Substance Use Disorder services offered in Port Hadlock and Port Angeles, WA
Substances ranging from illegal opioids like heroin to prescription medications and alcohol can all cause a substance use disorder. If you worry about the effect of substance misuse on your health and well-being, visit Olympic Peninsula Health Services in Port Hadlock or Port Angeles, Washington. The practice’s addiction medicine experts specialize in using medication-assisted treatment (MAT) to help people overcome substance use disorder. Call your nearest Olympic Peninsula Health Services office or book an appointment online today for compassionate support with substance use disorder.
What is substance use disorder?
Substance use disorder develops when you come to depend on a drug or other substance you take regularly. These products give you pleasurable feelings at first that you want to experience repeatedly, but they can have devastating effects on your life.
Most often the longer you continue taking your chosen substance, the less effective it becomes. This means you need to increase your dose and frequency to achieve the same effects. Eventually, you can’t manage without regular doses and suffer distressing side effects if you try to stop.
This problem occurs because your body gets used to the substance, adapting itself so taking drugs or having an alcoholic drink becomes normalized. When you stop, your body reacts in various unpleasant ways, causing symptoms such as:
- Abdominal pain
- Cramping
- Overwhelming fatigue
- Excessive sweating
- Trembling
- Headaches
- Confusion
- Dizziness
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Cravings
Dealing with these withdrawal effects can be so challenging it presents a significant barrier to overcoming substance use disorder.
What substance use disorders might affect me?
The substances most likely to be misused are:
- Alcohol
- Cannabis (marijuana)
- Hallucinogens like LSD
- MDMA (molly or ecstasy)
- Inhalants (glue and other solvents)
- Opioids (heroin, fentanyl, and prescription painkillers)
- Sedatives and anxiolytics (anti-anxiety medicines)
- Stimulants (amphetamines)
- Tobacco
The Olympic Peninsula Health Services team specializes in alcohol and opioid use disorders.
How do I recover from a substance use disorder?
The most successful approach to overcoming substance use disorder is medication-assisted treatment (MAT). The Olympic Peninsula Health Services team’s MAT program uses specific medications combined with counseling, behavioral therapy, medical treatment, and educational and vocational support.
MAT drugs include Suboxone®, Subutex®, and Sublocade® which diminish the effects of physical dependency on opioids such as withdrawal symptoms and cravings. Naltrexone tabs also available as a monthly injection (Vivitrol®) block the effects and feelings of alcohol and the euphoric and sedative effects of opioids.
Olympic Peninsula Health Services works closely with counseling agencies and a local in-patient rehab facility to ensure patients undergo a smooth referral process and receive holistic care.
If you recognize the signs of substance use disorder and want to change your life, call Olympic Peninsula Health Services today or use the online scheduling tool to book an appointment.