Essentials for a Good Recovery Program

• Naltrexone therapy
  We believe that the cravings for opiates are so intense and the length of time it takes the brain to heal is so long that most opiate addicts will relapse back to drugs very quickly if they do not have Naltrexone therapy for additional support. We recommend Naltrexone therapy for twelve months. This prevents patients from relapsing back to opiate use and gives patients a chance to start making changes in their lives and building up a support system. We highly recommend at least two Naltrexone implants (lasting 6-10 weeks each). We recommend more pellets if circumstances warrant closer support. Following implants, we recommend a two to four month period of taking oral Naltrexone in a supervised fashion, where the patient takes oral Naltrexone observed by a support person. It is best if the Naltrexone is crushed, mixed with water and then swallowed. If the patient is in recovery and is proceeding smoothly after six months or so, patients can usually take oral Naltrexone on their own for the balance of the twelve months.

• Twelve step groups
  We cannot over emphasize the importance of 12-step groups. These programs provide support, philosophical material, and education to learn about and deal with all aspects of recovery. The groups take patients away from the usual using friends and usual using situations and put them into contact with people who are serious about their recovery. It may be that in your local area Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a stronger group than Narcotics Anonymous (NA). It may also be necessary to experiment with different groups to find a good strong group. Most cities have a wide range of diverse groups and with only a small amount of experimentation you can easily find 12-step groups that are very supportive and are a good fit for you.

• Substance abuse therapy
  Patients have a lot to learn about living and staying drug-free. While support groups are helpful, it is our experience that professional therapists can add significantly by being a little bit more educational and supportive. They can also help patients to understand relapse and deeper psychological issues that may start becoming apparent during early recovery. Usually we recommend intensive outpatient programs which meet in a group session three times a week. Depending on the circumstances, individual therapy may be appropriate. If more intensive therapy is needed, an inpatient stay can be helpful. Sometimes an extended care halfway house is the best fit depending on how dysfunctional the patient’s lives have been. Our Aftercare Directors are happy to assist in determining the correct course for each patient.

• Medical care
  All patients need to follow up with physicians who are experienced in both substance abuse and mental health. This physician may be a psychiatrist, family practitioner or internist, provided that he/she is familiar with substance abuse, mental health, opiate addiction and Naltrexone therapy. We can help provide lists of physicians who may be available in your area. This step is particularly important since it is more and more apparent that after a patient gets drug-free, a variety of mental health issues arise. It is very common that patients have periods of depression or anxiety. Sometimes there’s even bipolar illness, or other serious mental health problems that may require medications. As mentioned earlier, if emotions are not kept on an even keel, then relapse is extremely common.

• Final Notes
  We believe that all substance abusers can achieve long term sobriety. Frequently, however, patients cannot or will not completely give 100% to their recovery program. Recovery from these drugs is the hardest thing that patients will ever do. If however they’re able to overcome it, the rest of their lives will be smooth sailing compared to drug abuse. The more work they do in the early months, the more likely they are to be successful. We almost never see someone relapse who completes ninety AA or NA meetings in ninety days. Most patients, unfortunately, are under the false illusion that they will be different and they don’t need to work quite as hard on their recovery. This is a mistake.

Our office will do everything we can to support your recovery. We’re available for questions or support at any time. We will attempt to contact you to document your recovery and to help in any way that we can.

If you have any questions or problems, please feel free to Contact Us.