Recovery Concepts

Recovery Concepts, LLC offers the state of the art medication assisted treatment for opiates (pain killers/narcotics) dependency without the stress of cravings and withdrawal symptoms.  The maxim at Recovery Concepts, LLC is to treat addiction in a whole new direction. 

Addiction is a dependence on a behavior or substance that a person is powerless to stop.  The term has been partially replaced by the word dependence or substance abuse.  Addiction has been extended, however, to include mood-altering behaviors or activities.  Some researchers speak of two types of addictions:  substance addictions (for example, alcoholism, drug abuse, or smoking); and process addictions (for example, gambling, spending shopping, eating, or sexual activity).  There is a growing recognition among researchers that many addicts are addicted to more that one substance or process.   

Addiction is one of the most costly public health problems in the United States.  In 1995, the economic cost of substance abuse in the United States exceeded $414 billion, with health care costs attributed to substance abuse estimated more than $114 billion.   It is a progressive syndrome, which means that it increases in severity over time unless it is treated.  Substance abuse is characterized by frequent relapse, or return to the abused substance.  Often times, substance abusers make repeated attempts to quit before they are successful. 

There are many causes and combinations for reasons why people become addicted.  Three areas of study are directly linked to the causes for addiction: Drug Chemistry, Genetic Factors and Brain structure and function.  Drug chemistry relates to substances being more addictive that others, either because they produce a rapid intense change in mood; or because they produce painful withdrawal symptoms when stopped suddenly.  In 1999, an estimated 4 million Americans over the age of 12 used prescription pain killers, (oxycotion, vicodin, fentanyl, ultram, percocet, loritab, loricet, dilaudid), sedatives and stimulants for “nonmedical” reasons during one month.  The Genetic factor relates to the research on people who appear to be more vulnerable to addiction because their body chemistry increases their sensitivity to drugs.  Some forms of substance abuse and dependence seem run in families, and this may be the result of a genetic predisposition located on DNA markers, as well as environmental influences.  Finally, Brain structure and function and dugs.  Over repeated use and time of drugs the brain structure and function changes. The brain changes in long-term ways.  Addiction comes about through an array of changes in the brain and the strengthening of new memory connections.  Evidence suggests that those long lasting brain changes are responsible for the distortions of cognitive and emotional functioning that characterizes addicts, particularly the compulsion to use drugs.  Although the causes of addiction remain the subject of ongoing debate and research, many experts now consider addiction to be a disease of the brain: a condition caused by persistent changes in the brain structure and function.  However, having this brain disease does not absolve the addict of responsibility for his or her behavior, but it does explain f for why many addicts cannot stop using drugs by sheer force of will.

The diagnosis for addiction as a brain disease is based on five criteria:  

• Loss of will power
• Harmful consequences
• Unmanageable lifestyle
• Tolerance or escalation
• Withdrawal symptoms upon quitting

 

Treatment at Recovery Concepts, LLC requires both medical and social approaches to manage withdrawal symptoms.  Individual or group psychotherapy are often helpful, but only after the substance use has stopped.  In conjunction, with addiction counseling, anti-addiction medications, such as suboxone, naltrexone, and vivotrol are commonly used to treat opiate and alcohol addiction.   

Our treatment services include: 
 

• an initial assessment with a substance abuse counselor,
• consultation with a physician,
• group counseling and individual therapy and family education groups
• relapse prevention and life skills education and development,
• Medication maintenance or detoxification services available based on patient’s individual need and progress.

If you are struggling with an addiction or know someone who is…please call us at (843) 645-2770 to schedule a free initial consultation.  All calls and services are confidential.

Visit our website at www.recoveryconceptsllc.com.