Addiction is a when a behavior or substance becomes the biggest priority in your life. Social, work or school obligations fall to the wayside to make room for the pursuit of that behavior or substance. One way to think about it is that the reward system for your brain has been rewired to find that addiction more pleasurable than anything else in your life. Breaking that endless loop can be challenging. Underlying mood, anxiety and impulse control issues can all contribute to the maintenance of the addiction. Treatment focuses on treating any underlying conditions, controlling impulsivity, and decreasing the pleasure derived from the addiction. Medication and behavioral interventions are key in the recovery process.
The first thing you should know is that it is not all in your head. There is a tendency to think that mental health issues are purely with the brain, losing sight of the fact it is connected to a body. There are medical conditions that can contribute to addictive behaviors. You want to check for those factors and not just focus on the head.
When I take you on as a patient, I will do a comprehensive review of your psychiatric and medical history. This information will lay the groundwork of my hypothesis of your clinical state. The next step would be to perform lab work. We will start with the tests covered by most plans. We will also start with standard treatments. First phase done.
Second phase starts with seeing how you are feeling and reviewing the data obtained thus far. If the picture is clear, and you are doing well, we stay the course. If there are still persistent issues or symptoms, this is where additional testing is useful. We can do a deep dive into multiple aspects of your condition that could be impacting your mood. This work is typical not covered by your insurance plan, but I consider it to be a good return on the investment in your health. Further adjustments to your treatment plan are made with this information.
Finally, the third phase is where we assess how things are going. Are you feeling better? Are the interventions showing improvements on repeat evaluations? Here we decide on continuing or adjusting the course of your current treatment.
Addiction is treatable. There are many great medications and behavioral programs available today that are very effective at addressing your condition. There are additional aspects of your treatment that I can integrate into your care in an effort to give you the best outcome. My goal is to make the best treatment options accessible to you. Make an appointment today to take a step towards greater health.
