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Substance Use Disorder: Treatment Options

Substance Use Disorder: Treatment Options (00:03:05)
Video Transcript

A life without drugs.

Right now, that may be hard to imagine.

And even harder to do.

But here you are.

And that's a huge, important first step.

Getting treatment for drug use is about getting the help you need now to create a new life for yourself.

Many people ... who weren't able to stop taking drugs on their own ...

found success when they went into treatment.

The treatment can be inpatient or outpatient.

Inpatient treatment may be part of a hospital or a treatment center.

[First man] "To get the treatment I needed, I checked into a center, where I slept, ate, and lived for about 6 weeks.

I was in some sort of therapy all day long, every day.

It was intense--some of the hardest and most painful work I've ever done.

But working on that stuff ...

and learning things about myself ...

has helped me in a way that my other ways of coping--using drugs--never could."

[First woman] "It took some time to adjust to living away from my friends and family, but I felt supported by the other patients and the care team.

I think it was the only way that I could learn to understand why I started using and how to start dealing with the emotions I was avoiding."

[Second woman] "The doctors gave me a medicine that helped make my cravings easier to handle.

I don't think I could have gotten better without it."

Those are just some of the ways inpatient treatment can work.

Does inpatient treatment sound like something you could consider?

It's okay if you're not in a place where inpatient could work for you right now.

Maybe outpatient treatment is another option for you.

Outpatient treatment happens in mental health clinics or a counselor's office.

Hospitals and treatment centers may also offer outpatient treatment.

Unlike inpatient, you don't stay overnight.

[Second man] "I still had my job, so it was important to fit my treatment around my schedule.

Every day, after work I went straight to the clinic."

[Third woman] "During my time in group therapy, I learned better ways to deal with urges to use.

I remember a person in the group suggested that I might change my daily route home.

Just by walking down a different street, I broke an old pattern that often lead to me feeling like I needed to use again."

[Third man] "I'm lucky, because despite everything, my family is still willing to support me.

They came with me to some of my sessions.

And it's because of them I worked so hard to rebuild my life."

[Third woman] "I finished my inpatient treatment a few months ago.

But today I am going to meetings and counseling.

It's how I can continue my new life without drugs."

Whether it's inpatient or outpatient, it's important to stay committed to living without drugs.

Treatment offers you the support, medicines, and counseling you need to recover.

But it's really up to you, isn't it?

With treatment, you're giving yourself the best chance for a new way of life.

And that's something you can be proud of.

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Ignite Healthwise, LLC disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions. Image is used for illustrative purposes only and any person depicted is a model.