Drug Rehab in Williamsport, PA

Chemical addiction is a well-documented psychological and behavioral condition that manifests as a deep, emotional attachment to the use of mind-altering chemical substances. Researchers in addiction have made comparisons between addiction and romantic love. Both kinds of involvement can include ill-advised and destructive attachment, compounded by a compromised ability to grasp the nature of the problem. The single-minded and emotional nature of the attachment caused by drug use means that it is never enough to simply make up one's mind to quit. It never works in the long-term. Relapse is usually the result of the brute force approach that depends on willpower. Successfully quitting requires employing the scientific approach. If you need care for an addiction, there is good, reliable, evidence-based drug rehab in Williamsport that you can turn to.

While a large part of the population does excessively indulge in substance use, addiction is still a rare occurrence; it only occurs in some people. They take up occasional substance use, and are unable let it go. The question is why it happens to only some people. The common-sense answer is to see these people as irresponsible and lacking in morality. Portraying addiction in this manner doesn't stand up to scientific scrutiny, however.

Use becomes excessive when they aren't in full control over their behavior. A significant part of the population suffers from mental disorders and psychological disorders. Some people suffer from genetic conditions were their brains greatly amplify the pleasure of drugs.

People whose minds are compromised in these ways tend to struggle to maintain a reasonable mental life. When their tortured thoughts and vulnerabilities become too difficult to take, they often turn to substance abuse for relief. When such use goes on for long, it causes damage to the way the brain functions. This is why it's so imperative to seek treatment advisory support from Williamsport Drug and Alcohol Rehab Centers.

How Does Addiction Work?

Mind-altering substances have specific effects on the brain. One particular area of effect is on the brain's learning and reward center, a segment tasked with responding to healthy behavior with pleasure, and deep, sentimental attachment. This part of the brain is ordinarily responsible for the mind's attachments to activities such as finding nutrition, developing positive human relationships and performing childcare.

When drugs act on the reward and learning center, they both have the effect of producing a great deal of pleasure, and making the brain develop deep, sentimental attachment to drugs. This attachment is called psychological dependence, and it is what throws up cravings when an attempt is made to stop.

Drug use also causes physical dependence. When chronic use of drugs commandeers the reward and learning center too often, it sets off the brain's defensive mechanisms. The brain attempts to return to normal by lowering sensitivity to the presence of drugs in the system. Users, however, will usually respond by using even more. It's a vicious cycle that continues to the point that addicts take very large amounts of drug to obtain their high. At this point, the brain has no choice but to adapt to drug, rather than struggle against it. This is known as physical dependence -- the brain depends on the presence of drugs to its physical systems.

When the brain begins to see drugs as an integral part of its chemistry, it can no longer function without it. When drugs run low in the system, disruptions begin to take place, which are perceived by users as painful withdrawal symptoms. They rush to get another hit.

Rehab Is Necessary for Such Major Disruption to the Brain

Medically, these changes to the brain are considered injury or damage. Brought about initially by mental disorders, psychological disorders and genetic vulnerability, and then cemented by damage to the brain from overexposure to drugs, addiction is a condition that requires treatment by professionals.

The primary drive found in addiction comes from the cravings, which are a form of psychological dependence. Psychological problems tend to not be amenable to a cure. They can only be managed. The main thrust of treatment at a drug and alcohol rehab in Williamsport, then, is to offer psychological training to patients to help them find ways to avoid or sidestep cravings.

Before such psychological training can be offered, patients need to be in a condition where their brains aren't wracked by cravings, and they are free of psychiatric disorders.

The first step of all programs for drug rehab in Williamsport, then, is to detox or to quit drugs. When a brain physically dependent on drugs is denied, it is unable to chemically handle the disruption. The result comes in the form of severe, life-threatening effects. It is an important aim of rehab to help the patient through this phase with medications that suppress these effects and make drug detox in Williamsport safe. Psychiatric care may help patients with their mental disorders at the same time.

When the symptoms of physical dependence gradually disappear over a period of weeks, and when the patient is in reasonable mental health, rehab treatment starts the patient off on psychological work.

Accepting Help from a Qualified Rehab

Not every alcohol and drug rehab in Williamsport can help patients. Quality tends to be uneven. Most rehabs follow outdated treatment procedures. Looking for a CARF- or Joint Commission-certified rehab is an excellent way to proceed. It's something to keep in mind when attempting to find the best drug rehab in Williamsport. Finding a good rehab, alone, is half the battle won. Call Williamsport Drug and Alcohol Rehab Centers today at (877) 804-1531.