Ambulatory, Outpatient Addiction Treatment

Ambulatory, Outpatient Addiction Treatment

Outpatients

Ambulatory or outpatient treatment does not involve an overnight stay at a treatment facility, but it can provide effective outpatient rehab in New Jersey. Outpatient or ambulatory care takes place at a facility that specializes in treating substance use disorders. Treatment at outpatient rehabs in New Jersey can accommodate the needs of acute withdrawal while also providing maintenance substance use disorder treatment.

Less Disruptive and More Effective at Lower Cost

Outpatient treatment for addiction is more convenient to patients because it does not uproot them from the home environment in order to access treatment. Ambulatory or outpatient detox and outpatient rehab in New Jersey is easily accessible and helps reduce the stigma associated with the disease of addiction because it normalizes the disease.

Other chronic diseases, like diabetes or even contagious HIV, do not require constricting inpatient treatment, but for addiction, inpatient detoxification and rehabilitation is the default modality of treatment, which only serves to perpetuate the stigma associated with the disease.

Benefits of Ambulatory Outpatient

Ambulatory, or outpatient addiction treatment is also effective because it incorporates the home environment into treatment instead of isolating the individual suffering from his or her living environment. Individuals suffering from addiction have to learn to live sober in their home environment eventually, and in outpatient treatment, learning skills to live sober in the home environment starts on day one of treatment.

Well over 95% of patients go through inpatient detoxification and rehabilitation, which has so far delivered abysmal results. The national overdose death rate turned down in 2018 only with the wider availability and acceptance of outpatient treatment for addiction.

Among other benefits, outpatient rehab in New Jersey tends to cost less to the patient, as co-pays and deductibles are minimal in for in-network facilities such as CNT, and they are less expensive as overnight stay is eliminated. Private Health Insurance providers usually cover the cost of care, after co-pays and deductibles are met.

Most private health insurance providers prefer that the individual suffering from substance use disorders access outpatient care first. This is because outpatient treatment is usually more effective and the cost to the payor is less. With the emergence of outpatient detoxification for the most acute level of care for substance use disorders, inpatient treatment is losing its relevance.

Ambulatory Outpatient Care Settings

Travel

DOCTOR’S OFFICE

Patients visit a ASAM Certified Addiction Medicine Expert in order to get an evaluation and determine level of care. If the physician determines that the patient is not in need of any intense level of treatment and can be treated at the doctor’s office with therapy and supportive medication, care can continue at the office. Otherwise, the patient is referred to a higher level of care at a facility. Although a physician’s office is an outpatient setting, detoxification is not performed at the office as it requires extended monitoring and a stock of detox-related medications, which, usually, is not stocked in a doctor’s office.

OUTPATIENT FACILITIES

Some programs offer non-acute levels of addiction treatment in an outpatient setting. Usually, these facilities offer IOP (intensive outpatient) and PC (partial Care) programs at these facilities. These are stand-alone facilities that specialize in substance abuse treatment. PC is a sub-acute level of acre and it is step-down level of care from detox (the most acute level of care). Programming is usually 5 days a week on weekdays and lasts about 5 hours each day. IOP programs are a step-down from PC level of care. They usually run 3 times a week and they last about 3 hour each day. After a patient completes the IOP level of care successfully, they are usually referred out to either an ASAM certified physician, Board Certified Psychiatrist or a Licensed Therapist, such as an LCSW, LCADC, for continued outpatient therapy and medication management.

Outpatient Detoxification and Rehabilitation Facilities

The life After Rehabilitation

Ambulatory Detox sometimes referred to as Outpatient Detox, is a relatively new level of care. While the treatment is the same as in an inpatient facility, patients get to go home at the end of the day after spending an extended period of time at the facility during the day under medical supervision and while being administered detox-related medications. Ambulatory Detox helps it more easy to access detoxification treatment as the patient does not have to leave the home environment to access addiction treatment. The Center For Network Therapy is a pioneer in offering Outpatient Detoxification from all substances – alcohol, anesthetics, benzodiazepines and opiates. By offering outpatient rehab in New Jersey, CNT has expanded treatment options for New Jersey residents. America’s leading addiction medicine expert is CNT’s Medical Director and she has been awarded by the Addiction Boards for innovating to the Ambulatory Detox level of acre and proving it to be safe and effective.

 

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Alcohol and Drug Detox and Rehab Centers

Alcohol and Drug Detox and Rehab Centers

help teen with stress

Rehabilitation facilities are utilized to recover from various medical conditions – physical, mental illness, and addiction. Drug and alcohol detoxification and rehab centers specialize in treating individuals addicted to various substances.

Most drug and alcohol detoxification and rehab facilities treat a range of chemical dependency. The major difference is in the modality of care – inpatient or outpatient. Some treatment programs differentiate themselves based on age or gender-based treatment.

Having good health insurance coverage allows an individual to have greater options in treatment. Believe it or not, there are drug and alcohol detox and rehab centers that mimic a luxury hotel or resort! While that does not ensure high-quality treatment, it definitely strokes the ego. It is important to get a sense of the quality of treatment before joining the program.

What Factors Make a High Quality Addiction Treatment Center?

Please make sure that the addiction treatment facility you choose is right for you. This choice is very personal but there are some other factors to consider. Not everyone benefits from the same procedures due to different types of addictions, usage patterns, physical and psychological conditions. Even though each treatment program is different, there are a few standards elements to consider while choosing the most ideal rehab program:

 

  • Utilizing established treatment protocols (not something funny, like rapid detox)
  • Focusing on the patient’s living environment by involving family in treatment
  • Staff certification and training
  • Experience in treating your specific addiction
  • Individualized treatment plans
  • On-going evaluation plans
  • Overcoming addiction success rates
  • Caring and empathetic staff member
  • Supportive and highly experienced individual and group therapy
  • Aftercare and relapse prevention support
  • Experience in treating mental health disorders and physical withdrawal symptoms

 

What to Expect in Rehab Center?

Prior to treatment admission, patients go through a personal evaluation guided by an addiction counselor. A typical assessment includes a comprehensive psycho-social evaluation, medical check-up, medical record review, urine screening, blood testing and more. The rehab facility collects as much health-related information to assist the patient to overcome the addiction.

 

Additional assessments should include:

  • Patterns of alcohol or drug abuse
  • Past rehab experience
  • Medical conditions
  • Mental status
  • Living conditions and supportive environment
  • Physical disabilities
  • Financial support

 

During the process, with the help of counselors and doctors, patients establish treatment goals. The patient volunteers to commit to the addiction treatment by establishing near- short-term goals to drive a positive change to their lives. During rehab, patients acquire valuable education on withdrawal symptoms and side effects. In addition, individual and group therapy sessions provide a supportive environment and foundation on how to overcome relapse at the end of the treatment. Patients learn how to recognize drug abuse triggers and how to avoid the vicious circle of abuse.

 

People tend to think that drug rehab treatment takes place behind closed doors. However, most patients benefit from treatment that takes place in their living environment with maximal support from their family and friends. An outpatient treatment setting is now proven to be much more effective than the traditional inpatient modality.

Two Types of Rehab Programs

There are two main types of addiction treatment programs: inpatient and outpatient. Inpatient detoxification and rehab is the traditional way of treating dependence on alcohol and drugs. This modality of treatment has largely failed patients as evidenced by the continued overdose death rates for 20 years. Only when outpatient treatment through the utilization of Medication Assisted Treatment, or MAT, was introduced on a mass scale did overdose deaths turn south.

With the proven success of newer medications, the risk of relapse in the home environment during the detoxification process, the most acute phase of treatment, has been sufficiently mitigated. Consequently, detoxification on an outpatient basis to treat individuals suffering from a dependence on alcohol has become the most effective model. Outpatient detoxification and rehabilitation programs deliver better outcomes because they incorporate the patient’s living environment into treatment from day one of treatment. On the other hand, inpatient treatment cannot incorporate the home environment into treatment. When patients return home after treatment many find that they do not have the skills to cope with real-life stressors and relapse.

If you or your loved one struggling from alcohol or drug addiction, please reach out to an outpatient detoxification and rehabilitation center as soon as possible. At the Center for Network Therapy, our clinical team is highly experienced in treating addiction to all substances. Please contact us for an easier road to recovery. Call us for a cost-free consultation today or submit this form.

One of our addiction treatment experts will get back to you shortly.

 

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Heroin Addiction Treatment

Heroin Addiction Treatment

The Darkness of Drug Addiction

Opiates can all be extremely addictive, and heroin is a potent opiate with a high risk of overdose.

Short-term and long-term users risk lethal overdose every time they use it. Treating an addiction to heroin is difficult and requires medical, pharmacological and therapeutic support.

 

When dealing with heroin addiction, it’s important to get professional help in a qualified treatment center.
If your loved one is dealing with heroin addiction, please talk to an addiction professional today.
CNT is the best rehab center in NJ that specialist in heroin rehab treatments

Trying to come off of heroin cold turkey is not only excruciating it raises overdose risk if a relapse happens as tolerance for the opiate goes down several days after abuse is stopped.

 

What is Heroin?

Understanding the drug could help understand its dangers. Heroin is a natural derivative of opium. It produces a powerful high or euphoria. Opium is an ingredient in medical morphine that is used to relieve pain also. Like heroin, medical morphine also leads to the quick development of tolerance. The user needs more and more of the drug to achieve the same high or result. Serious side effects such as respiratory depression, drowsiness, and mental dysfunction may occur after usage. Withdrawal from heroin is marked by multiple symptoms, which are severe and making DIY detox extremely difficult.

 

Why Heroin is Dangerously Addictive?

Heroin is highly addictive not only because it produces a powerful high, but it is also marked by severe withdrawal symptoms. Consequently, the fear of withdrawal symptoms keeps people using the drug. Although withdrawal symptoms can be severe and excruciatingly painful, usually, it is not dangerous in that a user is not likely to develop seizures or strokes like from alcohol withdrawal or benzodiazepine withdrawal. Tremors, chills, out-of-body feelings, pain, nausea, vomiting, and psychological complications make the recovery progress very difficult. At the Center For Network Therapy, our team of nurses, physicians, and therapists address withdrawal symptoms effectively, based on each person’s individual needs, helping them to engage in therapeutic treatment to effect lifestyle changes they need to make.

 

Safest Way to Treat an Addiction to Heroin

Detox is the first step in treating the addiction because it provides relief from withdrawal symptoms that are extremely uncomfortable and may last for weeks. During the detoxification, medications are given to minimize the pain. When the drug leaves the body, withdrawal symptoms will start in just a few hours. A combination of medications and therapy is required to treat withdrawal symptoms, including cravings, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, and pain.

 

Aside from medical assistance, therapy is also an important element of CNT’s addiction treatment programs. Therapy helps with post-addiction depression and affects lifestyle changes needed to stay sober. CNT’s Ambulatory Detoxification generally produces better results due to the integration with the patient’s living environment.

 

Why Outpatient Detox

We believe that Ambulatory Detoxification delivers better outcomes because of the integration of the home environment. We use proven protocols that are used in the inpatient setting while providing all needed medications cost-free in a safe and moderate process. Our certified nurses and physicians monitor patients on a daily basis. Family involvement, group and individual therapy support recovery in this early phase.

 

Ambulatory detox lays down the foundation for a solid recovery with innovative adjustments:
Individualized treatment – patients benefit from customized medication treatment to make them comfortable.

 

Integration with the home environment – in contrast to the inpatient treatment, patients learn from the first day on how to deal with emotional withdrawal symptoms at their home environment. This part of the treatment reduces the risk of relapse when returning home from the rehab facility.

 

Family involvement – At CNT, family involvement in treatment is encouraged and it could play a significant role is supporting the patient at a critical time in recovery.

 

A longer length of stay – Another benefit of the outpatient program is that health insurance providers usually approve longer lengths of treatment – detoxification as well as other lower levels of treatment. The benefit to the patient is that longer lengths of stay in detoxification lead to minimization or total elimination of withdrawal symptoms and/or cravings.

 

Ongoing Recovery

Each individual’s recovery is unique. Some get on the path to recovery on the first attempt and for others, it takes multiple attempts. Length and severity of use determine the degree of withdrawal symptoms and length of treatment. Length of stay in an inpatient detox program is usually limited to 5-6 days and may not be enough minimized withdrawal symptoms or cravings. A longer length of treatment, family involvement, and community support, all play an important role in the recovery process. Our Outpatient Ambulatory Detoxification program builds a supportive network for each patient to support their sobriety.

 

You’re Not Alone

 

Entering a quality heroin addiction treatment is an important stepping stone to recovery. Personalized treatment is the core value at CNT. If you are looking for an effective heroin addiction treatment program, please contact us to ease your road to recovery. Call a treatment expert today if you or a loved one are experiencing addiction symptoms.

 

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What is an Intensive Outpatient Program?

What is an Intensive Outpatient Program?

doctor indangering patient

Are you considering a treatment program that will fully address your needs?
Do you prefer to get better in a less restrictive environment?
Does building a supportive network of friends and family important to you during the treatment process?

With a focus on laying a foundation for long-term recovery, our Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) addresses individual needs and helps you develop a supportive network at home. Alcohol and drug treatment addresses behavioral, psychological, and physical needs in a less restrictive environment than inpatient programs. With an innovative approach in mind, IOP combines therapy sessions with family and local community support. Taking into consideration that medically supervised detox is not required, individuals receive life-changing tools to stay sober.

 

The Center For Network Therapy has been highly dedicated to the recovery of numerous patients through fully-personalized IOP treatment. Patients participate in the treatment in the evening and are able to go to work during the day and home at night. At CNT, we believe that treatment based in the home environment yields better recovery rates with a lower chance of relapse at the end of the program.

 

There are two types of programs that treat addiction:

They are inpatient treatment and outpatient treatment. Traditional inpatient detox and rehab programs often necessary because of a need to monitor patients at risk of seizures and stroke during the alcohol or benzodiazepine withdrawal stage. However, when supervised medical care is not required for acute medical or psychological conditions, the outpatient setting has proven to be more effective.

Outpatient detoxification and rehabilitation programs deliver better outcomes because they incorporate the patient’s living environment into treatment from day one. Inpatient programs isolate the patient from their living environment and create an artificial one for them to stay sober. When people leave the inpatient treatment, they often turn back to old habits in their home environment, as they learned coping and relapse prevention skills in an environment that did not include their living situation

What to Expect When Participating in Intensive Outpatient Program?

All types of addictions can be treated in an outpatient setting. Individuals benefit from a treatment tailored to their unique needs. A blend of group and individual support helps our patients during the process:

Personalized Assessment –

Before the treatment begins, patients take part in a personalized assessment, during which our professional staff reviews the history, mental state and physical conditions of each patient. Once the assessment is complete, the most appropriate level of care is determined based on individual needs.

Family Involvement – Patients can drive themselves to the sessions or family members drop-off and pick-up patients from the facility. The family’s involvement in treatment is always welcome as they can have greater interaction with the clinical staff and come to understand the detoxification and addiction treatment process much better. Family sessions are also provided to elevate the level of support the patient receives at home, helping them stay on the path to sobriety.

Group therapy –

Group therapy sessions often play a major role during the treatment at CNT. These groups form based on the rehabilitation needs of each participant. Our team of experts provides educational toolkits that help to deal with relapse triggers at the end of the program. Preparing the patient to deal with life stressors at the end of treatment is the goal. Patients not only learn how to manage sobriety, but they also receive great support from other group members. A stronger will to succeed develops when patients support their peers and interact with individuals with similar challenges.

Individual therapy –

Along with group therapy, patients get one-on-one sessions with a therapist. Individual ongoing support is provided to address any additional concerns, fears, goals, and questions patients experience through the treatment.

Integrating Living Environment into Treatment –

Therapy focuses on coping relapse prevention skills that typically can be mastered after a duration of daily practice. The patient goes back to the home environment every day to practice these skills. So, they are able to bring back the issues they had while applying those skills and work through the barriers with the support of therapists. The continual process hones their skills and enables to apply learned relapse prevention and coping mechanisms in their real-life environment seamlessly. This leads to better sobriety rates post-treatment.

Longer Length of Stay –

Another benefit of the outpatient program is a lower cost of treatment. Since outpatient treatment is less expensive than inpatient, health insurance providers usually approve longer lengths of treatment – detoxification as well as other lower levels of treatment. The benefit to the patient is that longer lengths of stay in detoxification lead to minimization or total elimination of withdrawal symptoms and/or cravings

Personalized and safe rehabilitation is the core value at CNT. If you are looking for a safe alcohol treatment program, please contact us to ease your road to recovery. Call a treatment expert today if you or a loved one is experiencing issues with alcohol.

 

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What is Naloxone?

What is Naloxone?

Naloxone is a medication that can reverse the opioid overdose and help potentially save a life.
As part of Governor Murphy’s initiative to combat opioid crisis, NJ Human Services is making naloxone – the opioid overdose reversal drug – available for free on June 18th.
You can visit any of the PARTICIPATING PHARMACIES to obtain free naloxone kit.

 

Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Detox

Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Detox

Benzodiazepine

Table of contents

What Are Benzodiazepine?

In recent years, the opioid epidemic has received notable attention in the media. But other prescription medications pose as much of a risk! One such class of medication is benzodiazepines, or benzos. On a positive note, benzodiazepines, or benzos, are effective in treating anxiety and insomnia. However, longer-term use of Benzodiazepines can lead to addiction. The number of drug dependencies and even fatalities from prescription drugs is increasing every year, and benzodiazepines are contributing to the toll. New Jersey is no exception to the national trend and it appears that more women are getting addicted to benzos than men.

Benzodiazepines are the most prescribed medications in the United States. Family care and primary care physicians tend to prescribe benzodiazepines for a longer period of time, despite the risk of dependence. Prescriptions for benzos have increased dramatically in recent years, and so has addiction to them.

In fact, overdose deaths involving prescription opioids rose from 3,300 in 1999 to 9,500 in 2018, or 288%. Overdose deaths from a combination of benzodiazepines and opioids rose from 700 in 1999 to 9,140 in 2018, or 1,300%!

Benzodiazepines are prescribed by physicians to treat primarily anxiety and insomnia, and some sub-classes (longer-acting) are used to treat alcohol withdrawal. Shorter-acting benzos such as Xanax, Ativan, Klonopin, and Valiumare more addictive.

Benzodiazepines are central nervous system depressants, the medicine produces muscle relaxation and lowers anxiety levels. They are used by individuals suffering from opioid dependence to “spike” their high as benzos exacerbate the effects of opioids. Stopping benzo use suddenly could lead dangerous withdrawal symptoms, such as seizures and stroke. Consequently, benzos should be stopped only under strict medical supervision.

At the Center for Network Therapy, we have an expert team of medical staff with years of experience treating benzo withdrawal and performing benzodiazepine detox and are ready to assist individuals wanting to come off of benzos to enter recovery from substance abuse and return to their productive roles in their family, workplace, and community. CNT has three locations in New Jersey: Freehold, Middlesex and West Orange. CNT’s facilities are very accessible from the following towns in New Jersey: Somerset, New Brunswick, Bridgewater, Martinsville, Warren, Watchung, Summit, Berkeley Heights, Short Hills, Livingston, Montclair, Clifton, Paterson, Union, East Hanover, Succasanna, Edison, Clark, Piscataway, North Plainfield, Monmouth Junction, Manalapan, Matawan, Oakhurst, Marlboro, Toms River, Lakewood, Howell, Princeton, Trenton and Cherry Hill.

Dependence on Benzodiazepines

Effect of drugs on brain

Benzodiazepines cause dependence in similar ways to opioids. Both are central nervous system depressants. Benzos are frequently co-abused with opiates or alcohol in order to spike the high! When co-abused with opiates or alcohol, the risk of overdose increases. Benzodiazepines are also notoriously known as “date rape drugs,” as it relaxes a person and helps to lower their guard.

If you or your loved ones are taking benzodiazepines for longer than 6 months or in more quantities than prescribed, please be aware of the following danger symptoms:

  • Body Weakness
  • Blurry vision
  • Difficulty Breathing
  • Dizziness
  • Dysarthria (slurred speech)
  • Confusion
  • Loss of Coordination
  • Unconsciousness

As sedative-hypnotics, benzodiazepines work on the central nervous system. The drug slows down brain activity and produces relaxation. When used for a long period of time, individuals can become dependent on them. When doctors suspect abuse and stop prescribing benzos, individuals who have developed dependence on the drug often shift to buying benzos off of the street, which can be dangerous as the composition of the pill they are buying on the street is unknown. When benzo use if stopped abruptly, benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms begin to occur and benzo withdrawal symptoms can cause seizures or even stroke!

Benzodiazepine Withdrawal – Symptoms and Risks

When an individual dependent on benzos stops use abruptly they can experience intense unpleasant physical reactions, known as withdrawal symptoms. Benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms include: sleep disturbance, irritability, increased tension and anxiety, panic attacks, hand tremor, sweating, difficulty concentrating, dry wrenching and nausea, palpitations headache, and muscular pain.

The intensity of these symptoms depends on the duration and frequency of drug use. Unlike withdrawal from opiates, withdrawal from benzodiazepines can be dangerous as it can result in seizures or even stroke. Most of these withdrawal symptoms usually last between 10 and 14 days, but increased anxiety can last until medication-assisted detoxification is instituted.

The Symptoms

  • Anxiety and tension
  • Concentration difficulty
  • Hand tremor
  • Headaches
  • Insomnia and sleep disturbance
  • Irritability and increased tension
  • Muscular pain and stiffness
  • Nausea and vomiting some
  • Panic attacks
  • Palpitations
  • Sweating
  • Weight loss, palpitations

Benzodiazepine Detox & Benzo Withdrawal Management

Stop doing Drugs

As mentioned earlier, it is unwise to stop benzo use abruptly without medical supervision. CNT staff has deep experience with treating benzo withdrawal and performing benzo detox. CNT has been detoxing individuals off of benzodiazepines successfully for over 7 years. Benzodiazepine detox should only take place in a medical setting.

Librium is the most common medication used to help individuals with benzodiazepine withdrawal. Librium is a long-acting benzo and is less likely to cause dependence on its own. Rarely, an Ativan protocol is instituted when liver function is compromised.

At CNT, Outpatient Detox programs are designed to be safe and prevent any physical or psychological complications. Our trained and certified staff customizes protocols for each patient.

How To Address  Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Symptoms?

Recovery

Withdrawal symptoms from benzodiazepines could start within 24 hours of stopping use abruptly. One should never attempt to quit benzodiazepine use/abuse cold turkey by themselves, as withdrawal from benzos can cause seizures or stroke.

Another danger is the patient may ingest large quantities of benzodiazepines in order to obtain instant relief when withdrawal symptoms become unbearable, and risk overdose. It is highly recommended that the individual suffering from benzodiazepine dependence enter a detoxification program to not only obtain relief from withdrawal symptoms but also to wean off of benzodiazepines in a safe and effective manner.

Duration Of Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Symptoms

There’s no specific period regarding how long the benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms last. While in a detox program, individuals usually experience mild withdrawal symptoms for a couple of days. It could vary for each individual.

However, the intensity and period of the withdrawal process might depend on factors including:

  • Length of benzos use/abuse
  • Quantity consumed
  • Co-abuse of other drugs
  • Type of benzos abused
  • Method of abusing the drug
  • Underlying mental health or physical conditions

Benzo withdrawal could begin a between 8 and 24 hours after stopping use. During the early phase of benzodiazepine withdrawal, an individual may experience anxiety and insomnia. Also symptoms of conditions the benzo was meant to address may also resurface, also known as the rebound effect.

The acute phase may begin a couple of days after stopping use. Acute phase symptoms could include:

  • Insomnia
  • Anxiety
  • Panic
  • Tension
  • Diarrhea
  • Nausea
  • Seizures
  • Blurred vision

In the early and acute phases, medications help to alleviate symptoms and mitigate the risk of seizures. Also underlying anxiety issues or depression may surface. It is easy to see why benzo detox should only take place in a medical setting with experienced staff.

THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT BENZOS

There’s no timeframe for the benzo withdrawal, but it can be dangerous. Medical professionals with experience in treating benzo dependence and benzo withdrawal should be the only clinicians who should be treating benzo dependence or benzo withdrawal and performing benzo detox. This will ensure that the benzo detox is safe for the patient.

HOW OUTPATIENT MEDICALLY MONITORED DETOX CAN HELP?

Detoxification is the most acute phase of treatment for substance use disorders. In this phase, withdrawal symptoms and cravings are addressed through medication and a benzodiazepine-dependent patient is physically stabilized and put on alternate medications that also mitigate the chances of experiencing seizure or stroke. They are then weaned off the benzos gradually, while ensuring the patient is comfortable at all times. It is preferable to seek benzo withdrawal management and benzodiazepine detox on an outpatient basis as it allows the patient to learn to remain sober in their living environment while in treatment itself.

There are a few outpatient, or ambulatory detox programs in New Jersey, but Center for Network Therapy (RecoveryCNT.com) is generally considered to be at the top of the heap. Our medical director is recognized nationally as a leading addiction specialist and referenced by multiple media outlets – online. print, television and radio. She not only pioneered the outpatient detoxification model for all substances of abuse, she also proved it to be safe and effective.

At the Center for Network Therapy, we follow a unique “network therapy” approach, where, with the patient’s permission, the immediate family is also involved in treatment. Physicians and nurses conduct a detailed psychosocial assessment and provide non-judgmental support throughout the outpatient detoxification program.

For more details about our detox facilities, please call us today.

 

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Alcohol Withdrawal Management

Alcohol Withdrawal Detox Management

Alcohol Addiction

If you are unable to stop consuming alcohol despite wanting to, or despite negative consequences, you may have become dependent on alcohol.
Alcohol withdrawal syndrome can develop when you suddenly stop drinking alcohol after a period of frequent and substantial consumption, be it vodka, whiskey, wine or beer.

If you try to stop consuming alcohol and experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms, it is chemical dependence. Dependence on Alcohol can develop even after just a few months of intense use. Drinking more alcohol than intended, or drinking alcohol at odd times of the day may negatively impact your relationships, social functioning and work performance.

Alcohol is a disinhibitor and the chances of indulging in risky behaviors increases after alcohol use. If you cannot stop consuming alcohol despite a visible increase in risky behavior, you may have a hard time quitting. Many individuals suffer from a dependence on alcohol – as per the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, more than 15 million adults in the United States suffered from an alcohol use disorder in 2015. That number has only increased sharply in 2020 due to stress and isolation related to Covid-19.

Understanding the dangers of alcohol abuse and the dangers of quitting cold turkey can help you make informed treatment choices. Alcohol is one
of the most commonly consumed beverages in the world and it may not be perceived as a “dangerous” substance when compared to, say, heroin,
which conjures up a host of negative images.

However, alcohol withdrawal can be much more dangerous than withdrawal from heroin, as it can cause seizures. Consequently, it is important to seek medical assistance at a detoxification facility when trying to quit alcohol.

What Causes Alcohol Withdrawal?

Alcohol is considered as a ‘sedative hypnotic’ – it depresses the central nervous system, but people benefit from the feeling of relaxation it delivers. In limited quantities, alcohol stimulates good conversation and reduces social anxiety. However, when consumed in large quantities, defined as more than 4 drinks for a man and more than 3 drinks for a woman in a day, could lead to drowsiness, impaired motor function, difficulty breathing and blackouts.

As a depressant, alcohol has an effect on the brain and the nervous system. It also slows down brain function and changes the way nerves communicate with each other. Your body actually works hard to keep the brain in an “awake” state and nerves communicating with each other. It is
used to having alcohol around all the time and is now always in this high alert state.

When you stop using alcohol, the brain keeps going at this 90 miles per hour speed which causes the withdrawal. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms include anxiety, insomnia, shaky hands, headache, nausea, vomiting, and sweating. Some may also develop delirium tremens, hallucinations high blood pressure, and memory loss. Alcohol withdrawal can also bring on seizures, stroke or even death. That is why alcohol detox needs to happen in a medical setting with appropriate monitoring.

Luckily there are many alcohol detox centers in New jersey that can effectively address the problem. Whether you are located in Ocean county, or Morris county, in Short Hills or in Toms River or in Edison, there is always a treatment center near you. Alcohol withdrawal in New Jersey can be treated through outpatient detoxification or inpatient detoxification. While Inpatient detoxification has been the norm for alcohol detox to address alcohol withdrawal symptoms in New Jersey, the new, innovative model is outpatient, ambulatory detoxification. Ambulatory Detox centers in New Jersey can address alcohol withdrawal as effectively and safely as inpatient detoxification, while providing the added advantage of integrating the home environment into treatment. Because the patient has the convenience of going home to their family at the end of each day in detox, they can test the skills learned in therapy and find out what works and does not work. This flexibility delivers better results to the patient because when they finish treatment they have adapted a set of coping skills that is best suited to their own living situation, not a generic one.

Safety is Important in Managing Alcohol Withdrawal

At New Jersey-based Center for Network Therapy NJ, our clinical team is highly experienced in managing withdrawal from alcohol. Customized medication protocols are adopted to ensure that the detox process is safe and smooth.

If you are looking for a safe and highly effective alcohol treatment program, please contact us for a smoother road to recovery. Call a treatment expert today if you or a loved one is experiencing alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
Personalized and safe rehabilitation is extremely important for us at the Center for Network Therapy. If you experience the alcohol withdrawal
symptoms listed below, please don’t hesitate to contact us for a consultation at no cost to you. The Center for Network Therapy has 3 locations: West Orange, New Jersey, Middlesex, New Jersey and Freehold, New Jersey.

 

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What Heroin can do to Your Body?

What Heroin can do to Your Body?

Drug Addiction

There is an increase in the use of heroin in the streets of the US resulting from the ban on Opana and hydrocodone. Those who were addicts of these pain relieving treatments see heroin as the best option that is left. This is even elevated by the fact that heroin can be easily acquired on the streets. Evidently, the number of admissions at an addiction treatment center is rising due to the ever-increasing heroin abuse and for buprenorphine withdrawal purposes.

Statistics on drug abuse found that the year prior to the research 681,000 people of America used heroin. There was an increase from 314,000 to 455,000 (2004 – 2005). The first time users from the age of 12 and up were 169,000. This number of new initiates is almost constant or a bit more from the year 2002.

 

The Health Effects Heroin can Cause

Heroin can affect an individual because of various factors including the present health of the person, weight, gender, the amount of intake, the method used in taking it, stature, the use of the drug together with others and psychiatric condition of the person. One thing you should note is that even using the drug for a short period is still harmful.

The short-term effects of Heroin intake include Nausea, itchiness, feeling heavy in the limbs, trances, euphoric rushes, warm skin, a running nose, drowsiness, a relaxation that is not natural, smaller pupils, and muddled thinking.

Even though these risks are the only short term, they pose an unnecessary danger to the user. The more one uses the drug, chances of another risky health condition attacking increases. It does not matter whether the heroin is lawfully administered or not.

The body seems to adapt to the drug the more you use it. This adaptive nature of the body will then demand you continue using heroin or another drug that has the same effect. Failure to take it leads to withdrawal symptoms.

Severe Health Issues Caused by Heroin

The health consequences that are long-term and can be caused by the use of heroin include the disease of the liver, the infections of the pulmonary, arthritis, collapsing veins, depression, kidney disease, skin infections, heart valve infections, hepatitis, HIV/AIDS and contracting other viruses borne by blood.

These diseases arise due to the unhealthy sharing of needles. So, one individual with the disease injecting themselves and then you take the needle and apply it to you can easily expose you to these dreadful diseases.

In addition, a reliable research shows that the intake of heroin can lead to the reduction of the white part of your brain. This then directly affects your capability to make decisions, control your behavior, and respond poorly to stress. The research continues to prove that those who abuse heroin have high chances of a relapse in case they stop using.

Women with a history of abuse have miscarriages, prematurely deliveries, and get children who are underweight during birth. Also, the sexual drive of both men and women is significantly reduced. The men can experience a dysfunction during erections and fail to regain interest sexually.

Other risks include arrests, involving in fights and becoming a captive to lawsuits. Therefore, if you are affected and looking to get rid of the addiction of heroin or seeking Heroin rehab
it is important you contact a treatment addiction center to get immediate and long-lasting help.

 

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NJ Biz : Ambulatory detox centers starting to catch on

Center for Network Therapy in Middlesex becoming a model for the health care industry

ambulatory

When the Center for Network Therapy first opened its doors in Middlesex and asked for referrals to its ambulatory detox service, New Jersey’s medical community wasn’t very eager.

But in the past two years, the service has become popular and hospitals with existing outpatient detox programs, such as Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth, are looking at the model.

We have been getting calls for ambulatory detox, even by some patients themselves, said Marlyse Benson, senior director of behavioral health and psychiatry at Trinitas. We are looking seriously at moving forward in that arena to add to our current continuum.

CNT Medical Director Dr. Indra Cidambi in a one-on-one session with a patient at the Center for Network Therapy. – (PHOTO BY AARON HOUSTON)

The program aligns with patients’ daily schedules, allowing them to attend a four-hour session (during which they are provided a meal) and return home to their families at night, according to CNT Medical Director Dr. Indra Cidambi. A requirement of the detox and recovery process is having a strong involvement of family or other life support members.

Cidambi said others opening similar facilities around the state is welcome growth, as it would make referrals easier.

“I would love to see more centers open up” she said.

Cidambi has spent her career in addiction services and learned over a period of time that it was “a revolving door pattern”.

After seeing many patients go through inpatient detox programs, she would see them go right back to using the substances.

Being surrounded by the same stressors associated with the addiction pulls them back, Cidambi explained.

A key factor for the success of the ambulatory care model has a lot to do with insurance. At half the cost of inpatient services, it isn’t hard to get a fair reimbursement, Cidambi said.

The idea for CNT was born when Cidambi saw research suggesting that at least 50 percent of addicts don’t need inpatient treatment. She picked it up and ran with it. But convincing the medical community to refer patients to the center proved a task.

“When we did marketing in first year, people looked at us like we don’t understand detox, and were not comfortable with referring patients” Cidambi said.

But now the center has treated more than 600 patients, many of which stay sober 90 days after detox — an impressive benchmark, Cidambi said.

Though others undoubtedly thought of the model, she said addiction is a baby industry — and it will take time to see a growth in solid business models and an emergence of best practices.

That doesn’t mean that inpatient centers are in danger.

This will be the future, but that doesn’t mean that inpatient will not be needed, Cidambi said. But many hospitals also have outpatient programs, like the five-day-per-week, five-hour, intensive abuse program at Trinitas, according to Benson.

The day treatment is geared toward women, and one of the first developed in the state that offers transportation and child care as part of the program, Benson said, adding that any new program would be a part of the existing center.

Mindy Altschul, the director of substance abuse services at Trinitas, said the outpatient program is right across the street from its 10-bed inpatient program.

“Sending someone away for treatment has its benefits and bonuses,” she said. But at the end of the day, at the end of the treatment, they are going to return to their community and are going to need to reintegrate into the community.”

Altschul ran an ambulatory program in Connecticut in the 1990s, when a heroin epidemic was making its rounds.

“It’s a pandemic now, it’s ongoing, she said. We refresh this idea of it being an epidemic. It has never gone away. It has morphed a bit.”

It has morphed into stemming from a dependency on pain drugs, and it is affecting a much younger population than before.

Which is why the ambulatory model is beneficial for younger patients whose fears of being sent away from home motivates them from hiding their addiction from parents, Cidambi said. The model for care introduced by CNT can be used by all ages, and there are strict factors to determine who should qualify for ambulatory versus outpatient or inpatient care.

Patients come from as far as 60 miles away and the number of referrals doesn’t seem to be slowing, Cidambi said. But the business model of CNT can handle it.

The staff at CNT includes nurses who work on per diem basis and can pick up shifts as it fits their schedule — this allows nurses to work part-time in addition to their jobs at other medical facilities, Cidambi said.

Medicaid or Medicare patients are not accepted, simply for the fact that the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services doesn’t have a billing code that CNT can use. But for those patients, paying out of pocket for the roughly $400 per day service is an option.

“It’s not a very big risk for someone to run a business like this,” Cidambi said. “This is the future model. We are in this industry ahead of time. So many players will come in to follow”

E-mail to: [email protected]

On Twitter: @anjkhem

The insurance plan The Center for Network Therapy provides Medically Monitored Ambulatory Detox seven days a week from its location in Middlesex. Those services include detox from alcohol, opiates, benzodiazepines, stimulants, anesthetics and other substances.
CNT was the first of its kind when it opened and accepts major insurance carriers such as Aetna, AmeriHealth, Cigna, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, QualCare, UnitedHealthcare Oxford and Value Options.
The center has seen at least 600 patients since opening its doors in 2013. It currently has 20 employees.

Playing Through Pain : NFL Gets Yellow Flag For Opioid Misuse

Playing Through Pain : NFL Gets Yellow Flag For Opioid Misuse

Addiction Expert Dr. Indra Cidambi provides insight into the consequences of using opioid pain medication to mask pain in order to continue to play

New York, NY – March 31, 2017 –

As per research* by Washington University, retired National Football League (NFL) players misused opioid pain medications at a rate four times greater than the average.

The study provides a rare look into the NFL’s relationship with medications and how team doctors manage the pain in a physically bruising sport to keep players on the field.

“Professional football players and athletes have a long life to live after retirement and misuse or abuse of opioid pain medication can have serious long-term consequences, including addiction,” says Dr. Indra Cidambi, Addiction Medicine Expert & Medical Director at the Center for Network Therapy.

Dr. Cidambi believes most professional athletes and football players do not get the complete picture about the medications they are taking in order to make informed decisions.

“They need to understand that opioid pain medications are designed to treat acute pain in the short-term and they should be used in conjunction with rehabilitative therapy so that the patient can be switched to non-addictive medications.” Professional athletes need to consider the following:

Opioid Use Does Not Enhance Physical Performance

Professional football players have to realize that using opioid pain medications is more likely to slow a person down than enhance physical capabilities. “Professional athletes are willing to cross the limit in opioid pain medication use for one reason – to be able to continue to perform near-peak despite injuries,” says Dr. Cidambi. Opioids, however, can cause euphoria, decrease anxiety, provide a false sense of invincibility and illusions of athletic prowess beyond their abilities, which may help a player psychologically, but increase the danger of further injuries.

When opioid pain medications are used to mask pain in order to continue playing, players may find that they have not given time for their current injuries to heal and have actually made the injury worse.

Live After Retirement – Stay Healthy

“Most professional athletes and ball players end their sports careers at an age when others are just getting going in theirs,” notes Dr. Cidambi. “They have a long life to live after they retire from their sport and long-term use or misuse of opioid pain medication has serious consequences.” Dr. Cidambi cautions that long-term (over six months) use of opioid pain medication actually increases one’s sensitivity to pain, requiring higher doses. Continued use also leads to decreased energy and drive, daytime sedation and sleepiness and constipation.

Ingesting higher doses over the long-term will likely cause tolerance and dependence, which can lead to brain damage due to respiratory depression (Hypoxia). The risk of overdose is always present.

Retirement is Traumatic

Opioids May Provide Escape“Professional athletes retire from their sport at a very early age. They usually have not had the time to develop other skills or even hobbies,” says Dr. Cidambi. “So they enter retirement in a vacuum and they also find that the media’s attention has moved on to the emerging star in their sport. They oftentimes suffer from a chronic injury resulting from ignoring rehabilitative treatment and using opioid medications to play through their pain.” Consequently, they face tremendous trauma in their life at retirement.

“In the absence of a strong social support system, it is easy for them to turn to pain pills to mask their feelings and escape from reality, especially if they have misused pain pills during their careers.”

Chronic Opioid Use Will Likely Lead to Addiction

When used over an extended period, opioid pain medications do not work well due to increased tolerance and sensitivity to pain requiring higher doses of medication to achieve a similar effect. Dr.Cidambi notes, “This is a trap many legitimate users of pain medications fall into and they are unable to quit, as their bodies have become chemically dependent to the medication.” This dependence is real and severe, as they face acute withdrawal symptoms (shakes, chills, etc.) when they try to quit or switch to non-narcotic pain medications. “So they keep taking the pain pills in order to be able to feel normal and function.”

Coming Off Opioids Is Not Easy, But Doable

Opioid pain pills can be very addictive – they are made from the same stuff as heroin! Additionally, the fear of facing withdrawal symptoms keeps the user from trying to quit. But detoxification centers can make the process of weaning off of opiates easier by using medication-assisted treatment (usually buprenorphine). “Medication alone is not the answer,” cautions Dr. Cidambi. “The person who has become dependent on opioids also needs therapy to effect needed lifestyle changes and find other modalities of care to alleviate the pain.” Yoga, meditation, biofeedback, and acupuncture could be introduced to deal with the pain and lead a healthy life.

For more information on opioid abuse and addiction or to learn more about the Center for Network Therapy please visit, www.RecoveryCNT.com.

About Dr. Indra Cidambi

Indra Cidambi, M.D., Medical Director, Center for Network Therapy, is recognized as a leading expert and pioneer in the field of Addiction Medicine. Under her leadership the Center for Network Therapy started New Jersey’s first state-licensed Ambulatory (Outpatient) Detoxification program for alcohol, benzodiazepines, and opiates four years ago. Dr. Cidambi is Board Certified in General Psychiatry and double Board Certified in Addiction Medicine (ABAM, ABPN). She is fluent in five languages, includingRussian.3

About Center for Network Therapy

Center for Network Therapy (CNT) was the first facility in New Jersey to be licensed to provide ambulatory (Outpatient) Detoxification Services for all substances of abuse – alcohol, anesthetics, benzodiazepines, opiates and other substances of abuse. Led by a Board Certified Addiction Psychiatrist, Indra Cidambi, M.D., experienced physicians and nurses closely monitor each patient’s progress. With CNT’s superior client care and high-quality treatment, Dr. Cidambi and her clinical team have successfully detoxed over 1,000 patients in nearly four years. The Center for Network Therapy also offers step down to Partial Care (PHP and Intensive Outpatient (IOP) levels of care.

 

* The study was conducted by researchers at Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine and was commissioned by ESPN, with additional funding provided by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.**Reference Articles: https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/redskins/nfl-abuse-of-painkillers-and-other-drugs-described-in-courtfilings/2017/03/09/be1a71d8-035a-11e7-ad5b-d22680e18d10_story.html?utm_term=.368d434c42e7# # #

 

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