Addiction Medicine

What is Addiction Medicine?

Addiction medicine provides evidence-based prevention, evaluation, diagnosis treatment and medical management services for people struggling with unhealthy substance use or substance-related health conditions. Often, family members who are affected by a loved one’s substance abuse will seek help from addiction medicine specialists.

What is Substance Use Disorder Treatments?

Definition: Addiction is a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory and related circuitry. Dysfunction in these circuits leads to characteristic biological, psychological, social and spiritual manifestations. This is reflected in an individual pathologically pursuing reward and/or relief by substance use and other behaviors. Addiction is characterized by inability to consistently abstain, impairment in behavioral control, craving, diminished recognition of significant problems with one’s behaviors and interpersonal relationships, and a dysfunctional emotional response. Like other chronic diseases, addiction often involves cycles of relapse and remission. Without treatment or engagement in recovery activities, addiction is progressive and can result in behavioral and social dysfunction (ASAM, 3^rd Edition).

What Treatment Options are Offered by Penn Highlands Healthcare?

Out-patient:

This treatment is geared towards those with or without co-occurring psychiatric diagnoses under the care of an Addiction Medicine Physician, Addiction Psychiatrist, Recovery Addiction Counselors, and/or Social Workers. Our out-patient treatment serves those with addiction, both substance and behavioral (gambling/gaming, sexual, pornography). Our Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Treatment is addiction focused and includes individual and/or group therapy. We offer specialized groups such as Trauma-Informed Care and Relapse Prevention.

Intensive Out-Patient (IOP):

Intensive Out-Patient Treatment requires specific criteria be met following the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM, 3^rd Edition). This requires our facility to follow specific guidelines when offering 9-19 hours of individual and group therapy weekly. IOP Treatment addresses stress and emotional well-being, as well as the ability to develop and implement skills to increase proper communication and reduce likelihood of relapse and stress.

Substance Recovery Unit:

Penn Highlands Healthcare offers the CNX Foundation Substance Recovery Unit at Penn Highlands Mon Valley. The unit is the only Level 4.0 inpatient withdrawal and treatment facility in Fayette, Greene, Washington and Westmoreland counties. Level 4.0 treatment facilities are for people who require specialized care with the support of a full acute care hospital. The unit also provides a 3.7 Bio Medically enhanced level of care which is the first of its kind in Western Pennsylvania. This unit not only helps people in their first phase of withdrawal, it provides safe and expert care to people with a host of medical conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and behavioral health issues. As part of an acute care hospital, the unit has the resources of an Emergency Department, Lab, Medical Imaging and even an Operating Room, if necessary.