LICIT DRUG DEPENDENCE – Medication

Addiction to a certain medicine can be developed in just two weeks of continuous use, even when prescribed by a doctor. This dependence can be both psychological and physical. The medication used to treat anxiety and insomnia includes benzodiazepines, barbiturates, among others.

Characteristics of licit drug addiction

Dependence on hypnotics and anxiolytics causes a decreased alertness and leads to a babbling speech articulation, a poor coordination, a state of mental disturbance and a slow breathing. This medication can produce mood swings between depression and anxiety. Some people experience memory loss, wrong decision making, loss of attention and an enormous emotional change. The elderly may appear to be insane; they can speak slowly; they can have problems with thinking and understanding others. This can also lead to occurrence of falls, resulting in bone fractures, especially hip fracture

Each substance has a different effect and has a different potential for dependence and tolerance. Broadly speaking, all the people who become addicted to this type of medication started by using it as a form of therapy for a period that should have been limited.

Sometimes, the need for high doses over long periods in order to treat a serious problem leads to addiction, but it is common for patients to use more mediation than the one prescribed, which promotes drug addiction that is difficult to avoid.

Lack of motivation, loss of interest and seclusion are telling signs and consequences of this problem.

How we work with legal drug addiction

For those individuals already dependent on medication, it is required a withdrawal under medical supervision to minimize the effects of the absence of medication in the body. Under close medical supervision (Psychiatrist) and 24-hour monitoring by our team, the patient will have a treatment plan according to the specificity of their problem. It will also have a strong sports component that will allow the body to detox and restore the essential levels for proper functioning.

All other therapeutic and complementary activities, individual and group, will restore healthy patterns of relationships with themselves (self-esteem) and with others.