Finding the right approach to helping a loved one through an addiction can be challenging. If someone close to you is struggling with addiction, they’re not alone. More than 20 million Americans are struggling with at least one addiction, yet only 10% reach out to seek treatment.
Addiction is one of the most challenging situations one can face. It has a negative impact on the person involved as well as those around them. When you have a loved one struggling, it’s typical to feel helpless and confused about where to turn, but there are things you can do, and there are treatments that work.
The team of addiction specialists at Renew Infusions in Gilbert, Arizona, offers innovative addiction treatment to help your loved one recover. Addiction, also referred to as substance use disorder, is a brain disorder.
Initially, drugs or alcohol make your loved one feel good. Over time, there’s a physical and psychological need to take more of the substance to feel the same effect. After some time, the person may need to take the substance just to feel normal.
People struggling with addiction need expert support and treatment to get on the winning side of the battle. Keep reading to learn what you can do to help your loved one get on the path to recovery.
Ketamine combats addiction
Ketamine is a unique medication used off label to treat addiction, as well as depression and anxiety. This 50-year-old anesthetic medication has a proven track record for safety when administered by a medical professional.
Ketamine possesses several unique characteristics that make it effective at treating addiction. Here’s what to know.
Ketamine breaks addiction-related behavior patterns
When a person uses drugs or alcohol, the brain creates related memories that end up serving as a strong driver to continue using, despite negative consequences. Ketamine blocks these memories, which helps your loved one resist addiction-related behavior patterns.
Addiction-related memories can make your loved one vulnerable to relapse. Disrupting these memories makes them less vulnerable to environmental triggers.
Ketamine reduces drug and alcohol cravings
Addictive substances change the brain, causing new pathways to develop related to substance use. The brain releases chemicals related to the behavior reward system. This ancient feedback system is turned on when we do something we enjoy.
While healthy reward feedback such as the feeling you get when you’re in love or when you accomplish a goal are beneficial, the reward system doesn’t know the difference between feeling good about a harmful behavior and feeling good about a positive behavior. This can cause strong urges to repeat substance use even when it’s harmful.
Ketamine interferes with these hardwired substance-related pathways, which dampens cravings and reduces the desire to use.
Ketamine reduces withdrawal symptoms
In addition to cravings and environmental triggers, people struggling with addiction must contend with withdrawal symptoms, whether that be mood swings, fatigue, nausea, pain, depression, or gastrointestinal issues.
Depending on the substance and the length of use, withdrawal symptoms can be strong enough to drive your loved one back to using even if they don’t want to. In fact, withdrawal symptoms are one of the most challenging aspects of combating addiction.
Ketamine has anesthetic properties that are effective at reducing common withdrawal symptoms. Additionally, our providers can combine ketamine treatment with a customized IV nutrient therapy to help combat withdrawal symptoms and restore balance to the body.
Maintaining sobriety
Addiction doesn’t discriminate. It affects people of all ages and backgrounds, but you can take action to help your loved one win the battle against addiction, and we can help. If someone close to you is struggling to overcome addiction, reach out to us to learn more about ketamine infusion therapy. Call our office or book an appointment online today.