Drug and Alcohol Addiction Treatment

Substance use disorder, commonly known as drug or alcohol addiction, is a brain disease that’s too big to fight alone. At Virtua, we provide personalized treatment to help you on your path to recovery.

What causes substance use disorder?

Once thought to be a choice, clinical research has shown that addiction—like diabetes and heart disease—results from a combination of behavioral, psychological, environmental, and genetic factors. Addiction, clinically referred to as substance use disorder, is a complex disease of the brain and body. It involves the continued use of one or more substances, despite serious health and social consequences.

Substances such as tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, stimulants, hallucinogens, and opioids target “reward centers” in your brain. These “centers” release chemicals that promote good feelings. With continued use, these substances biologically change the way your brain functions.

As your brain adapts to the presence of substances and increased “feel-good” chemicals, you develop cravings that often lead to increased use. Without these chemicals, your brain and body experience withdrawal.

What are the signs of substance use disorder? 

Some of the signs of substance use disorder include:

• Loss of control, such as spending more time using or covering up drug use and wanting, but not being able, to stop
• Social impairment that affects your ability to go to work or school or that leads to arguments with friends or family members and withdrawal from relationships
• Risky use, such as driving while under the influence of a substance or continuing to use it despite health problems
• Biological criteria that can include an increased tolerance for the drug, cravings, and withdrawal symptoms

Who’s at risk for substance use disorder? 

Most people who engage in substance use don’t develop an addiction. But for many, continued substance use can cause a severe, chronic disorder. This leads to progressive, relapsing disease that requires intensive treatments and continuing aftercare, monitoring, and family or peer support to manage recovery.  

Drug and Alcohol Addiction Treatment at Virtua 

At Virtua, we provide compassionate, non-judgmental treatment for people who use substances, such as:

• Opiates, such as heroin and fentanyl
• Alcohol
• Stimulants like methamphetamine and cocaine
• Non-medical use of prescription medications, like opioid pain pills and benzodiazepines
• Nicotine
• Cannabis

Our team includes physicians and psychiatric nurses trained in addiction medicine, who will meet you wherever you are on your path to recovery. We work with you to develop a personalized plan that helps you stop or reduce your substance use and decreases your risk of overdose or death from substance use.

Get on the path to recovery today

Getting on the path to treatment starts with a call to our navigator, and you don’t need a referral from a health care provider. We often have same-day appointments or can see you within 24 hours.

You’ll talk with a physician or advanced practice nurse about how you’re feeling and why you want to start treatment, and then you’ll outline your personal goals.

Personalized substance use treatment 

We care for you as a person who has a chronic disease, delivering compassionate, evidence-based treatment based on your unique goals.

Your personalized treatment plan may include the following:

• Medical and psychiatric evaluation for substance use disorders
• FDA-approved medications like naltrexone (Vivitrol) and buprenorphine-naloxone (Suboxone), which help you manage withdrawal symptoms, reduce cravings, and prevent relapse
• Psychotherapy, including substance use counseling and cognitive behavioral therapy, to help you identify and change the thoughts and behaviors that led you to substance use
• Referral and connection to additional mental health and substance use programs
• Connection to supplemental services, including medical appointments and social service support

We’ll see you regularly to manage your medications and check in on how you’re doing. While you’re being treated, our goal is to help you return to work or school and maintain your life and everyday activities.

We recognize that recovery from substance use disorder isn’t an easy or perfect journey. If you use substances while in treatment, don’t give up or fear that we will give up on treating you.

No matter the challenges, we’re with you for the long haul and will continue to treat you and support you through recovery.