Addiction Medicine services offered in Port Hadlock and Port Angeles, WA
Substance use disorder usually starts as something enjoyable, but over time you might begin to depend on your chosen substance so completely it becomes more important than anything else. Olympic Peninsula Health Services in Port Hadlock and Port Angeles, Washington, specializes in helping people with substance use disorder, through the use of FDA approved medications. With the team’s expertise in medication-assisted treatment (MAT), you can receive help for opioid and alcohol addiction.
Call your nearest office or book an appointment online today to learn how you could benefit from addiction medicine.
What is addiction medicine?
Addiction medicine provides specialized treatment for people struggling with substance use disorders. This develops develop when you experiment with mood-enhancing substances that release feel-good chemicals in your brain.
As you keep taking the substance(s) to enjoy those feelings again, your body gets used to them and you often need to use increasingly larger and more frequent doses. Some substances also change your brain’s chemical makeup, so you develop a physical dependency. Many substances can be addictive, including:
- Alcohol
- Heroin
- Marijuana
- Cocaine
- Amphetamines (speed)
- MDMA (ecstasy or molly)
- Ketamine
- Hallucinogens like LSD
- Prescription opioids
- Fentanyl
Misuse of opioid painkillers is one of the leading problems in addiction medicine. Opioids include morphine, oxycodone, fentanyl, hydrocodone, and many others. People get prescriptions for these drugs to control moderate to severe pain, then find they can’t stop taking them even when their pain improves.
The addiction medicine specialists at Olympic Peninsula Health Services offer effective medications to people affected by substance use disorders.
Why should I consider addiction medicine?
Addictions may cost people their jobs, create severe financial difficulties, and lead to family and relationship breakdowns. Mental and physical health conditions such as depression, anxiety, heart problems, and liver disease worsen as substance misuse continues.
Despite all these difficulties and even the possibility of dying from side effects or an overdose, people with substance use disorder struggle to stop using their substance of choice. If you’re at any stage on this path to these substance misuse problems, addiction medicine can assist you in taking back control and rebuilding your life.
How does addiction medicine work?
The Olympic Peninsula Health Services team uses medication-assisted treatment (MAT) to help people with substance use disorders. MAT combines medication and talk therapy for optimal results.
Quitting drugs or alcohol can cause distressingly unpleasant, sometimes unbearable withdrawal symptoms, such as:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Extreme fatigue
- Sweating
- Shaking
- Headaches
- Disorientation
- Dizziness
- Cravings
- Seizures
Craving the substance you misuse is even harder to cope with when experiencing these withdrawal effects. Medications like Suboxone® help reduce withdrawal symptom severity.
Ongoing support and skilled drug counseling are also vital to MAT, helping you address your psychological barriers to recovery. Olympic Peninsula Health Services works closely with chemical dependency agencies and a local in-patient rehab facility.
Call Olympic Peninsula Health Services today or book an appointment online to see how addiction medicine could change your life for the better.