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Opioid Addiction Treatment in San Antonio, TX

Discover the impact of opioid addiction, the signs of addiction, and the best opioid addiction treatment available at New Choices Treatment Center.

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Overview of Opioid Addiction and Treatment

Alarmingly, Texas and other U.S. states experience high levels of opioid use and drug-related deaths. Between 2018 and 2020, nearly 5000 opioid overdoses were reported in Texas.1 Nearly 108,000 people in the U.S. died from a drug overdose in 2022.2

At New Choices Treatment Center (NCTC), our mission is to empower individuals struggling with opioid use disorder (OUD) by providing clinically driven, personalized care that fosters long-lasting recovery.

We’re here to help our community heal — one individual at a time.
Opioid Addiction Treatment

Understanding Opioid Addiction Treatment

Opioids and other pain relievers, such as synthetic opioids like fentanyl and heroin, are highly addictive.
They have a significant impact on a person’s:
  • Physical, emotional, and mental health
  • Social life and relationships
  • Economic well-being
Opioid use may start as pain management medications but can easily escalate, causing unhealthy cravings and loss of control.

The Neurological Impacts of Opioids

While opioids are effective in managing acute and chronic pain, prolonged or excessive use can cause potential neurological changes and damage.
The neurological impacts of opioids include:

Blocking Opioid Receptors

Opioids work by binding to specific receptors in the brain and spinal cord known as opioid receptors. These receptors inhibit the transmission of pain signals and induce euphoria and relaxation.3
Repeated use makes the body less responsive to the drug, requiring higher doses to achieve the same effect.

Modulation of Neurotransmitters

Opioids increase dopamine release in the brain’s reward pathways. This surge in dopamine is responsible for the pleasurable sensations associated with opioid use.
Over time, the brain’s reward system becomes less responsive to natural rewards, leading to an increased focus on obtaining and using opioids.

Increased Tolerance and Dependence

The human brain adapts to the presence of opioids with prolonged use, thereby requiring higher doses to achieve the same analgesic or euphoric effects.
Physical dependence occurs as the brain adapts to the drug’s presence. Withdrawal symptoms like agitation, anxiety, muscle pain, and cravings emerge when drug use is reduced or stopped.

What Are the Signs of Opioid Use Disorder?

Recognizing the signs of OUD helps with early intervention, support, and comprehensive opioid addiction treatment.
Here are some signs of opioid addiction:

Behavioral Signs

At New Choices Treatment Center, we understand that recognizing behavioral signs can be crucial for early intervention and support.
Here are some common symptoms to be aware of:
  • Lack of focus and constant thoughts of using opioids
  • Skipping responsibilities to prioritize drug use
  • Visiting multiple doctors for unnecessary prescriptions
  • Attempting to buy drugs without a valid prescription 
  • Isolation from friends and family 

Physical Symptoms

Physical signs of OUD may include:
  • Significant weight loss
  • Constricted pupils, regardless of lighting conditions
  • Poor hygiene
  • Frequent flu-like symptoms, like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
  • Visible marks and bruises on people who self-administer opioids intravenously

Psychological and Emotional Signs

Psychological signs of opioid use disorder can include:
  • Mood swings
  • Euphoria
  • Depression
  • Irritability
  • Agitation
  • Cognitive impairments, such as difficulty concentrating, memory loss, and impaired judgment

Technological Innovations In Opioid Addiction Treatment

In recent years, technology has offered new tools and approaches for opioid addiction treatment. It also has the potential to change how opioid abuse is diagnosed, treated, and prevented.
Some of the emerging technological innovations in opioid addiction treatment include:4

Digital Therapeutics

Digital therapeutics (DTx) are evidence-based treatments delivered through software applications or digital devices. These interventions help to prevent, manage, or treat a medical disorder or disease, including opioid addiction.
Digital therapeutics are different from health and wellness apps, as they are created to deliver specific therapeutic interventions that have been validated through rigorous clinical trials.
DTx often integrates cognitive-behavioral therapy, mindfulness techniques, contingency management, and other evidence-based approaches. They can be structured to fit our client’s needs.

Telemedicine and Telehealth

Telemedicine and telehealth are evolving medical fields that leverage telecommunications technology to deliver healthcare services. For opioid addiction treatment, these technologies improve accessibility, convenience, and continuity of care.
Telemedicine allows patients, especially individuals who attend outpatient therapy, to access care without traveling long distances or visiting the center regularly. Patients can consult with psychiatrists, counselors, and therapists without leaving home.

Virtual Reality Therapy

VR therapy uses technology to create simulated environments that help individuals confront and manage addiction triggers. VR is also used in pain management to distract persons from potentially painful or stressful experiences.
VR distraction techniques can reduce pain perception without the use of opioids, offering alternative pain management strategies. VR simulates real-life scenarios and provides exposure therapy in a controlled and supportive setting.

Data Analytics

Data analytics in opioid addiction treatment leverages large datasets to improve outcomes and enhance proper healthcare delivery. It helps identify factors contributing to addiction and predict a person’s response to different treatment modalities based on past outcomes.
Data analytics provides actionable insights into a person’s drug use pattern and treatment responses. With data, healthcare providers can deliver a more personalized and effective quality of care and outcomes for people with OUD.

Challenges and Solutions to Opioid Addiction Treatment

Below are some of the common challenges, alongside potential solutions, to opioid addiction treatment.

Challenges of Opioid Addiction Treatment

Some common challenges that many individuals experience before or during opioid addiction treatment include:
  • Stigma and discrimination of receiving opioid addiction treatment
  • Limited access to treatment programs 
  • Limited resources and funding for opioid addiction treatment programs and services
  • Lack of coordination between different healthcare providers for holistic treatment
  • Co-occurring mental health disorders among people with opioid addiction

Working Solutions and Care for Opioid Addiction

However, many healthcare providers and other parties, such as communities and families, are working hard to overcome these challenges to opioid use disorder treatment so that individuals can receive the treatment and help they deserve.
These working solutions and care for opioid addiction can include:
  • Awareness campaigns to change perceptions about addiction
  • Utilizing telemedicine to provide opioid addiction treatment services to remote areas.
  • Advocating for increased funding for opioid addiction treatment through policy changes and government initiatives. 
  • Partnerships between public agencies and private organizations to pool resources and expand opioid addiction treatment capacity.
  • Developing integrated care models that combine opioid addiction treatment with primary healthcare, mental health services, and social support. 
  • Offering treatment programs that simultaneously address addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders. 

Relapse Prevention Strategies For Comprehensive Opioid Addiction Treatment

At New Choices Treatment Center, we take relapse prevention very seriously. NCTC focuses on strategies that help individuals maintain long-term sobriety and sustain recovery.
Some of New Choices Treatment Center’s relapse prevention strategies include:

Development of Coping Skills

For opioid addiction treatment, every client needs to develop effective and healthy coping skills. Coping skills help manage stress, cravings, and triggers, which are common challenges during recovery. These skills teach people to navigate difficult situations in a more healthy manner.

Identifying and Avoiding Triggers

Triggers can be people, places, or situations that awaken memories contributing to substance use. Therefore, it is important to learn how to manage triggers to prevent a potential relapse.

New Choices Treatment Center prioritizes that every client has individual and group counseling sessions to discuss their triggers and how they can be managed.

We also advise on how to avoid toxic relationships by surrounding one’s self with people who support recovery.

Building a Supportive Network

During opioid addiction treatment, having a solid and supportive network can be very helpful. Positive reinforcement and encouragement from loved ones can maintain motivation and reduce feelings of isolation.
New Choices Treatment Center has regular group and family therapy sessions. These help individuals rebuild trust, improve communication, and strengthen relationships.

Our family therapy sessions are also an avenue to educate family members about addiction and how their support can be helpful during recovery.

Creating a Relapse Prevention Plan

A relapse prevention plan is a strategic guide designed to help maintain sobriety and manage triggers and cravings. This plan involves identifying high-risk situations, developing coping skills, building support networks, and making vital lifestyle changes.
At NCTC, we encourage people to include a list of contacts in their plan to call for immediate support if they feel they are at risk of a relapse. We also advise clients to write positive affirmations or their reasons for staying sober.
Our center is always here for individuals when they feel at risk of relapse as well – our therapists can help individuals work through triggers in a healthy manner and develop the coping skills they need.

Therapeutic Interventions in Opioid Addiction Treatment

Evidence-based therapies are essential components of relapse prevention. Some of the common therapeutic interventions we use at NCTC in opioid addiction treatment include:

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT is a therapy that allows individuals to identify and change negative thought patterns and behaviors contributing to addiction. It helps highlight and challenge irrational or harmful thoughts and beliefs.

CBT also helps activate positive activities to improve mood and reduce cravings.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

DBT is a form of CBT that emphasizes balancing acceptance and change, especially for people with co-occurring disorders. DBT teaches mindfulness and helps individuals to be present and aware of their thoughts and feelings without judgment.

New Choices Treatment Center uses DBT to help individuals develop skills to tolerate and manage intense emotions and stress. By learning to identify and change negative emotional responses, our patients can work to reduce relapse and maintain long-term recovery.

Group Therapy

New Choices Treatment Center offers group therapy so our patients can get peer support. We also have psychoeducational groups that focus on teaching about addiction and recovery and skills development groups that focus on developing practical skills for maintaining sobriety.
Group therapy benefits people by helping reduce feelings of isolation and fostering accountability.

Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)

MAT is a practical, evidence-based approach for opioid addiction treatment. It combines medications with counseling and behavioral therapies. Key medications used include methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone.

Each drug works differently to reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms. MAT, when used in conjunction with therapies like CBT and DBT, addresses both the physical and psychological aspects of addiction.

Holistic Healing Methods: Opioid Addiction Treatment Beyond Medication

Holistic healing in opioid addiction treatment often goes beyond medication. It addresses a person’s entire well-being, including physical, emotional, mental, and social well-being. Holistic healing adopts conventional medical treatments with alternative therapies.

At New Choices Treatment Center, we tailor each person’s care based on their needs. Our team of professionals understands how addiction impacts every aspect of a person’s life, and our goal is to provide a balanced path to recovery.

What Kind of Holistic Opioid Addiction Treatment Do We Offer?

The components of holistic healing at NCTC include:
  • Healthy nutrition and diet that help address the deficiencies often caused by opioid use.
  • Regular exercise and physical activity to improve physical fitness, reduce stress, and enhance mood.
  • Establishing a regular sleep schedule and creating a calming bedtime routine.
  • Detoxification through proper hydration and nutrition.
  • Regular medical check-ups to ensure effective treatment. 
  • Techniques like deep breathing, muscle relaxation, mindfulness, and meditation to enhance inner peace and healing. 
Opioid Addiction Treatment

The Road to Recovery: Our Approach at NCTC

At New Choices Treatment Center, we begin each person’s journey with a thorough assessment.
Our evaluation process involves medical and psychological assessments to create a personalized opioid addiction treatment plan that addresses the client’s goals.

Our Detoxification Services

New Choices Treatment Center provides medically supervised detox programs that offer around-the-clock care and support.
Our goal is to ensure the safety and comfort of clients as their bodies adjust to the absence of opioids. This helps reduce the risk of severe withdrawal symptoms and prepares them for the next stages of treatment.

Our Residential Treatment Programs

Our residential treatment program helps people focus entirely on their recovery. In this structured setting, individuals participate in various therapies, including counseling, group therapy, and holistic activities. These are all aimed at addressing the underlying causes of addiction.

Our center’s residential program provides a safe space free from external triggers and stressors, allowing patients to develop the skills and resilience needed for long-term sobriety.

Our Outpatient Treatment Programs

Aside from residential programs, New Choices Treatment Center offers specialized outpatient programs. We offer opioid addiction treatment programs where clients can enjoy their treatment and recovery without any disruption to their daily routine.

Our Intensive Outpatient Treatment Programs

The intensive outpatient program (IOP) at New Choices Treatment Center is designed for people who need a structured treatment plan but also require the flexibility to maintain their daily responsibilities. Patients still get their regular therapy sessions while living at home.

This program helps bridge the gap between residential treatment and complete independence.

Create a Healthier Tomorrow With New Choices

Getting help for opioid addiction treatment can feel overwhelming, but at New Choices Treatment Center, you’re not alone. Our comprehensive treatment programs address unique individual needs, offering a path to lasting recovery.

Take the first step towards a healthier, brighter future. Contact New Choices Treatment Center today to begin your journey to recovery. Your journey to recovery starts here.

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Resources

  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10037395/
  2. https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/trends-statistics/overdose-death-rates
  3. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/how-opioid-drugs-activate-receptors
  4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK580625/