Addiction Medicine is a relatively new discipline within the world of health care. The past several decades have seen tremendous advances in the science of addiction, bringing to light the mechanisms of addiction, as well as an abundance of information which is guiding the treatment of addictions.
Addictions come in many forms, including chemical (drugs) and behavioral addictions. Drug addictions include substances such as alcohol, methamphetamine, cocaine, nicotine, pain pills, and many other chemicals that lead to dependence and abuse. Behavioral addictions include gambling, bulimia, pornography, and abuse.
Science is showing a connection between all of these addictive processes, and is opening the door to understanding not only how complex addiction is, but also how comprehensive the treatment needs to be.
Many tools are available, and many more practitioners are becoming expert in their fields in supporting the treatment of addiction. For example:
A combination of medications, behavioral treatments (counseling), massage therapy, acupuncture, and other modalities can be beneficial in the treatment of addiction. We feel it is important to engage the mind, body, and spirit while treating addiction. Each modality is another tool in your collection to ease your recovery and improve your chance of maintaining sobriety.