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Treating Different Types of Addiction

Promoting Holistic Healing For A Wide Range of Challenges

There are many different types of addiction, each one characterized by unique adverse effects and challenges, but each leading to a similar outcome: Chaos. Hurt. Fear. But don’t lose hope. Practical solutions and treatment options are available to help you as you navigate withdrawal, healing, and recovery.

Everyone who joins Ikon Recovery is prescribed a fully customized treatment plan. This plan is designed to meet your unique needs, address the substance you’re struggling with, and your recovery goals with the interventions that will work best for you. The following are all the types of addiction we work with to facilitate healing and recovery.

Crack Addiction

Crack cocaine is a central nervous stimulant substance with powerful and dangerous effects. The potency of crack is significant and can significantly influence dependence and addiction. The complex impact of crack cocaine on your body, mind, and overall quality of life must be addressed. Unfortunately, most people who struggle with cocaine never receive treatment.[1] Treating cocaine use disorder (CUD) requires holistic interventions like medication-assisted treatment, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), support groups, accountability, life skills training, and more.

Kratom Addiction

Kratom is a natural substance that is often consumed via capsules or as a drink, like tea, and is usually taken for its effects as a pain reliever and mood-enhancing substance. The FDA has not approved any medical use for kratom, but some effects mirror mild opioids or stimulants. However, kratom can influence misuse and dependence and is associated with adverse physical and psychological effects, including liver toxicity, seizures, and substance use disorder (SUD).[4] Treating kratom addiction may include medication-assisted treatment similar to opioid treatment, therapy, group support, coping skills, and more.

Prescription Drugs Addiction

Prescription drugs are designed to relieve symptoms of pain, promote sleep, or treat other disorders, including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), impulse control disorder, food addiction, behavioral addictions, and other mental health issues. Some prescription drug examples include Adderall, Gabapentin, Hydrocodone, Prozac, and others. These substances can help in some ways but damage or reduce your overall well-being in others. Treating prescription drug addiction requires medication management, psychiatry, tapering, behavioral therapy, and other lifestyle interventions to support recovery.

Stimulant Addiction

Stimulants are highly addictive substances that impact the central nervous system (CNS) and trigger neurotransmitters in your brain to produce greater levels of dopamine.[8] This reaction can lead to greater alertness, higher productivity, and better focus, but these effects and interactions with the brain can also influence misuse and addiction. Treating stimulant addiction or stimulant use disorder requires a holistic approach to recovery to address all aspects of stimulant effects. Some interventions include behavioral therapy, substance abuse education, group therapy, community support, coping skill building, and more.

Suboxone Addiction

Suboxone is often prescribed as a treatment within opioid use disorder programs to alleviate cravings and help reduce withdrawal symptoms. However, this means suboxone contains low amounts of opioid substances and can lead to further misuse or addiction on its own. Treating suboxone addiction requires a strategic, holistic approach to facilitate long-term success. Patients may participate in behavioral therapy, group counseling, psychoeducation, family therapy, and more.

Inhalant Addiction

Inhalants are a drug category that includes substances with volatile chemicals in everything from gases, solvents, nitrates, and aerosol sprays—many of which are found in household products. They’re central nervous system (CNS) depressants that slow down normal functioning and can induce psychoactive or mind-altering effects.[11] Treating inhalant addiction is a complex process that involves behavioral therapy, symptom management, community support, accountability, and other recovery solutions.

Methamphetamine Addiction

Methamphetamine (meth) is an incredibly addicting substance with seriously damaging effects on physical and mental health, including insomnia, violent behavior, hallucinations, irritability, severe psychological dependence, psychosis, depression, damage to brain structure, and more. [2]  Treating meth addiction requires a comprehensive approach that addresses the physical, mental, and lifestyle impact of meth. Individualized treatment programs for meth may include therapy, medication-assisted treatment, community support, life skills, vocational training, and more.

Club Drugs Addiction

Club drugs or party drugs are typically associated with the party scene at raves, bars, clubs, festivals, and other social events. Club drugs include GHB, MDMA or ecstasy, ketamine, LSD or acid, synthetic cannabis, roofies, crystal meth, and bath salts.[5] What most have in common are psychotropic, dissociative, or hallucinogenic effects that can induce a euphoric experience. Treating club drug addiction involves addressing both the psychological impact of psychoactive substances and drug abuse through professional treatment, therapy for mental health disorders, medication-assisted treatment, community support, psychoeducation, and more.

Fentanyl Addiction

Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid substance that does have some medically approved uses, specifically for severe pain relief and comfort care for end-of-life or cancer patients. The formulation for fentanyl is 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin.[7] Due to the potent pain relief effects, fentanyl carries a dangerously high risk of misuse and dependence. Recreational fentanyl is unregulated, and it’s nearly impossible to gauge the dosage, making high fentanyl doses potentially lethal. Treatment for fentanyl addiction may require detox or stabilization, withdrawal symptom management, therapy, accountability, and coping skill development.

Marijuana Addiction

Over the last few years, marijuana (cannabis, weed, etc.) has become a legally available substance both for medical applications and recreational use. It is a psychoactive substance that can induce a sense of calm and disconnectedness. THC is the active cannabidiol responsible for producing those mind-altering effects and influences the high potential for misuse and addiction.[9] The adverse effects of marijuana include breathing problems, elevated heart rate, confusion, sedation, and more. Treating marijuana addiction is a complex process that requires professional intervention, symptom management, therapy, and coping skill development.

Adderall Addiction

Adderall is a stimulant medication primarily prescribed as a first-line treatment for treating Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy. It increases alertness, focus, and energy, allowing those with ADHD to be more productive. [10] Due to the CNS stimulant effects of Adderall, it does carry a high potential for misuse and dependence. Treating Adderall addiction may include medication tapering, symptom management, behavioral health therapy, mental health interventions, and more.

Cocaine Addiction

Cocaine is a white crystalline powder made from coca leaves that is often snorted or injected. It’s a highly potent central nervous stimulant with dangerous effects. Any substance that alters how your brain works or triggers your brain’s reward system artificially can be associated with a high risk of addiction.  Treating cocaine use disorder (CUD) may involve medication-assisted treatment, behavioral health interventions, community support groups, life skills training, and more.

Benzodiazepine Addiction

Benzodiazepines (benzos) are prescribed for anxiety disorders and panic attacks but aren’t meant to be a long-term or curative solution. These prescription substances carry a significant potential for misuse and addiction and are classified as Schedule IV controlled substances.[3] Treating benzo addiction involves medication tapering to help your body adjust and evidence-based interventions to support both the underlying mental health condition and the substance use disorder. Modalities may include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), group therapy, coping skill development, community support, and more.

Heroin Addiction

Heroin is a highly potent opioid that is a significantly addictive substance. It is a powerful pain reliever that is associated with a euphoric high in the brain’s reward system. In many cases (80%), people who first misused prescription opioids like oxycodone escalate to heroin use later.[6] The long-term adverse impact of heroin use includes cravings, withdrawal symptoms, and other negative consequences.  Treating heroin addiction may include stabilization efforts, behavioral therapies, group counseling, medication-assisted treatment, and life skills development.

Pain Killer Addiction

The experience of pain varies greatly from person to person but can be debilitating for so many, especially when dealing with chronic pain. Painkillers are a medication intervention that provides relief so a person’s life isn’t defined by pain and what they can’t do because of it. However, many of these painkillers are opioid medications or narcotics that carry a high potential for misuse and addiction. What begins as a solution can quickly become a new problem. Treating substance use disorder related to painkiller addiction may involve medication management, coping skill development, other pain relief solutions, behavioral therapy, family therapy, group counseling, and more.

Barbiturate Addiction

Barbiturates used to be the first line of treatment for anxiety disorders and to treat pre-operative nerves. However, they were discontinued in favor of the safer and less addictive benzodiazepines. Barbiturates are still used today in a limited medical capacity and illicitly sold for recreational use. These prescription substances range in how addictive they may be depending on the formula, and the adverse effects, like coma, slurred speech, and intestinal blockage, can be challenging. Treating barbiturate addiction may involve both mental health and substance addiction interventions, trauma therapy, group therapy, coping skill development, and more.

Sleeping Pill Addiction

Sleep is your body’s natural restorative, but this function can be elusive for many. Sedatives and sleeping pills are prescription interventions to promote sleep by slowing down or depressing the central nervous system. While these effects are helpful, sleeping pills are associated with misuse and addiction. Treating sleeping pill addiction may require lifestyle interventions, psychiatry, medication tapering, behavioral therapy, and other self-care practices to support sleep and recovery.

Alcohol Addiction

Alcohol use is perhaps one of the most common and socially acceptable substances with a high potential for misuse and addiction. Individuals with alcohol use disorder who stop using alcohol without assistance run the risk of potentially dangerous withdrawal symptom

Symptoms and Signs of Substance Use Disorders

  • Patterns of substance use that causes physical damage or mental health issues
  • Substance use that leads to functional impairment or distress
  • Substance use is associated with physical, mental, social, and legal problems
  • Built a tolerance to the effects of the substance (requiring higher doses)
  • Withdrawal symptoms if you stop taking the substance
  • Substance use in harmful situations

Why Choose Ikon Recovery For Healing

Sources

[1]Schwartz, E. K. C., Wolkowicz, N. R., De Aquino, J. P., MacLean, R. R., & Sofuoglu, M. (2022, September 3). Cocaine use disorder (CUD): Current clinical perspectives. Substance abuse and rehabilitation. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9451050/

[2]Yasaei, R. (2023, May 1). Methamphetamine. StatPearls [Internet]. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK535356/

[3]Drug scheduling. DEA. (n.d.-a). https://www.dea.gov/drug-information/drug-scheduling

[4]Commissioner, O. of the. (n.d.). FDA and Kratom. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/public-health-focus/fda-and-kratom

[5]American Academy of Family Physicians. (2018, July 15). Club drugs: What you should know. American Family Physician. https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2018/0715/p85-s1.html

[6]U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2023, May 25). Prescription opioids Drugfacts. National Institutes of Health. https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/prescription-opioids

[7]Drug fact sheet: Fentanyl. (n.d.-c). https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2020-06/Fentanyl-2020_0.pdf

[8]U.S. National Library of Medicine. (1999, January 1). Chapter 2-how stimulants affect the brain and behavior. Treatment for Stimulant Use Disorders: Updated 2021 [Internet]. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK576548/

[9]Turner, A. R. (2024a, February 2). Marijuana. StatPearls [Internet]. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430801/

[10]Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (n.d.-a). Dextroamphetamine and Amphetamine (oral route). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/dextroamphetamine-and-amphetamine-oral-route/description/drg-20071758

[11]What is inhalant use disorder? Cleveland Clinic. (2024, September 10). https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15742-inhalant-abuse

[12]Volkow, N. D., & Blanco, C. (2023a, June). Substance use disorders: A comprehensive update of classification, Epidemiology, Neurobiology, clinical aspects, treatment and prevention. World psychiatry : official journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10168177/