drug abuse and addiction is more costly than most can imagine.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, drug addiction costs the United States over $740 billion each year, including costs related to crime, lost work output and medical care.

The Steep Cost of Drug Abuse

While the daily / weekly / monthly cost of drugs can range from 100’s to 1000’s, it is nothing compared to the total impacted cost to you, your family, employer, community, and the federal government.

For instance, drug addicts tend to miss a lot of work and companies pay for sick days, but lose the productivity for that time lost. Also, sooner or later, drug addiction will find a person on the wrong side of the law who will then incur legal fees associated with drug-related criminal charges. At the same time, addiction has skyrocketed insurance costs that pay direct and indirect fees related to consequences like overdose, liver problems or disease from sharing needles. All these things must be paid for, and someone must pick up the tab.

Health insurance claims related to substance abuse have increased sharply over the last decade. Prior to 2010, claims relating to addiction used to represent 2%-3% of total healthcare claims for the insurance industry. Today, it is more than double that which translates to billions of dollars in increased claims. Lastly, it’s not uncommon for parents to empty their savings account or take out a second mortgage on their house in order to help their addicted child get better. Get the picture?

Consequences of Drug Addiction

Outside the costs related with buying drugs, you will likely suffer numerous consequences of drug addiction. It is likely that your relationships will suffer when you become more interested in drugs than being with your family. You may also find that you have lost interest in hobbies you once enjoyed and cannot get anything done because you are wasting so much time looking for and using drugs.

You are also going to crave drugs and when you do not have enough of them in your body, you will begin to suffer withdrawal symptoms, pushing you to spend even more money on drugs. Also, abusing drugs likely puts you at risk of unsafe behavior, such as driving impaired. This can lead to destructive outcomes, including collisions, injuries, jail, and even death. While this may go without saying, you might also have a fatal overdose. Obviously, addiction's negative consequences reach far beyond the high costs of the drugs themselves.

Getting Help for Addiction

If the high prices of drugs have got you down, chances are you are suffering other adverse impacts of drug addiction that have led you to ask for help.

No matter what your reason is for seeking addiction treatment, it is important to select a treatment program that meets your individual requirements.

At Simple Path Recovery, we create personalized treatment plans that accommodate to your distinctive circumstance. We leverage best-in-breed evidence-based treatment, which includes medication assisted treatment, along with a variety of treatment modalities. As a top South Florida boutique rehab, we offer a low client-therapist ratio of only 4:1. Clients come from all over the United States to find an intimate atmosphere of hope, healing, and recovery.

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Relapse Prevention: Understand Your Triggers

Matthew Koenig — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 15:03:26 +0000

Figure Out What Sets You Off

You have connections with a multitude of things that prompt you to recall both, good and bad times. A song can remind you of great times with friends or a romantic moment with your love interest. Whether it is music, a place or a thing, there’s something that can recall feelings of happiness, sorrow or resentment.

Reactions to these things that trigger your responses can cause you to shift your thinking on a dime. How you react to these triggers is crucial for understanding why you seek contentment or strength in particular people, places and yes, drugs or alcohol. When you’re on the path to recovery, you’ll discover your triggers and how relapse prevention can help keep you on the “path" in recovery.

What are Triggers?

A trigger is something that that sets you off and takes your mind back to a specific person, place, or thing. In some cases, a trigger could be a smell, sound, or object. No matter what the trigger is, it can release an expressive or physical reaction. When something causes these kinds of reaction, that trigger can be a spark for your feelings.

Think about how traditional practices or rituals can affect your response to an individual or location. Think about how you react to certain social traditions or act when you are with friends or family. Do you connect the “pop” of can opening with drinking beer? What about hanging out with friends you used to get high with? The common behaviors can affect how you understand social settings. Before you can begin to change destructive habits with healthy ones, you need to identify what triggers you to use drugs or drink booze.

Common triggers include:

An anniversary of a loved one’s death
Disturbing news
Feelings of stress or anxiety
A relationship break-up
Self-esteem threatened
Job loss

To understand how to replace destructive habits with healthy ones, you need to understand why or what causes you to respond with a negative, habitual reaction.

Relapse prevention therapy can help you develop healthy coping skills – and in turn, prevent relapse when faced with any of your triggers.

Relapse Prevention Treatment

Deciding to go to rehab shows how brave you are because you made the difficult choice to deal with your addiction. Treatment professionals will help you pinpoint triggers, address mental health concerns, relationships and deliver cognitive behavioral therapy, group therapy and relapse prevention therapy. While in rehab you can discover and talk over ways to prevent relapse, such as identifying your triggers and learning new coping mechanisms.

There are warning signs related with relapse. Typically, addiction relapse is set in motion long before the actual event of using or drinking. Often these signals are connected to returning to old stomping grounds, friends and the like. Relapse prevention therapy helps you manage what compels you to want to drink or drug. When you work with your therapist on detecting what leads to your use, you can also learn how to utilize positive coping skills you learned in treatment. You can learn how to extricate yourself from toxic relationships or environs. In some cases, this means moving on from those individuals who are unsafe for your sobriety.

Sober Living in Florida

What if you don’t have a safe ecosystem to return to after going to rehab? Or what if you find yourself in an atmosphere where you fear you can relapse? You can either move to sober living after you finish rehab or enter sober living if you feel you may relapse. A sober living facility can provide you with everything you need, physically and psychologically, while healing. The healing process can take time, and you should have the security and comfort you need to continue your healing process. Sober living is a safe landing that promotes accountability and, at the same time, protects those in early recovery.

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Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?

Matthew Koenig — Tue, 18 May 2021 14:37:45 +0000

A Story of Addiction Stigma

Years ago, my then girlfriend and I were invited to a dinner party with four other couples. As we sat down to dinner, everyone was making chit-chat or catching up on the latest events in their respective families. As things quieted down, a woman named Deb called across the table and asked one of the other women “did you hear about so-and-so’s daughter?” The reply was “no, is everything all right with her?” Deb lowered her head and in a loud whisper voice replied “drugs, rehab.” To which the other woman responded, “that’s too bad.” After a few minutes of grazing on our salads, I kicked my girlfriend’s leg and asked Deb how the young girl was doing. Without missing a bite of her salad, Deb replied “oh, I don’t know.” We continued to enjoy our meal and conversation when Deb asked me “what do you do for a living Matt?” I told her I was a marketing director for a boutique rehab nearby. She followed up with “how did you get into that?” I quickly told her that I was a recovering drug addict and alcoholic and went back to eating my dinner with a smile on my face.

The look on her face as her jaw dropped was priceless. While I could have explained that I have been a marketing professional for a long time, I could not resist and gave Deb what she had coming, and she seemed awkward for the remainder of the evening. Maybe she will think twice about stigmatizing people with addiction and learn to be kind in the future (although, I would bet against it!)

Addiction Stigma

Stigma is described as a set of negative attitudes that a group or society holds about a topic or group of people. According to the World Health Organization, stigma is a key cause of bias and rejection and it adds to the abuse of human rights. When an individual feels stigmatized, they are seen as less than because of their real or perceived health condition. Stigma is typically not based on facts but rather on assumptions, preconceptions, and gossip; therefore, its negative impact can be prevented or reduced through education. Stigma results in prejudice, avoidance, rejection, and discrimination against people who have a socially objectionable trait such as drug addiction or alcoholism.

Family, friends, and a community can carry damaging feelings about people suffering addiction. They use pejorative phrases like “junkie,” “drunk,” or “crackhead.” These thoughts, feelings, and labels can create and perpetuate stigma. This is not helpful but only harmful to those suffering from the 2^nd largest health crisis in America – addiction. It was number one but swiftly replaced by Covid-19.

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Trauma and Substance Use Disorder

Matthew Koenig — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 15:02:41 +0000

Trauma is a sensitive topic and can be tricky to talk about. However, one in three women worldwide experience some form of sexual assault. For many, the traumatic experience typically leads to self-medicating with alcohol or drugs to hide the pain.

Sexual assault trauma is characterized as rape, molestation, unwanted sexual touching, or any unwanted, non-consensual sexual contact, regardless of the victim’s mental capacity. An attacker can use physical force, threats, alcohol, or drugs as a tool to assault someone. Even non-contact actions like being "flashed" or bullied to look at sexual content are forms of traumatic events.

Psychological Effects of Trauma

Trauma changes the life of the victim. Trauma sufferers experience feelings of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or use drugs to help them hide from the pain. The emotional effects of sexual assault can take a toll on their well-being. It’s important to note that good mental health is crucial to addiction recovery. The signs of a mental health problem can be manifested in quite a few different ways including addiction.

Trauma and Addiction Treatment

Coping with emotional or physical trauma can feel unbearable. Victims also feel shame and guilt by thinking they had something to do with it. This is 100% false but difficult to dismiss since many victims don’t tell anyone or ask for help. They can feel lost or abandoned as they tend to isolate themselves. The crushing feelings can, at times, seem to take over everything. Sexual assault and other trauma-events spur the sufferer to use substances to hide the pain. Unfortunately, their families and friends think that they are just experiencing addiction and substance abuse. Many times, women come into addiction treatment and the trauma was not uncovered until they spoke with therapist who makes them feel safe. Trauma informed therapy teaches healthy coping skills that help the victim move forward for this type of dual diagnosis patient.

Addiction recovery at Simple Path offers a safe, confidential environment where dual diagnosis trauma victims can focus on themselves with a trained clinician. Simple Path Recovery understands that this might be the most challenging to talk about and ask for help. Our boutique-style setting offers valuable therapy with supportive team dedicated to your mental health and well-being.

Simple Path Recovery is a oceanside, boutique addiction treatment center located in Pompano Beach, FL. Recognized as a Top Florida Drug & Alcohol Rehab, Simple Path is committed to individualized care, 12-step integration, and Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT). Their addiction helpline is available 24/7 at 855-467-3625.

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Sober Living: Recovery’s Soft Landing

Matthew Koenig — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 20:20:42 +0000

Exiting the safety of an addiction treatment center is stressful. While you will surely feel better than when you arrived, there are so many doubts about what to expect once you are back home with your family. Remember, the last time you were with them probably wasn’t so rosy! However, everything you discovered while you were in Florida rehab can help you answer these questions and help you cope with continued support and guidance. Nowadays, most recovery clients don’t go back to their community right away. Instead, most are opting to continue outpatient and reside in a sober living home for a measurable period of time. This is the "soft landing" and transitional support that helps clients return to their lives with a renewed purpose and foundation in sobriety.

Sober Living Creates a Bridge to Long-Term Recovery

Instead of putting yourself back into the environment that fueled your addiction, consider transitioning to sober living first. Once you are in a sober home, take the time to develop sober supports and healthy relationships. A supportive environment will boost your likelihood of maintaining your abstinence. The safety and security you can find in sober living will let you concentrate more on building a secure home environment once you leave.

Sober living develops your strength and ability to use the coping skills acquired in rehab. When you return home, you deserve to feel confident in your home. You are worthy of people who love and encourage you in your recovery.

Sober living residences also provide the right tools to give you extra support. If you recognize you are slipping back into old behaviors, you have built-in help through an outpatient program with individual and group therapy. During your “break”, you can galvanize the skills you learned while in partial hospitalization care. You can also learn, through “cross-training,” through camaraderie with your sober living colleagues.

Benefits of Florida Sober living

The goal of sober living homes is to provide the support and care you may not have in your home environment. Residents can practice life skills and coping strategies that they learned while attending inpatient addiction care.

Studies show that clients who transitioned to sober living homes maintained their sobriety over long periods, compared to those who went directly home to their families. Many of the great benefits include:

An alcohol - and drug-free living atmosphere.
IOP and OP levels of care available.
Sober living residents are accountable to each other.
Team support and camaraderie.
Practice coping skills in quasi-supervised environment.

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Are You Ready for Addiction Treatment?

Matthew Koenig — Thu, 01 Apr 2021 19:34:24 +0000

In 2020, Covid-19 created a new set of drinkers and recreational drug users. With overwhelming isolation and boredom, it’s not hard to understand how someone can fall victim to temptation when normally they were adverse. At the same time, those teens and adults who were already “active” took their game to the next level, for the very same reason. What has happened is a huge spike in behavioral health / addiction problems that has led our country to what will account to about 82,000 drug overdose deaths in 2020 (an increase of over 10,000 from 2019). The point to all of this is simply that addiction is slippery slope and it’s not hard to get into the deep end of the pool quickly.

Increased Alcohol & Drug Use

Alcohol and drugs change how your brain handles emotions or feelings. Substances prevent the signals sent from one neuron to another. For example, drugs like heroin, can act as a neurotransmitter, a chemical at the end of a nerve that delivers responses to other nerves because they can imitate the chemicals produced by your brain. Other drugs like cocaine can trigger an irregular amount of natural neurotransmitters or block neurotransmitters’ reuse. Whether the substance is cocaine, marijuana, alcohol or an opioid, all substances hinder with the brain’s natural message structure.

Think about this way: when you first use a substance, you didn’t need a lot to get high or tipsy. At first, you used what your friends were using. The use became a part of regular social situations. However, as time went by, you noted you required more to achieve the same effect. At the same time, increased use of a substance amplifies the risk of long-term damage to your brain, organs, or mood. This could suggest that it’s time to get help for substance use disorder (SUD).

Time for Florida Addiction Treatment

Once you make a decision to change, it is time to think about going to rehab. Drug and alcohol treatment should incorporate detoxification, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, or outpatient therapy. Substance abuse treatment is the first step to take back your self-control. Whether you decide to stop using because of consequences or an increased need for substances, you are choosing to take back your life. Make an appointment with an admissions counselor at Simple Path Recovery and discuss your drug and alcohol use, goals, and level of care you might need. Thorough addiction treatment creates a groundwork for a healthy, long-term recovery journey.

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