Addiction Psychiatrist Q&A

Addiction is a chronic disease where someone seeks out drugs or alcohol despite the harmful effects they have on their health. The need for these substances is often compulsive or uncontrollable. Relapsing, when a return to substance abuse reoccurs, is also a danger for those with addiction and for some, a constant struggle.

While taking a drug or drinking alcohol starts as a conscious choice, addiction soon removes a person’s ability to choose not to take those things. Addiction causes them to continually seek out drugs or alcohol despite damage to brain function, learning, memory, and motivation.

Yes, but it is not easy like getting over a cold. Addiction is a chronic disease and requires long-term care and sometimes repeated care for patients to completely recover.

Research has shown that no single treatment is right for every person suffering from this disease, so individualization is needed. For therapy to be effective, it needs to address other aspects of a patient’s life, not just their substance abuse. It is also vital for someone to stay in treatment long enough for it to be effective, and not quite too early. Otherwise, they will likely relapse into addiction. Addiction treatment often must be approached from multiple angles, including behavior therapy, medication, detoxification, and treatment for mental disorders, if needed.

At Success Health System, we have many options to treat you for drug or alcohol abuse. Some of these treatments include:

• Medication
• Behavioral Counseling
• Skills Training
• Mental Health Treatments
• Long Term Follow Up Care

Yes, medications and other devices may be used to help you manage your withdrawal symptoms and prevent relapse. They also may be used to treat any other conditions you are suffering from during your treatment.

Patients suffer from withdrawal symptoms during their drug detoxification process. Detoxification is just the first step of their treatment. These symptoms must be managed carefully to avoid relapse. Various medications are available to help suppress a patient’s cravings for drugs or alcohol. These medications can help blunt the desire for drugs, like opioids, or alcohol.

Our provider will help modify patients’ behaviors and attitudes toward their substance abuse. We want to highlight and promote their healthy life skills. We will also make sure they keep up with their other treatment forms, like medication. Behavioral therapy can take many forms, including one on one therapy with a specialist to group programs where patients work with others to beat their respective addictions.

We are open Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm and by appointment only on Saturday and Sunday. Do you have questions about drug and alcohol addiction, or would you like to make an appointment? Call our friendly staff today. We serve patients from Creve Coeur MO, St. Louis MO, Independence MO, Olathe KS, Columbia MO, Craig KS, Spring Hill KS, Pierpont MO, Kirkwood MO, Kansas City MO, River Bend MO & Beyond!