Depending on many genetic and environmental factors, some first-time users may not continue the cycle of addiction. In contrast, others may start progressing through the cycle and form a substance use disorder. For individuals in the first two stages of initial use and abuse, outpatient treatment and behavioral health counseling may be all that’s needed to get back on track.

Aftercare and Support Systems

For forward-thinking administrators, aligning with an innovative partner like BehaveHealth means equipping your facility to deliver exceptional care efficiently while staying adaptable to whatever the future brings. By keeping these features in focus, you can more easily compare software options and see which aligns best with your facility’s needs. Remember, the goal is not to get distracted by bells and whistles you won’t use, but to ensure all the mission-critical capabilities are there and executed well.

• They can also happen between stages, like tolerance development and dependence formation, when someone tries to stop their use but starts again.
• Many treatment programs have to bill multiple payers or split a claim between an insurance portion and a self-pay portion (for example, when housing fees aren’t covered by insurance).
• During this stage, family and friends often notice the problem before the person does.

Speak with your healthcare provider to determine which treatment plan is best for your individual situation and stage of addiction. Support groups, like Narcotics Anonymous, help people with drug addiction issues. The support group message is generally that addiction is an ongoing disorder with a high risk of relapse. Whether you are struggling with addiction, mental health or both, our expert team is here to guide you every step of the way. Don’t wait— reach out today to take the first step toward taking control of your life.

• When the admissions team, clinicians, and billing staff are all working in the same system, information flows seamlessly and errors drop.
• At the heart of addiction or substance use disorder is dopamine, a neurotransmitter in the brain responsible for feelings of pleasure and reward.
• As their dependence on it grows, they can feel sick, irritable, and unfocused until they have more.
• At this point, you may be testing your limits, wondering if you can still control how much and when you use it.

Stages of the Addiction Cycle

As with any attempt to stop substance misuse and abuse, there are withdrawal symptoms. At the withdrawal stage of the cycle of addiction, a person can expect to face symptoms such as fatigue, anxiety, irritability, nausea, tremors, or even seizures in some cases. Ultimately, the withdrawal symptoms will vary depending on the particular drug of choice, the severity of the addiction, and the individual. The cycle of addiction is a powerful and destructive process fueled by changes in brain chemistry, tolerance, withdrawal, and neurotransmitter regulation (or disregulation). While dopamine is the star player in the brain’s reward system, other components like alpha cells and the GABA system also contribute to the persistence of addiction.

Detox focuses on helping people to stop taking the addicting drug as quickly and as safely as possible. No single factor can predict if a person will experience addiction to drugs. Usually, a combination of factors influences the risk of addiction. This stage starts after a person has had some abstinence from drugs. This could be a few hours for someone with a severe drug addiction.

Detox

Family environment, family belief systems, and drug availability play a role here. Knowing is half the battle, as they say, and knowing the stages of the cycle of addiction can help inform patients and their support group of where they are, where they have been, and where they could be again. Once physical and psychological dependence forms, a person is considered to be addicted. (7) The symptoms and implications of drug addiction vary depending on the type of drug they’re using. However, it doesn’t change the fact that recovering from addiction is extremely difficult. In those cases, the body was not able to work properly before the person started taking the drug, and the medication is being used to correct that.

• Addiction is many things, but first and foremost it is a disease.
• Depending on many genetic and environmental factors, some first-time users may not continue the cycle of addiction.
• Cloud-based software, in particular, has seen a surge in adoption.
• Jessica graduated from the University of South Florida (USF) with an English degree and combines her writing expertise and passion for helping others to deliver reliable information to those impacted by addiction.
• Depending on the person and their particular addiction, each phase may take a short or long time to develop.

This kind of integration would allow behavioral health providers to extend care beyond the session and offer 24/7 support resources, all while tracking usage data and outcomes in the client’s record. Digital therapeutics, combined with telehealth, could significantly expand a center’s reach and impact in the coming years. On the financial side, BehaveHealth addresses pain points like split billing and insurance complexity.

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Implementation can be faster and smoother because there’s no need to bend the system to fit behavioral workflows – those are already the defaults. Moreover, BehaveHealth prides itself on customer support, offering hands-on guidance during onboarding and after. Many legacy vendors have a reputation for leaving smaller behavioral health clients feeling like a low priority. BehaveHealth, being specialized and catering to this market, provides a level of attention that can make all the difference during a software transition. In practical terms, that could mean fewer missed appointments, better follow-up on treatment plans, and more consistent outcomes tracking.

To ensure we provide accurate and trustworthy information, our writers follow strict editorial guidelines. Join 40,000+ People Who Receive Our Newsletter Get valuable resources on addiction, recovery, wellness, and our treatments delivered directly to your inbox. While you can break the cycle marijuana addiction at this point by getting the right help, there is another stage that can send you right back to square one. You might also notice they seem distracted and uncomfortable if they don’t have the substance regularly. As their dependence on it grows, they can feel sick, irritable, and unfocused until they have more. Someone who’s started using substances may show signs of inebriation, like stumbling when they walk, slurring their words, or seeming spaced out.

We commend you for taking the first step in your recovery, and we want you to know that we are here for you. This could look like a casual conversation, or something more structured and planned. It depends on your situation and how far their use has progressed. Early intervention can be one of the most effective forms of ‘treatment,’ but preventing substance use altogether offers the greatest crop of benefits. Even if the trigger led to a relapse, you’ve still gained a tool for your future recovery and sobriety. You gain the same learning opportunity from any relapse, regardless of its cause or trigger.

Treatment Strategies for the Addiction Cycle

For instance, a more expensive all-in-one platform might eliminate the need for two other software subscriptions, actually saving money in the long run. Or a system with built-in billing optimization might increase your reimbursement rate enough to more than pay for itself. Three of the most common relapse prevention strategies have included therapy and skill development, medications, and monitoring.