After years of suffering, and finally making the decision to enter alcohol and drug treatment, the last thing alcoholics and drug addicts want to do is wait.  Forms need to be completed, printed and signed, and all of that paper used can’t be good for the environment.  Digital signatures address both of these issues.

When alcohol and drug treatment centers stay current with technology in health care, the main goal is to improve patient outcomes.  Any new technology aims to provide better security, efficiency in treatment, and the ability to store and share information between staff professionals.  But even with efficient systems in place, paperwork can seem overwhelming to patients being admitted to treatment.

Many individuals entering alcohol and drug treatment require medical detoxification to minimize withdrawals.  The decision to enter treatment may have taken months, partially out of fear over alcohol, heroin, or prescription drug withdrawals.  Once they enter the doors of a facility, with no access to their drugs of choice, that fear makes every minute seem like an hour.

Suddenly, they are faced with a stack of paperwork that needs to be read and signed.  Before they are halfway through the stack, physical signs of withdrawal may begin to appear.  No matter how quickly an admissions counselor wants to proceed, this work needs to be done to ensure patient security and proper treatment.

Paper use is a problem in this process, as well.  If two professionals need to see a form at the same time, it means that copies need to be made.  Most of those copies are shredded after use.  Digital creation and storage of many forms minimizes waste, but there are still some that need patient signatures.  This still means that paper is printed, copied and shredded over and over again.

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles has addressed this issue by incorporating digital signature capturing into the admissions and counseling process.  Patients can now proceed through the admissions process without waiting for forms to print.  They can simply sign them using a digital signature pad during the admission interview process, effectively cutting the admission time in half.

When patients complete the admissions process, they are walked into a treatment unit with minimal paperwork.  This not only saves paperwork, but also provides better security for patients.  This is because their detailed information is only available on a secure network computer, accessible only to treatment staff.  It also means that two professionals can look at the same information simultaneously, without needing to make copies.

Our goal is to be completely paperless as a health care organization.  The ability to capture digital signatures provided a bridge over a big chasm that prevented us from reaching that goal.  This took some time to accomplish, but it was worth it considering that we made great leaps toward two of our goals.

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles uses the latest technology to provide effective alcohol and drug treatment.  We specialize in treatment for mental health and substance use disorders, and have two primary medical care clinics in the San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley.  If you or a loved one needs help with alcohol dependence, drug addiction, or co-occurring mental health disorders, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) is a safe and effective method for alcohol and narcotic withdrawal and maintenance.  There is ample evidence suggesting that harm reduction strategies should be more widely available to those suffering from alcohol dependence and drug addiction.  Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles has taken note of these facts, and offers several medication assisted treatment options.

Traditional alcohol and drug treatment services help many individuals to begin a life in recovery and improve their lives.  MAT is utilized in medical detoxification at the start of treatment to minimize withdrawal symptoms from alcohol and other drugs.  This process is important since patients must be medically stable before beginning the process of recovery.

For some, though, relapse commonly follows traditional treatment.  This is generally due to alcohol cravings and opiate cravings that vary greatly from patient to patient.  Medications like Suboxone, Vivitrol, and Methadone help to minimize cravings so these individuals may begin the process of recovery, medically stable and in a receptive state of mind.

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Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles offers many medication assisted treatment options.  We specialize in treatment for mental health and substance use disorders, and have two primary medical care clinics in the San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley.  If you or a loved one needs help with alcohol dependence, drug addiction, or co-occurring mental health disorders, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

Alcohol and drug detox is performed in many different ways depending on where one decides to receive treatment. Tarzana Treatment Centers’ medical detoxification program provides medically monitored treatment to avoid physical withdrawal to alcohol and other drugs. We have a trained detox team that incorporates counseling and therapy during alcohol and drug detox to help with the psychological distress that the individual may experience as well.

Virtually all treatment centers incorporate the 12-Step model as a basis for these elements of their programs. But Tarzana Treatment Centers’ detox program is unique in that it includes group and individual counseling as well.  Addiction education groups teach patients relapse prevention skills to resist drug use, problem-solving abilities, as well as tools and techniques to replace drug-using behaviors, along with full medical and psychological services.

Tarzana Treatment Centers’ detox program will offer assistance in family counseling during recovery and in aftercare. Family counseling is shown to lower the risk of relapse by providing the entire family with skills to deal with addiction and education on the nature of drug abuse.

The best treatment programs address the complex needs of their patients. Addicts use drugs for many reasons, so a patient’s drug use must be understood in the area of other physical, emotional and social needs. During an initial assessment our trained staff takes into consideration the addict’s age, gender, ethnicity, cultural background and sexual orientation to further enhance the patient’s ability to be successful with our program.

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides services based on our commitment to integrated behavioral healthcare in adolescent and adult alcohol and drug treatment.  They include mental health treatment, HIV/AIDS services, alcohol and drug detox, and culture-based tracks like Native American alcohol and drug treatment.

If you or a loved one needs alcohol or drug detox, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles is participating in Recovery Month 2009, in part, with articles about recovery during the month of September.  Most individuals suffering from alcoholism and drug addiction begin their recovery with alcohol and drug treatment.  So it is our pleasure to help bring awareness to the general public about the benefits of recovery to individuals, their families, and everyone with whom they interact.

An alcohol and drug detox program is an integral component of any substance abuse treatment. Many factors must be considered when developing an alcohol or drug detox protocol. Issues such as age, related medical issues, amount used, years of use, and frequency of use are all considered. The alcohol or drug detox treatment protocol developed is the key in managing any symptoms associated with withdrawal.

The detox program at Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles is a medically monitored unit, complete with 24-hour nursing and a physician credentialed in addiction medicine. Due to the health concerns associated with alcoholism, alcohol and drug abuse, and drug addiction, a detox and treatment program must be able to address the medical needs of each patient.

When you begin the process of medical detoxification, you will most likely experience some withdrawal symptoms. These physical withdrawal symptoms are different for everyone, but can include, sweats, nausea, vomiting, tremors, anxiety and the possibility of convulsions and seizures. With the medications that are available today, an effective treatment program can minimize and in some cases, almost eliminate the symptoms associated with withdrawal.

Medical detoxification is only the first step towards recovery from substance abuse. In a detox program, our priority is the elimination of alcohol or drugs from the body, the management of withdrawal symptoms and the development of a foundation for your future recovery. The real treatment must follow in other levels of care such as residential rehab or outpatient alcohol and drug treatment in order to resolve underlying issues surrounding why one continues to drink, despite all of the negative consequences. Research shows, that people who only go to detox, instead of also following through with a rehab program, will most likely end up in relapse.

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides medical detoxification as part of our commitment to integrated behavioral healthcare in alcohol and drug treatment.  If you or a loved one needs help with alcohol dependence or drug addiction, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

By Ken Bachrach, Ph.D.
Clinical Director

The first step in drug addiction treatment is to stop using one’s drug or drugs of choice.  One of the diagnostic criteria for drug addiction is the inability to successfully cut down one’s use or stop it completely.  These failed attempts to stop drug use is due to both physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms or the fear of them, if one would actually attempt to cut down or stop drug use.

There are many drugs of abuse, but most people use either opiates, tranquilizers, stimulants or some combination of these drugs.  In addition, alcohol is a common secondary drug of choice for those who abuse drugs.  There are illicit or “street” forms of these substances or prescription medication varieties.  A person may be using heroin or the prescription medications Vicodin or Oxycontin.   

Tranquilizers are primarily prescription drugs used to treat anxiety and sleep problems, particularly the class of drugs known as minor tranquilizers or benzodiazepines.  These include medications such as Ativan, Xanax, and Klonopin.  

The most commonly abused stimulants are methamphetamine and cocaine, but prescription medications, such as Ritalin or Adderall, are also abused by some individuals.

The first step is to determine whether or not medical detoxification is necessary.  This requires an evaluation by trained medical personnel in the field of addiction, since stopping substances abruptly can be very difficult, dangerous, and even fatal.  When stopping the use of alcohol, opiates, and tranquilizers, one can become very ill or even have seizures that can be life-threatening.  

Physical withdrawal is a real phenomenon that must be assessed and addressed by medical personnel.  Medications are usually prescribed to ease the symptoms of withdrawal and make sure alcohol or drug detox is done is a safe manner.  Stimulants, such as cocaine and methamphetamine, do not require medically supervised detoxification, but there may be significant psychological withdrawal symptoms that need to be monitored and treated, if indicated.

Medical detoxification is done by substituting the drug of abuse with a medication that is administered according to a specific schedule.  This can be done on an inpatient or outpatient basis, with the determination based on an individual’s intoxication or withdrawal potential, medical and psychological needs, motivation level, relapse potential, and recovery environment.  

To detox on an outpatient basis, one needs to have relatively low medical and psychological needs, be fairly motivated, have not failed detoxification one or more times on a outpatient basis.  They must have structure in their life, and a living environment supportive of recovery. Otherwise, inpatient detoxification is usually recommended.

Medical detoxification is achieved by slowly lowering the amount of medication each day until all medication is stopped and detoxification is achieved.  For opiates, methadone, buprenorphine or even Clonodine can be used to detox the individual.  For tranquilizers, the barbiturate, phenobartital, is often used in decreasing amounts.  

The length of time one will require for drug detox can vary, based on the drug of abuse, the amount used daily prior to entering detoxification, and one’s own idiosyncratic issues.  Generally, most detoxification protocols can be completed within one week, but can be as short as three days or as long as ten days.  Certain drugs or combinations of drugs may take a longer period of time.

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides drug and alcohol detox in alcohol and drug treatment as part of our commitment to integrated behavioral healthcare.  If you or a loved one needs help with alcohol or drugs, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

Opiate detoxification is not administered in the same manner for every patient at Tarzana Treatment Centers.  Medication schedules depend on the amount of opiates the patient used upon admission, as well as the length of prior continuous opiate use.  

Obviously the amount of usage determines the starting dosage from which to taper.  But the length of prior continuous opiate use determines care in the final days of medical detoxification.  

According to Duane Carmalt, MD, who has detoxed thousands of opiate addicts over the past 30 years, the length of prior continuous opiate use can make the experience of medical detoxification like landing a helicopter or a space shuttle.  Helicopters are smooth in the final phase of landing with no “jolt” experience of hitting the ground.  Space shuttles approach landing smoothly, but, due to abrupt changes at landing time, that jolt is almost inevitable.

Dr. Carmalt explains that the “helicopter” type patients have used opiates continuously for a few months.  They begin detox treatment at a certain dosage, determined by an assessment, which is tapered down until opiate detox is achieved.  These patients’ Withdrawal symptoms are minimal throughout treatment, including the final day.

 “Space Shuttle” patients have used opiates for a year or more.  They generally experience the same minor withdrawal symptoms until the final 48 hours or so of treatment.  They often experience a jolt of more significant opiate withdrawal symptoms in the final days of detoxing, and require a slower taper off the final doses of medication, which can extend their stay one or two more days.  

Keep in mind that patient motivation is a major factor in drug and alcohol treatment, and can have an effect on the helicopter/space shuttle strata.  In fact, a strong motivation for recovery is the best tool for paving a smooth landing area in opiate detox.  Opiate tolerance also affects how a patient responds to detox medications, and can cause the “Space Shuttle” effect to occur earlier in detox treatment.

Patients planning to enter opiate drug addiction treatment at Tarzana Treatment Centers should take note of these factors in medical detoxification.  Not only is it good to know what to expect from detox treatment, but it can also help in scheduling aftercare for those entering residential or outpatient drug treatment.

If you would like further details about opiate detox and treatment, please call us at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County and Orange County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley, and in Santa Ana.

Patients entering drug or alcohol detox at Tarzana Treatment Centers may be interested in knowing what they can do to minimize withdrawal symptoms.  The mindset of alcoholics and addicts can lead them to engage in behaviors that they think make sense, but in actuality result in delaying their admission and make the detox process more difficult for them.  

One of the most problematic behaviors is known as “preloading.”  This is the act of taking large doses of a drug on the date of admission.  Some believe it will help them to make a smooth transition from their drug of choice into the tapering process.  Others simply want to enjoy one last farewell with an old “friend”.  Regardless of the reason, preloading delays admission or complicates the process of medical detoxification.

The problem with preloading is that it delays the onset of withdrawal symptoms, and in order to begin the detoxification process, an individual must show medical signs of early withdrawal before detoxification medications can be administered. In almost all cases, admissions staff can tell if incoming patients are intoxicated from taking a large dose of their drug of choice.  This delays admission to detox for at least several hours.  They may even be asked to return for admission at a later date until they display symptoms of early withdrawal.

Another problem is when people only mention taking one substance when they actually use others and have preloaded with them.  For instance, prescription opiate addicts may also take benzodiazepines such as Valium or Xanax, but do not disclose this and may think that no detox is required for them.  Since both substances are sedating, this could result serious medical problems, even before the staff administers a drug screen to determine all substances in a person’s system.   

Most importantly, taking extra doses of any drug will make it more difficult for medical staff to control the patient’s discomfort and withdrawal symptoms.  All drugs have different half-lives, so withdrawal may begin within hours or days after the last dose, depending on which drug or drugs were taken.  The body can be in stabilization from one drug for up to a week when withdrawal symptoms appear for the other.  This can seriously disrupt a patient’s motivation for recovery at a very critical time in alcohol and drug treatment.

The staff at Tarzana Treatment Centers are not judgmental and are committed to providing you with a safe and comfortable detoxification experience.  Since each patient is drug tested prior to medical detoxification, we will discover all substances in the person’s system, and we will treat withdrawals accordingly.  

The practice of preloading works against Tarzana Treatment Centers’ commitment to minimize discomfort for our patients undergoing alcohol and drug detoxification.  It is best for patients to avoid preloading on the date of admission, so as to avoid the extra discomfort it will cause.  Please call us at 800-996-1051 for more information or contact us here via email.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County and Orange County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley, and in Santa Ana.

The term “drug detox” has more than one meaning in today’s society, which can cause confusion and real problems for those performing a web search.  In alcohol and drug treatment it is used to describe a safe and healthy way to avoid withdrawal symptoms through medical detoxification.  But it can also be defined as the means used to cleanse the body with the hope of passing a drug test.

The former will be discussed here.

Drug detox will occur any time a person ceases use of a drug.  Drugs are removed from the body at different rates depending on the drug and the metabolism of the individual.  But if that individual is addicted to a drug, therefore physically dependent, withdrawal symptoms will accompany the detox process.  In these cases, medical detoxification helps to minimize the effects of drug withdrawal and decreases the chances of relapse.

The drug addictions that most commonly require medical detoxification are heroin and other opiates, and prescription opioids and benzodiazepines.  The process begins with an assessment to determine a starting dose and treatment plan for each patient.  Doses are gradually tapered down each day in the drug detox center until the patient is drug free.

Detox is also available for methamphetamine addiction, although detox medications are not required to minimize withdrawal symptoms.  It is helpful, though, for medical and mental health professionals to monitor progress.

Tarzana Treatment Centers provides medical detoxification for adults and adolescents with any type of drug addiction.  Each patient is not only assessed and monitored by medical staff while in treatment, but is also assigned a primary addiction counselor who will guide them on the road to recovery.  Mental health professionals are available for those requiring ongoing therapy or medications.  Before detox treatment ends, patients are referred to residential or outpatient drug treatment for aftercare.

However defined, drug detox is good for the human body as long as the purpose is to remain abstinent from drugs.  If drugs are causing a problem in a person’s life, drug treatment is the solution.  And anyone with a drug addiction should seek medical detoxification.  Temporarily cleansing the body rarely results in a “clean” drug test, anyway.  

If you have questions about medical detoxification for a drug addiction, please call us at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County and Orange County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley, and in Santa Ana.