Prescription Medication Addiction Treatment
Prescription medications help millions of people worldwide deal with pain or treat specific ailments and symptoms so they can have a better quality of life. These powerful medications are prescribed by doctors, who gauge if a patient would benefit from them and then provide a specific dosage, but that doesn’t mean these drugs will remain in the hands of the patient or be used in the way the doctor recommends.
Since these drugs do have potent side effects and have the potential to become both psychologically or physically addictive, they can be misused. While most prescription medication is beneficial to patients, when taken incorrectly, prescription medication can be as detrimental to those who misuse them, similar to illicit drug addiction. The use of prescription drugs outside of medical applications continues to grow at an alarming rate in countries worldwide, not only in South Africa.
Prescription drug abuse, also called prescription drug misuse, encompasses the following:
- Patients who are upping doses higher than recommended.
- Taking a friend or family prescription medication for recreational purposes.
- Snorting or injecting ground-up pills to get high.
Prescription drug abuse can easily be hidden from friends and family in the early stages, but the abuse may become clear after ongoing and compulsive misuse, despite the negative consequences.
Seek out help for Prescription Medication
If you or a loved one feel that there is a problem with your prescription drug use, you should start by speaking to your family doctor first. A trusted healthcare professional might be the easier path, as it might be less embarrassing to talk about it with someone you know and trust.
It’s easier to face the problem early before it becomes an addiction and leads to more serious problems. Together with your doctor’s recommendations, and your family, you can decide if you need additional help, like checking yourself into a rehabilitation centre.
Our team of rehab counsellors are experts in addition and understand the path to sobriety is not a straight road. Each of us is unique, and our situations are different, but we’re here to help you should you be ready to make a change. Find the best treatment and begin your new life free from prescription drug addiction.
Treating your prescription medication addiction
If the treatment options you have taken in the past have not helped you with your addiction to prescription medicine, the next step would be to enter a rehab facility like The Cedars.
Once you’ve booked yourself into one of our facilities across South Africa for your prescription medication addiction, you will be accessed by our counsellors, and a treatment program will be set out for you to follow with support from our team.
Your addiction treatment can include medical supervision designed to minimise withdrawal symptoms and make the process of recovery less painful.
We will assist you with a comprehensive rehabilitation programme for your addition to prescription medication, help care for your overall mental health and identify the root cause of your addiction. You will work with our team of counsellors to help identify critical issues driving your addiction, tackle them and work towards a life of sobriety and self-control.
During rehabilitation, you will also be provided with various tools to help you achieve long-term sobriety so that once you’re back home, you have the mental clarity and recovery information to avoid relapsing.
Post-treatment for prescription medication addiction
Once you are discharged from our facility, if you wish, you can continue treatment. We are open to providing additional post-treatment support. Studies have shown that recovering addicts who take advantage of aftercare stand a better chance of avoiding a relapse.
So reach out to us after your stay should you require additional support.
Don’t let your addiction to prescription medication rule your life. Take control today by getting in touch with us for professional help.
The pros and cons of prescription medication rehab
No treatment for prescription medication addiction will be successful if an addict cannot accept that they have a problem and genuinely devote themselves to their treatment. Seeking support is not a sign of weakness but a sign that you are committed to the recovery process and wish to enact positive change in your life.
The advantages of seeking addiction treatment in a private rehab like The Cedars are numerous. We are equipped with some of the top addiction counsellors in South Africa, with years of experience in helping those battling with a prescription drug addiction to achieve a full recovery in a safe environment.
Other benefits of getting your addiction treated in our facility include the following:
- Quick admission
- Medical supervision
- Personalised treatment
- Private care
- 24-hour supervision
- Safe and peaceful environments
- High-quality facilities
- Aftercare services
These benefits, along with tailored solutions for your specific case, are available to anyone seeking private rehab treatment with The Cedars in South Africa.
chemical addictions
- CAT
- Cocaine
- Crystal Meth
- Hallucinogens
- Heroine
- Inhalants
- Ketamine
- Marijuana
- MDMA/Ecstasy
- Prescription Medication
- Prescription Opioids
- Prescription Stimulants
- Synthetic Cannabinoids
- Synthetic Cathinones
behavioural addictions
- Eating Disorders
- Exercise Addiction
- Gambling Disorder
- Gaming Addiction
- Pornography Addiction
- Sex Addiction
- Shopping Addiction
- Social Media Addiction
treatment phases & length
Primary Phase
inclusions
- Medication assisted stabilization and withdrawal management
- Daily group-based therapy including interactive, discussion
and focus groups - Regular individual therapy sessions with a counsellor
- Introduction to 12-Step program and written Step work
- Counselling sessions and assessments with a psychologist
- Educational workshops about addiction related topics
- Family therapy sessions (arranged by Zoom if necessary)
- 12-Step Meetings
- Community outings involving fun sober recreational activities
- Healthy meals prepared by our in-house chef, regular aerobic exercise and yoga classes offered by a personal trainer, excursions
Secondary Phase
inclusions
- Daily group-based therapy including interactive, discussion and focus groups
- Regular individual therapy sessions with a counsellor
- Counselling sessions and assessments with a psychologist
- Educational workshops about addiction related topics
- Family therapy sessions (arranged by Zoom if necessary)
- 12-Step Meetings
- Community outings involving fun, sober recreational activities
Tertiary Phase
inclusions
- Accommodation and meals
- Weekly check-in groups
- Check-in sessions with their counsellor, by appointment
- Weekly 12 Step meetings
post treatment support
If you require post-treatment counselling, please click here