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Substance Abuse services offered in Murrieta, CA
More than 20 million Americans deal with a substance abuse disorder annually. If you’re struggling with addiction to alcohol, opiates, or other substances, Olga Jackson, MSN, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC, and Adarius Jackson, MSW, LCSW, of Duality Mental Health can help. They offer customized treatments and compassionate care to help you recover and lead a healthy and fulfilling life. Call the office in Murrieta, California, or request an in-person or telehealth consultation online today to start your journey toward sobriety.
Substance Abuse Q & A
What is a substance abuse disorder?
Substance abuse disorder — sometimes referred to as addiction — is a complex disease that causes the compulsive use of a substance despite increasingly harmful consequences. If you’re living with an addiction, you have an intense focus on procuring and using a substance such as alcohol, prescription drugs, or other illicit substances.
Substance abuse disorder may begin with a prescription or recreational use to feel good, improve performance, or unwind. However, over time, your use of the substance triggers chemical changes in the regions of your brain that are responsible for your judgment, learning, decisiveness, memory, and impulse control.
Substance abuse can also change your neurotransmitters so that you develop a dependency on the substance to feel normal, let alone good. These factors combine to create uncontrollable cravings, withdrawal symptoms, and the compulsive desire to use alcohol or drugs.
What causes substance abuse disorder?
Anyone can develop a substance abuse disorder. However, psychiatrists and medical researchers don’t fully understand why some people develop substance abuse disorders while others don’t. It’s possible that your brain chemistry is more susceptible to addiction or that you are more likely to experience the brain mutations caused by extended substance abuse.
Your risk of developing a substance abuse disorder is higher if you have another mental health issue, such as depression or anxiety, or if a member of your family struggles with addiction. Also, if you have a personal history of abuse, neglect, or poverty, you are more likely to develop a substance abuse disorder.
How is substance abuse disorder treated?
Substance abuse treatment combines a variety of treatment modalities. Duality Mental Health combines medication and therapy to help you recover and maintain sobriety.
Medications like Suboxone® can help control your cravings and reduce your withdrawal symptoms so you can focus your energy on therapy. During individual and group therapy, you can explore the underlying issues that contribute to your addiction. Through therapy, you work toward resolution and learn new strategies and techniques to help cope with stress and other issues instead of resorting to substance abuse.
While substance abuse is a brain disorder, you have to want to recover, be willing to work with your team and make the adjustments needed to change your life. The team at Duality Mental Health supports you at every step of your journey.
Start your journey toward sobriety today. Call Duality Mental Health or request a consultation online at any time.