Substance Abuse Disorder

People who are struggling with substance use disorder need to know they’re not alone and help is available. Ndubuisi Odegai, Princess Riley, DNP, and their team at The Healed Mind Psychiatry in Aubrey, Texas, offer substance use disorder treatment programs that use medication and talk therapies to help people overcome their addictions. Discover how specialized substance use disorder treatment could turn your life around by calling The Healed Mind Psychiatry today. You can also schedule a telehealth consultation by clicking on the website’s appointment booking link.

What is substance use disorder?

Substance use disorder or addiction develops when you rely on a substance you take repeatedly for its pleasurable effects, such as:

• Alcohol
• Heroin
• Cocaine
• Marijuana
• Ketamine
• Amphetamines (speed)
• MDMA (ecstasy or Molly)
• Hallucinogens like LSD
• Opioid prescription painkillers

Opioid painkillers, which have a similar chemical composition to heroin, are a widespread cause of substance use disorder. Drugs like morphine, fentanyl, hydrocodone, and oxycodone are leading examples. 

People often start taking opioid drugs to control severe pain but are unable to stop when their condition improves.

How does substance use disorder affect people?

Substance misuse can greatly impact daily life for the patient and those around them.

People with addictions can:

• Lose their jobs
• Develop serious physical health problems
• Experience severe financial difficulties
• Become separated from their families

They may eventually steal or behave recklessly/illegally to pay for their chosen substance.

Despite how addiction wrecks their lives, people who have substance use disorder are unable to control their behavior. The Healed Mind Psychiatry team’s addiction treatment programs offer hope to young people and adults with these problems.

How is substance use disorder treated?

Substance use disorder treatments address the problems underlying your addiction. They include medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for alcohol and opioid misuse.

Addictions develop because your brain releases feel-good chemicals when you take your chosen drug. Many substances can also alter your brain’s chemical makeup, so physical dependency develops as well.

Trying to quit taking drugs can result in highly unpleasant, often unbearable withdrawal symptoms, such as:

• Extreme fatigue
• Sweating
• Shaking
• Cravings
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal pain
• Headaches
• Disorientation
• Dizziness

Medications like buprenorphine (Sublocade®, Suboxone®), naltrexone, and disulfiram (Antabuse®) help by reducing the severity of withdrawal symptoms. The Healed Mind Psychiatry team also provides support and counseling to help patients overcome psychological and behavioral barriers to recovery.

Some patients who have substance use disorder do well with regular one-to-one therapy sessions, which are available in person and via secure telehealth. Attending support groups where you share with others recovering from addiction can also prove invaluable.

The first step to substance use disorder recovery is committing to the process. Once you accept that you have an addiction and need help, you can discuss your treatment options with The Healed Mind Psychiatry team.

Call the office today to learn more about benefiting from substance use disorder treatment, or arrange a consultation by completing the booking form online.