with Anthony Rizzuto, of Families in Support of Treatment (FIST)

Addiction is a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory and related circuitry. Dysfunction in these circuits leads to characteristic biological, psychological, social and spiritual manifestations. This is reflected in an individual pathologically pursuing reward and/or relief by substance use and other behaviors. Addiction is characterized by inability to consistently abstain, impairment in behavioral control, craving, diminished recognition of significant problems with one’s behaviors and interpersonal relationships, and a dysfunctional emotional response. Like other chronic diseases, addiction often involves cycles of relapse and remission. Without treatment or engagement in recovery activities, addiction is progressive and can result in disability or premature death. For more information please visit https://www.asam.org/resources/definition-of-addiction

There are several steps that can be taken. If you are looking for professional help, which is recommended, you would reach out to a Qualified Licensed or Credentialed Professional with a specialty in Addictions. If you are in Nassau County, you can visit the Nassau Alliance for Addiction Services (NAFAS) which have listed all the OASAS licensed providers in Nassau County. For those that are not ready and/or willing to seek professional help, a first step may be attending a local 12 Step meeting such as Alcoholic Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), Cocaine Anonymous (CA) etc. These can be googled and meeting times and locations can be found on their websites.

Detox - Substance Use Disorder (SUD) is a chronic and progressive illness. Often individuals with SUD can become physically dependent on a substance. Depending on which substance, ceasing the substance abruptly could and often does cause withdrawal symptoms. Those symptoms can vary from substance to substance and person to person based on many factors. In many cases, depending on the level of dependence, a detox protocol is necessary and is often done in an inpatient setting where the individual can be given alternative medications to help safely withdraw and be monitored. A trained professional would be able to help in determining if there was a need for detox. Please note that withdrawal from certain substances can be lethal and professional help should be sought. Rehab - Inpatient Rehab is a high level of care that allows the patient to be removed from the stressors and the environment in which they have not been able to stop or control the use of the substance. This often includes: a full day schedule of group therapy, individual therapy, workshops, recreational therapy, meals, and in some places family engagement.

This depends on the type and policy of the insurance as well as if the provider accepts it. Most major insurance companies do cover Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Treatment. Most Treatment providers accept insurance but not all do. The determination if they will cover or not should be part of an initial discussion when seeking help from a professional. In New York State, a treatment provider is required to use a State created tool, the LOCADTR 3, which is a level of care determinator.

There are many ways to get treatment for those that can't afford it. There are State and County run facilities as well as Not For Profit facilities that are often State-funded and can not turn someone away for inability to pay. You can call OASAS, the State Licensing Agency, for a list of places near you. Also the Nassau Alliance for Addiction Services (NAFAS) list has many community based organizations that are funded and can help, regardless of payment.

There are many ways that individuals have utilized to maintain abstinence or sobriety. Here are a few: Establishing a sober support network - Often when individuals suffering from Substance Use Disorder (SUD) are active in their addiction, they are surrounded by others that also abuse substances. Many have found that they had to separate themselves from those influences. That often leaves a void and it has been found helpful to establish a new circle of "friends" with a similar desire to maintain sobriety as well as sharing common interests, sports, social activities etc. Holistic approaches - Some have found benefit in Holistic approaches such as YOGA, Reiki, Accupucture, Massage therapy, Meditation, Mindfulnes, etc Support Groups - Others have found great support in self-help groups such as: Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Cocaine Anynomous, Smart Recovery, Celebrate Recovery and many more. Spiritual Connection - Others have found that growing their spiritual connections and beliefs has benefited them. Visiting houses of worship, daily prayer, spiritual readings and more may be helpful. These are some of many ways that individuals have maintained sobriety.