How Does A Psychiatrist Help An Addict

by | Jun 2, 2022

Addiction can be a challenging and isolating struggle, but it is important to remember that you are not alone. If you are seeking addiction treatment in Louisville, Kentucky, there is hope.

Addiction is a disease that affects an individual mentally, emotionally, and physically. It changes how the brain works and this in turn affects the addict’s memory as well as their behavior and decision-making.

The main purpose of addiction treatment is to help people break free and rebuild their lives. Therefore, treatment should be holistic enough to focus on improving the person’s entire being. Since addiction also affects a person mentally, part of addiction treatment should be about helping them regain their mental footing. That’s where addiction psychiatry comes in.

Psychiatry in Addiction Treatment

Addiction psychiatry involves helping addicts by offering qualified diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of any mental illnesses they may have.

Substance abuse doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Something has to trigger it and in some cases, people turn to addiction to self-medicate or cope with mental disorders they may have, e.g. depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, etc. In other cases, the addiction itself may lead to a mental disorder. There are several cases where a person starts taking drugs like cocaine or opiates and later develops depression, or some other mental disorder, especially when going through withdrawal.

The role of a psychiatrist in addiction treatment is to help addicts understand and recover from these mental disorders while still undergoing treatment. Psychiatrists are important right from the first stage of recovery – detoxification. During detox, the psychiatrist may order and interpret various lab or brain imaging tests to see what kind of effect substance abuse has had on your brain’s neurochemistry. They may also prescribe medication to help you deal with withdrawal symptoms and also start treating any co-occurring illnesses you may have.

Speaking of co-occurring disorders, addiction often occurs together with psychiatric disorders. When this happens, an individual is said to have a dual diagnosis. In this case, you’ll need the help of a psychiatrist to treat the co-occurring disorder if you’re to have any chance of making a successful recovery. Treatment for these mental disorders often includes medication, psychiatric consultation through addiction therapy as well as behavioral therapy techniques such as cognitive-behavioral therapy.

As you progress through treatment, you may have scheduled sessions with a psychiatrist who’ll assess your ability to perform your everyday living activities and determine whether you’re well-adjusted enough to resume your normal life.

How We Can Help

At Impact Outpatient Program in Louisville, we believe that addiction treatment requires a holistic approach. That’s why we have a diverse team of health professionals including psychiatrists who will work with you on your recovery goals whether you’re in our outpatient program or the intensive outpatient program. We even offer virtual telemedicine sessions where you can still consult your psychiatrist even if you’re unable to attend in-person sessions. If you’re looking for outpatient addiction treatment in Louisville, contact us today to get started on the admissions process.

Download this article

Our Latest Posts

How Can I Get Checked-In Anonymously To An Addiction Treatment Center?

Seeking help for an addiction can be difficult, but admitting you have an addiction in the first place can be even tougher. Everyone who seeks help for their addiction has to go through the process of admitting they need help, which isn’t always easy to do. While...

What to Know Before Asking for Time Off Work for Addiction Treatment

You can get the addiction treatment you need and still keep your job. In fact, your employer may be very supportive of the process.  After all, if you’re a good employee, they’ll want to hold on to you. That said,...

Intensive Outpatient Drug Treatment In Louisville

When you need support to overcome drug and alcohol addiction but also want to keep living your normal life without lengthy stays in rehab, intensive outpatient drug treatment in Louisville is the answer. By providing the best of both worlds, our team of friendly and...

Outpatient Drug Treatment In Louisville

Although an inpatient residential treatment program will often be the best course of action when it comes to severe substance addiction, this is not going to be necessary for everyone. Those who have a mild substance abuse problem with alcohol or drugs may well...

Kentucky’s Addiction Crisis: Understanding the State’s High Addiction Rate

In Kentucky, addiction has become an increasing problem for many communities, with the state being one of the worst in the country for addiction rates. To better understand Kentuckians’ affinity towards substance misuse, it's important to look at both short-term...

Exploring Dual Diagnosis and Self-Medication in Addiction Treatment

Understanding the complexities of addiction treatment can be challenging, and many people do not realize the potential impact of dual diagnosis and self-medication. It is important to keep in mind that individuals who are struggling with addiction may also have a...

Resources for Addiction Treatment and Benzodiazepine Detox

No one should go through addiction treatment alone; that’s why it is so important to understand your options and resources available when faced with a benzodiazepine detox. Fortunately, there are many organizations, websites, and professionals who are committed to...

A Questionnaire to Determine High-Functioning Alcoholism: Am I an Alcoholic?

Alcoholism is a major issue affecting millions of people worldwide, but not all alcoholics fit the stereotypical image. High-functioning alcoholics (HFAs) are individuals who appear to be successful and live a normal life while still dealing with an uncontrolled...

A Comprehensive Guide to Overcoming Addiction for Louisville Residents

If you or someone you love is struggling with substance abuse and addiction, it can seem like an impossible task to overcome – but take heart, as help is available. From understanding the underlying causes of addiction to finding support groups in the area, we’ll...

Effective Therapy and Counseling Opportunities to Break the Cycle of Addiction in Louisville

We often think of addiction as an issue that is solely confined to the individual and their willpower, when in reality, it is a complex cycle that involves much more than personal struggle. An effective way to break this cycle of addiction is through therapy and...

Our Video’s

Call Now Button