Location
Our Washington Location
Our inpatient facility is located in Washington, and will serve Washington state. It will provide a safe & therapeutic environment for both our staff and patients.
- Edmonds
7416 212th St SW,
Edmonds, WA 98026
Learn about Prescription Drug Rehab for Your Recovery
The State of Washington is home for more than 7 million people in the United States. It's one of the most beautiful places in the country, and experts believe that the population will only grow in the coming years. This is partially due to the fact that the economy is doing so well. The tech industry is booming, and entrepreneurs have found the state to be the perfect place to start their new businesses. The culture is centered around coffeehouses, music and a modern lifestyle. Unfortunately, that modern lifestyle also includes drug addiction for many.
One of the most dangerous addictions is prescription drug addiction, and it's a big problem in Washington State. Many people fall into the trap of becoming addicted to prescription drugs purely by accident because they assume that anything a doctor prescribes must be relatively safe for them to take. Almost 6% of all drug addictions are for prescriptions, and that number is sure to go up in the coming months and years. Perhaps you are someone who fell into that same trap. You were prescribed medications by your doctor, and without realizing they were addictive, you took a higher dose than was recommended, or you took them for too long. Regardless of the reasons, you're now addicted, and you're looking for a way out.
You don’t have to feel hopeless or lost in your addiction. Whether it’s you or a loved one, education can help you develop the skills you need to fight this monster. Let's talk in more detail about prescription drug addiction, as well as how drug rehab can help you overcome it.
How do You Know If You Need Drug Rehab?
Maybe you're reading this because you suspect you might have an addiction to prescription drugs, but you're not really sure. A drug rehab program can help you even if your addiction is still relatively new, or fairly mild. Still, there are some questions you can ask yourself to determine if your addiction is serious enough to require professional treatment.
- Do you find that you're asking your doctor to refill your prescriptions before the medication was supposed to be gone?
- Have you ever pretended to lose a prescription so that you can get a replacement?
- Have you ever crushed or broken your pills in an attempt to get them to work faster?
- Have you ever been caught stealing prescription medications that belonged to a family member?
- Have you ever visited multiple doctors for the same condition to get prescriptions?
- Have you ever attempted to forge a prescription or change it?
- Do you take over-the-counter medications to treat conditions so that you can save your prescription medications for other purposes?
- Have you ever ordered prescription medications online to avoid having to explain your need for more to your pharmacist?
If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, it is indicative of a prescription drug addiction. The right kind of rehab can help you overcome your addiction and get the treatment you need. You are a candidate for drug treatment if any of the above apply to you. It can be nearly impossible to stop using prescription drugs on your own, and those who do, often gravitate toward other types of drugs instead. Getting addiction treatment will help you avoid the downward spiral of addition before it gets any worse.
The Difference between Abuse and Addiction
You’ve probably heard both of the terms, drug abuse and drug addiction, used in conversations and literature. Many times, they are used to mean the same thing, but they are different. It’s important to understand the cycle of abuse and how it leads to addiction, especially when it comes to prescription drugs. For the family member of someone who is on prescription medications, they should understand what constitutes abuse. As they become educated about the dangers and risks, they can advocate for their loved one and even prevent abuse.
Abusing a prescription drug can happen quite by accident. You may not intend to do it, but it just happens. You start out taking a prescription medication as ordered by your doctor. It works just as you had hoped. The problem with many of these medications is your body builds a tolerance to them. Then, they stop working as well.
You or even your doctor may increase the dosage to get the same effects. You may take a pill just a little sooner than what you’re supposed to. You may take an extra pill because the first one didn’t help. You notice an improvement, so you keep taking the increased dose.
Over time, the medication will stop working again. You must increase it another time. As you run out of the drug before you’re supposed to, you come up with excuses for your doctor as to why you need a new prescription. You may go to multiple doctors to get new prescriptions.
Any time a person takes a prescription drug in a way that’s different from how it was prescribed, they are abusing it. If you take a medication not prescribed to you, it’s also drug abuse. A family member or friend may give it to you for some pain because you can’t afford to go to the doctor or just to be nice or you may steal it from someone else. This is also drug abuse.
A person who is abusing a prescription medication can stop anytime they want to. It may be more difficult because of the condition the medication was prescribed for, but their body isn’t dependent on it. They won’t suffer from withdrawal symptoms. However, continued drug abuse causes the system to develop a tolerance to the drug. As the body becomes more dependent on the medication, it requires it to function.
Your brain has gotten used to having the drug in your system. It sees this as what’s normal. When you don’t have the medication in your system, the brain sends out a warning in the form of withdrawal symptoms. These become increasingly severe until you get more of the drug. This vicious cycle is what drug addiction looks like.
Types of Prescription Drugs That Lead to Addiction
There are generally three classes of prescription drugs that people become addicted to. They are stimulants, opiates and tranquilizers or sedatives. These three types of medications are meant to be used in ways to treat specific illnesses or conditions. Unfortunately, they're often misused, and most of the time, the person who misuses them never intends to become addicted to them at all.
These are medications that are commonly prescribed for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or similar behavioral or attention disorders. This class would include medications like Adderal, Ritalin and Concerta. Some of these are commonly prescribed for children to help them pay attention in school, but they're also regularly prescribed for adults who struggle with attention problems too. When people feel as though the prescribed dosage isn't helping, they often will increase it on their own. When these medications are used for a long period of time, they can also become addictive in nature.
Some people experience severe or chronic pain that lasts for a long time. For cases like this, doctors will usually prescribe some type of opiate (or opioid) pain reliever. A few examples would include Vicodin (or Hydrocodone), OxyContin (or Oxy or Oxycodone), Dilaudid, Fentanyl, Methadone and Demerol. These medications work very quickly, and they can make you feel a bit drowsy too. A tolerance can be built up in a relatively short period of time, and this can lead to using more of the drugs to get relief. It's not surprising that when that happens, an addiction is usually the result.
These can be prescribed for a variety of reasons, but most people take them when they suffer from chronic insomnia, or when they have severe anxiety that isn't able to be relieved by any other methods. Some examples of tranquilizers or sedatives include Ativan, Xanax, Ambien, Sonata, and Klonopin. In the same way as with other prescription drugs, increasing your dosage or taking these medications for a long time often results in addiction.
A prescription drug addiction can be dangerous, and it's important to reach out for help if you think you're suffering from this condition. Prescription drug rehab is the best way to minimize any withdrawal symptoms you might experience once you do quit taking the medication. Because serious medical issues can result, it's a good idea to quit under professional supervision to be sure you don't have any complications that could potentially be life threatening.
The Dangers of Abusing Prescription Drugs
One of the biggest dangers of prescription drug abuse is the faulty view that these medications are safe. Because they are prescribed by a doctor to treat a specific condition, people think they aren’t dangerous. It won’t hurt if they take just a little more than what they’re supposed to. Even if the drugs come with warnings not to operate machinery or take more than so many pills in a certain time, people just aren’t afraid of these medications.
However, even when you’re taking the drugs like prescribed, they carry risks. They may have serious side effects for those who have an allergic reaction. These same side effects can be present if you take too many of the drug.
What you may not realize is taking too much of a prescription medication can lead to an overdose. In fact, statistics show that in many areas more people go to the emergency room for overdose on prescription drugs than on illicit substances.
An overdose can happen with a small increase from your prescribed dose. Just a couple more pills may be two more than what your body can handle. It can lead to unresponsiveness, unconsciousness and even death.
People who take prescription drugs and don’t take them seriously may think nothing of combining them with each other or with alcohol. The effects can be magnified or even changed completely. For example, a person who takes two depressants may be at risk for overdose because both drugs are designed to slow the system down. Slow it down too much and you may stop breathing or your heart may stop beating.
When you take a depressant with a stimulant, the depressant may dull the effects of the stimulant so that you don’t realize you’re taking as much as you are until your body responds. A depressant can lessen the results of the stimulant, causing you to think you need even more.
Many of those who start out abusing prescription drugs go on to use other drugs. When they can no longer get it from their doctor, they may start searching for their prescription medication on the street. However, it’s often expensive to buy it from a dealer, so they may be forced to switch to something cheaper. A prime example is with opiates. You may start out taking OxyContin of Vicodin for pain, but when you can’t get it, you turn to heroin which is much cheaper and in the same opioid family.
In many cases, a prescription drug may be given to treat a mental health disorder. For instance, ADD or ADHD is often treated with a stimulant. A depressant may be prescribed for anxiety or depression. Even if the person takes the medication as prescribed, they are at a risk to become addicted. As they develop a tolerance to it, they may decide to increase the dosage on their own because their symptoms have worsened.
If a person with a mental illness develops an addiction, it’s important to treat both conditions. Otherwise, treating only the addiction is likely to be unsuccessful. They will continue to deal with the symptoms of the mental illness, which will lead them to make different attempts at hiding them.
One of the challenges of a person with co-occurring disorders is diagnosis. They are adept at hiding the addiction because they have become skilled at masking the symptoms of their illness. Many times, they are able to function and no one can tell there’s a problem until it has become advanced.
To treat someone with co-existing disorders, you need to find a clinic or rehab facility that specializes in dual diagnosis. You may attend therapy for your addiction and mental illness. The therapist may try you on a new medication for your illness, but they will be careful with their options because of your addiction. You may need regular monitoring for months to ensure the mental illness symptoms are under control.
It’s challenging to deal with a dual diagnosis, but it can be done. You don’t need to hide or avoid treatment because you have a mental illness. With the right treatment plan at a drug rehab center, you can enjoy a happy life regardless of your diagnosis.
What Do I Need to Do If I’m Addicted?
It may be recommended for you to go to drug detox, and this will largely depend on a few different factors. These include:
- How long you have been using prescription drugs
- What types of prescription drugs you have been using
- Whether or not you are determined to be at risk for developing serious medical issues when you quit
- The strength of your support system back at home
- Your willingness to participate with a drug detox program
Detox is a process where the prescription drug is removed from your system and your brain and body readjust to normal function without it. One of the most frightening aspects of detox for addicts is the thought of going through the withdrawal symptoms, which can be painful, depending on your drug addiction. However, detox facilities have programs that reduce or eliminate the symptoms of withdrawal.
The symptoms you will experience when you stop abusing a prescription medication will vary, depending on the type of drug and how much you’ve been using. Some of these symptoms are physical in nature and include the following:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Muscle aches
- Weakness
- Tiredness
- Insomnia
- Sleepiness
- Fever or flushing
- Sweating
- Headaches
You may also experience mental symptoms that are even more uncomfortable. These include:
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Anger
- Hallucinations
- Paranoia
- Suicidal thoughts
If the physical and mental symptoms of withdrawal aren’t managed, they can lead to serious side effects, including a medical emergency or relapse.
What are My Options for Detox?
When you think about all the symptoms of withdrawal that can occur with prescription medications which are generally considered safe, it may cause you to wonder what options you have available to prevent this part of the process.
Many programs include medical detox as part of the process. This means you’ll be prescribed a medication to help with these symptoms. The drug may make them less painful or even stop them altogether.
Medical detox can be beneficial, especially for the long-term drug user who is frightened at the thought of giving up their drugs. It can speed up the process or slow it down as necessary to make detoxing more bearable. For instance, instead of coming off a prescription drug completely at once, it may be recommended that you are weaned off it slowly. Another drug may be given in place of it which mimics the effects but at a reduced risk for addiction. It tricks the brain into thinking you’re still getting the euphoria from the drug until It’s out of your system and the body is back to functioning normally.
While medical detox has a place in drug treatment, it’s not always the best method. You run a risk of developing an addiction to the medication being used since many of them are similar to the drug you’ve been abusing. You can also delay getting treatment for your addiction because the detox process takes longer.
Here at Northpoint Washington, our prescription drug detox program is a holistic one, and that means that we rely on natural methods (such as diet and exercise) in order to facilitate the detoxification process. Many times, a recovering addict is lacking certain nutrients in their diet. When you get these nutrients through healthy meals, they can fight the symptoms of withdrawal. For instance, getting enough vitamin B can reduce the anxiety you feel. A well-balanced diet that helps you get what you may have been lacking can reduce your withdrawal symptoms.
Exercise is also a key component of holistic detox. When you work out, your brain releases endorphins that give you a natural high. That’s why so many people feel good even when they’re tired after a workout. These endorphins are similar to what you feel when you get high with a drug. Exercise tricks your mind into thinking you’re still using because it gives you a sense of euphoria, which helps prevent withdrawal symptoms.
The benefit of using a holistic detox process is you don’t have to worry about becoming addicted to another substance. It also starts you out right taking care of your body, which can help you feel better and be more confident in your ability to overcome addiction.
Detox can help you feel better much faster so that you can enter drug treatment with a clearer focus on your goals for recovery.
What is Prescription Drug Treatment Like?
When you go to prescription drug treatment, you'll find that it's very conducive to your recovery. In most cases, the atmosphere is quite serene and relaxing. You'll be able to focus on getting better while you're there, and you'll receive the best support from the staff members.
For most people, there are specific reasons why their prescription drug addiction formed. Maybe yours formed purely by accident, and now you're dealing with addiction consequences that are mostly physical in nature. However, it's possible that you use prescription medications as a way to cover up some type of pain in your life. If there has been a traumatic event in your past, your prescription medications can help to give you temporary relief from those memories.
Individual counseling is important during prescription drug rehab, and when you talk with your counselor, he or she will work with you to uncover what that pain is so that you can deal with it and heal from it the right away. You'll also talk about how you can avoid relapsing back to your addictive behaviors in the future.
Group therapy is also an important part of the process when you go to drug rehab. You'll meet a lot of different people who all have something very important in common with you - they're all suffering from addiction just like you are. Talking with them will give you fresh insight into your own life and behaviors.
If it makes you nervous to think about the possibility of "baring it all" to a stranger, we want to assure you that while it might be difficult at first, many people find that it helps to have a group of your peers that you can talk to about your challenges and background. They can relate to you, and together you'll work toward holding each other accountable for sticking with your goals.
You may attend a rehab center that make health and wellness the focus for treatment. In this scenario, the treatment plan is about caring for the whole individual and not just addressing their addiction. Because the person likely suffered from some kind of condition, whether mental or physical, the drug addiction treatment isn’t enough for success. The therapist must address the other issues. They may use nutrition and exercise as part of the plan to help the person become healthy. The addict may need to deal with physical pain in a holistic way rather than relying on medications. They may need to follow a diet plan that will help them feel better.
Exercise is often a key component in these wellness plans. Not only can it help reduce some kinds of pain and improve your overall physical health, it has many mental benefits as well. When you work out and get in shape, you’ll feel more confident and able to take on other challenges. The endorphins that are released when you work out make you feel good and give you a natural high that can be addictive in its own way.
You may find alternative programs in these drug addiction treatment centers. Alternative therapy is often used in conjunction with traditional therapy. It helps the therapist learn more about the person or allows the addict to find new ways to express their emotions. It can help them open up or have something to look forward to. Some of these programs are fun, which is often a sensation the person hasn’t felt in a long time. They may participate in music or art projects, journal in a notebook, work in a garden or take care of pets. The alternative therapy gives the person something to focus on besides their addiction.
If you’re searching for a drug addiction treatment program, you should look at the services and programs provided. Compare your options and find one that best fits your needs. You can even tour the facility to determine if you feel comfortable there and if you’re confident that the staff can help you begin your journey to sobriety.
What Types of Treatment are Available?
One of your primary decisions is what type of treatment you want for your drug rehab. Many times, drug addicts think about inpatient rehab as their only option. While it’s definitely one of the most popular choices and statistics show it works, it’s by no means the only choice or even the best one for every person.
With this type of program, you apply to stay at the facility for a period of treatment. It’s usually no more than 30 days and sometimes even less time. You have a room where you stay and other amenities you can enjoy when you aren’t in treatment. You’ll likely attend therapy every day with group meetings and even individual sessions. The main benefit of this type of program is being able to get away from the negative influences in your life, such as people who abuse drugs or stressors. You can focus on beginning recovery with no distractions.
If you have a severe addiction that has been plaguing you for years or you’ve already been in treatment one or more times, you may even select a residential rehab center. This program extends your stay past 30 days to so many months until you’re ready to go out on your own.
This program allows you to go home, go to work or school and take care of your family while attending treatment. You’ll be given a schedule of when to attend therapy which fits with your other routines. Some people prefer to attend rehab during the day when their kids are at school or in daycare. Others may choose an evening schedule or one on the weekend so they can still go to work.
No matter when you attend therapy, you still have the individual meetings along with group therapy to help you deal with addiction. You may find family therapy and alternative programs as part of your outpatient treatment plan. The reason this type of program is successful is that it allows people to seek out drug rehab when they aren’t able to go to inpatient treatment because of obligations.
To be successful with outpatient care, you should have a strong support network to keep encouraging you. You need to be aware of the risks of relapse if you fall back into old patterns or hang out with the wrong people. Some people choose an intensive outpatient program which provides even longer therapy sessions while still allowing them to go home at night or to work.
No matter which options appeals most to you, drug rehab can help you overcome your addiction. Just make sure you’re selecting the type of program that will help you be successful and avoid relapse.
Will Insurance Pay for my Rehab?
One of the reasons so many people put off thinking about going to drug rehab is because they're extremely worried about how much it's going to cost them. Most people don't have the money to pay for treatment out of pocket, and because of recent changes in the healthcare laws in the United States, they don't have to. The Affordable Care Act makes it possible for you to attend prescription drug rehab because all insurance companies are now required to provide coverage for addiction treatment services. While you might not have benefits that cover your entire stay at an inpatient rehab facility, most insurance companies will cover the majority of the cost. Either way, The Affordable Care Act has made getting substance abuse treatment so much more affordable for the people who really need it but wouldn't get it otherwise.
When Your Family Member is addicted
If you’ve read the signs of prescription drug abuse and addiction and you recognize a problem for your loved one, you need to know how to get them the help they need. It’s important to present the facts about the risk of addiction with prescription drugs. It may be that they aren’t aware that a drug is addictive or how serious it is to take more than what has been prescribed.
You should present information in a factual way without sounding accusatory. You can even ask them questions like “Did you know it’s possible to become addicted to Vicodin?” or “Did you know that OxyContin is an opiate like heroin?” These questions can cause them to ponder their situation or lead to a discussion where they don’t feel threatened or defensive.
Ask them to read information about prescription drug addiction. Research about the specific drug they are taking to help them understand the dangers.
It’s possible that your loved one is unable to stop using the drug even if they are aware of the addiction. You can talk to them about the resources available for treatment. If you cannot convince them to get help through a drug addiction program, you may need to reach out for help yourself. You can find intervention services that will assist you in developing an intervention to convince your family member of the need for treatment. Once the intervention is held, they may be able to go to therapy immediately.
It’s important to take prescription drug abuse seriously if you are worried about a loved one. Don’t brush off your concerns because the doctor is taking care of the person. You never know when an addiction may develop.
How to Find the Best Prescription Drug Rehab in Washington
Perhaps you're thinking more seriously now about choosing drug rehab in Washington as a way to overcome your addiction. However, if you're going to take some time and enter an inpatient treatment facility, you want to be sure you're choosing the best one available to you.
While you do have a lot of options, here at Northpoint Washington, we have to admit that we're quite proud of the program we offer. We understand the importance of maintaining a small population size to give you the personalized attention you really need while you're staying with us. We also incorporate multiple treatment methods into our prescription drug rehab program. You'll be evaluated for detoxification, and you'll get counseling and participate in group activities and therapy. We utilize the 12 Step Program method because it's been shown to be so effective for so many people for several decades. Our staff is also professional and extremely qualified to provide you with the best drug rehab experience in Washington.
In addition, all of our patients receive a personalized treatment plan. Our goal is to be sure your needs are being met. We want to help you recover so that you can start to work on some of your own goals once your time with us has been completed.
When you choose Northpoint Washington for prescription drug rehab, you're making the decision to go to a rehabilitation program that's filled with people who truly care about your recovery. We invest in the patients in our care at Northpoint Washington, and we are determined to help you be successful in your quit.
We offer a 35-bed facility that's the perfect setting for rehab. It's quiet and it's relaxing. It's just what you need when you're interested in getting away from the rigors and stress of everyday life so that you can concentrate on getting better. If you would like to talk with us about entering our prescription drug rehab program, we would be happy to provide you with a recommendation for treatment. We will even check your insurance benefits for you so that you will know exactly what type of coverage you have.
If you would like additional information about prescription drug rehab in Washington at Northpoint Washington, please contact us.
Talk to a Rehab Specialist
Our admissions coordinators are here to help you get started with treatment the right way. They'll verify your health insurance, help set up travel arrangements, and make sure your transition into treatment is smooth and hassle-free.
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