The Detroit metropolitan area is no stranger to the drug trade. Serving as a transport point for illicit drugs such as heroin, ecstasy and methamphetamines distributed throughout the Michigan, Detroit and Wayne County have seen a rise in drug circulation in recent years. In fact, in 2005 alone, heroin remained the most frequently cited drug among Detroit drug treatment admissions, accounting for nearly 40 percent of those seeking professional rehabilitation in the region.

Breaking Physical Addiction in Drug Rehab Facilities

Detroit drug treatment most often begins with the detoxification phase, aimed at allowing the body to eliminate the drug’s chemicals and return to its naturally sober state. Physical addiction to drugs builds over time, due to chemical alterations in the brain, drug tolerance and increased usage.

Drug tolerance rapidly develops during drug use, with patients finding that they need increasing dosages in order to achieve the same results. Unchecked, this tolerance leads to more frequent and higher concentrations of use, triggering chemical addiction. Additionally, some drugs, such as narcotics, trigger the release of endorphins – the body’s natural mood-enhancers – and bind to the endorphin receptors in the brain. As naturally occurring neurotransmitters, endorphins help alleviate pain and create a sense of pleasure and energy – along with other brain chemicals such as serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. As drugs trigger excess chemical production, they lower the body’s natural production of endorphins and other important, organically produced chemicals.

Treating Psychological Addiction at Rehab Facilities

Among those struggling with drug addiction across the greater Wayne County area, physical responses represent only one facet of drug addiction. Drug-addicted individuals also encounter emotional and psychological reasons – some of them personal and specific – that lead to the “psychic need” experienced when drug addiction takes place. With repeated use, drugs can alter the brain’s neuropathways to create conditioned associations between the drug itself and feelings of well-being. Over time and with reinforcement, even the sight of drug paraphernalia can initiate a response in the drug-addicted individual.

Additionally, many of the reasons that drug use begins in the first place – such as the escape of painful emotions, unmanageable stress  or traumatic  experiences – have a hand in reinforcing psychological aspects of drug addiction themselves. Individuals often use drugs to escape these emotions, because they lack the tools to productively deal with emotional or psychological pain. While drug use provides a temporary reprieve, it also ensures that over time, the addicted individual never acquires the skills they need to cope with internal challenges. As a result, circumstances and emotional pain worsens, leaving the drug-addicted individual with little recourse beyond the next high. Once the physical bonds of addiction have been released through detox, the drug-addicted individual can focus on treating the psychological addiction. Through techniques such as talk therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), EMDR and progressive relaxation methods, therapists can help identify contributing factors for psychological addiction and work at healing the mental processes that lead to drug-seeking behavior.

Recovery for Detroit Addicts at Rehab Facilities

If you or someone you love has battled with drug addiction in the Detroit metropolitan area or elsewhere, professional addiction rehab facilities located all over the US can treat both the psychological and physical aspects of addiction. In inpatient drug treatment centers, psychological counseling is paired with professional detoxification in order to help patients deal with all aspects of drug addiction. With caring and compassionate addiction professionals guiding you or a loved one through recovery, holistic addiction rehab centers can offer a safe, sober reprieve to allow for the healing of the body and mind — and a lifetime of mental and physical health in recovery.