Addiction: Outpatient Treatment Online & In-Person

What is Addiction & Substance Use Disorder?

Addiction is a chronic condition that can affect all aspects of one’s life. Addiction can also have a significant impact on the lives of those around the person suffering, including their friends, families, romantic partners and even their children. The main types of addictions include behavioral addictions (such as gambling, social media use, pornography, and sexual addictions) and substance use disorders (such as alcohol, opiate, marijuana, stimulant and benzodiazepine).

Addictions are incredibly common, with approximately 50 million Americans over the age of 12 (17% of the US population) struggling with a substance use disorder alone in the last year. To complicate the issue further, about 8% of American Adults suffer from both an addiction AND another mental health disorder (a co-occurring disorder or “dual-diagnosis”), such as anxiety, depression, ADHD or bipolar disorder. This is why seeking help from a specialist, such as an addiction doctor or addiction psychiatrist, is recommended for a patient’s in-office or online addiction treatment.

Rittenhouse Psychiatric Associates and its addiction specialists (including Fellowship Trained Addiction Doctors and Psychiatrists) understand not only the evaluation and diagnosis of the various forms of addiction, but also the treatment of both addiction and co-occurring (dual-diagnosis) mental health disorders. We will work to develop an individualized plan for your substance use disorder treatment, or behavioral addiction, which may include medication management, medical detox, medication-assisted maintenance therapy (MAT), addiction therapy online, or in-office appointments. Give us a call today.

Symptoms of Addiction

Symptoms of addiction (whether they be substance use disorders or behavioral addictions) include the compulsive taking of a substance, or the performance of an activity, despite negative or harmful consequences to the individual and those around them. Individuals should consider substance use disorder treatment, scheduling with an addiction psychiatrist or receiving addiction therapy online if they notice:

• An Inability to cut back or stop

• A lack of control
• Excessive time spent thinking about or focusing on their addiction
• Tolerance: Needing more over time, to get the same effect
• Personal, Relationship, Work or Health problems, due to their addiction
• Withdrawal: For example, insomnia, sweats, racing heart or other symptoms when not using a substance.

Common Forms of Addiction

Opioid Use Disorder

Opiate or Opioid Use Disorder refers to an addiction to pain medications or illegal drugs (such as heroin or fentanyl) that are chemically derived from, or related to, the opium poppy plant. These substances are highly addictive and, unfortunately, highly lethal in overdose, with approximately 80,000 deaths per year in the US alone.

Many do not realize, that addiction psychiatrists, doctors and other mental health professionals can not only medically detox individuals with opiate dependency (often in the outpatient setting), but they can also prescribe medications that block the effect of opioids in the brain & body, preventing withdrawal, cravings and reducing the risk of overdose. Substance use disorder treatment for opioid use disorder can also involve in-office and online addiction therapy.

Alcohol Use Disorder

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is the most common substance use disorder in the US; approximately 30 million people struggle with alcohol abuse or alcohol dependency (10% of those 12+). This condition is characterized by an impaired ability to control or stop alcohol use, despite social, occupational, legal or health consequences.

Excessive and chronic alcohol use can result in various health conditions such as cirrhosis of the liver, increased risk for various cancers, and even seizures, hallucinations or death from withdrawal. This is why it’s incredibly important to seek addiction treatment from a mental health professional with extensive training in the treatment of AUD and co-occurring mental health conditions.

Benzodiazepine Addiction

Benzodiazepine addiction, or benzodiazepine use disorder, is a condition where an individual struggles with the abuse or dependence of prescribed anxiety or sleep medications such as alprazolam (Xanax), diazepam (Valium), clonazepam (Klonopin), lorazepam (Ativan) or zolpidem (Ambien). While the person suffering from this addiction may be purchasing these medications off the street, it’s unfortunately not uncommon for the routine prescription of these substances (even from a licensed provider, such as a doctor) to result in this form of addiction, or even to maintain it.

Benzodiazepines (similarly to alcohol) can result in significant withdrawal symptoms, such as seizures, hallucinations, unstable vital signs and even death. When taken with opioids or other recreational substances, they increase the risk of death from overdose substantially, as they cause “cardiorespiratory suppression” (the slowing of the heart and breathing). Benzodiazepine addiction treatment is rather specific, and we recommend seeking treatment from an addiction doctor or psychiatrist who fully understands this condition and its treatment options, particularly if the patient also suffers from anxiety or insomnia (has a dual diagnosis).

How Rittenhouse Psychiatric Associates Treats Addiction

Your First Visit for Addiction

Your first appointment at Rittenhouse Psychiatric Associates for Addiction Treatment will involve a thorough psychiatric and medical evaluation, including a discussion of your specific struggles with addiction (whether a substance use disorder or behavioral addiction), and the evaluation for any co-occurring (or dual diagnosis) psychiatric disorders. Evaluations for addiction treatment are typically completed by a Fellowship Trained Addiction Psychiatrist or other mental health professional with expertise in the treatment of addiction.

Your provider at Rittenhouse will then discuss a thorough treatment plan for your specific addiction struggles, which may include medication management, psychotherapy, behavioral modification, a 12-step or similar program, dietary changes, exercise and other recommendations. The medical component may include detox (which can often occur in the outpatient setting) and/or medication maintenance therapy with an anti-craving or blocking agent.

Outpatient Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) for Substance Use Disorder

Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) refers to the use of medications that reduce cravings and/or block the effects of substances such as alcohol and opiates. They can be life saving and substantially reduce or stop the use of the addictive substance. Many people will utilize medication-assisted treatment (MAT) to achieve sobriety, allowing them to work on reducing triggers (such as people, places and things), repair relationships, and to evaluate and treat co-occurring mental health conditions, which will increase their likelihood of overcoming their addiction as well. Examples include buprenorphine (Suboxone, Sublocade, Brixadi), naltrexone (Vivitrol), Antabuse and others.

MAT Available in these States:

• Delaware
• New Jersey
• Pennsylvania

* The prescription of controlled medications via online psychiatric appointments is dependent on state and federal regulations and provider licensing. Call our scheduling specialists for up-to-date information.

Therapy for Addiction & Substance Use Disorder

Psychotherapy for in-office and online addiction treatment can be incredibly important for someone struggling with a substance use disorder and/or behavioral addiction. There are many instances where medication management is not indicated, or a patient may simply prefer to start with therapy. Psychotherapy can also be utilized in conjunction with medication management. The psychologists and therapists at Rittenhouse are also experts in treating co-occurring disorders (dual diagnosis) ,including anxiety, depression, PTSD, bipolar disorder and ADHD. Therapy modalities may include CBT, EMDR, supportive therapy, motivational interviewing and others.

The Psychologists and therapists at Rittenhouse will meet you where you are in your recovery journey, and collaborate with your other medical providers (whether at RPA or not) as well.