Drug Addiction Treatment on St Simons Islands, Georgia

Drug addiction can be a deeply personal, deeply complex issue. There are several reasons why a person may develop addiction. While the why behind addiction is not easily understood, what we do know is this – addiction has a profound effect on the mind and body of those in active addiction as well as their family and loved ones. The severe and personal nature of these issues is why it’s important to have a drug abuse treatment center that you can trust. 

St Simons By-The-Sea prides itself on offering a professional and personalized treatment experience for people struggling with various forms of addiction.

Drug addiction is a multi-faceted issue that requires tailored care. The clinicians at St. Simons are trained to handle the symptoms and foster recovery for the following narcotics: 

• Heroin
• Cocaine
• Methamphetamines

Often, detoxing from use of these drugs requires medical supervision, due to the severity of withdrawal symptoms. St. Simons offers this type of medical supervision in the early stages of our substance use programs.

Signs of drug addiction can vary by person and by substance use. Some red flags to look out for include:

• Rapid weight loss
• Increased anxiety or paranoia
• Increased fatigue 
• Manic or depressive episodes 
• Increased risky behavior, both socially and financially 
• Withdrawal from social activities and groups 

If you or a loved one is exhibiting these signs, it may be time to ask for help.  

Helping someone with a drug addiction is not often straightforward. It can be a highly emotional process, so it’s important to not only take care of the person in active addiction but yourself as well. Here are some tips to help someone in addiction, while remaining grounded in your own experience:

• Reach out for support: There is strength in numbers, and reaching out for support from friends and family can be transformational for someone with addiction. You can either stage an intervention, where there is a formal structure and purpose, or join together for an informal conversion about what is concerning you about your loved ones behavior. 
• Establish boundaries: Boundaries are important for the safety of you and your loved one experiencing active addiction. Boundaries give you the space to process your own emotions, while discouraging the continuation of risky or disrespectful behaviors. 

• Seek out professional help: Professionals in the mental health and substance use disorder space can provide life-changing help when it comes to overcoming addiction. Professionals have the tools, time and resources to help you or your loved one break down the triggers of use behavior and confront them. 

At St. Simons, we offer drug abuse counseling from ages 12 and up through our adolescent substance abuse treatment into our adult dual diagnosis treatment. The clinicians understand the drug use affects the body and mind differently at different ages, which is why we offer our programs divided by age, to match patients up with the experience suited to their needs. 

Drug use is often closely linked with other underlying mental health conditions in adult users, according to the CDC. This is why St. Simons offers a dual-diagnosis approach to substance use for adults. Our program uses the following tools to help patients end their cycle of drug addiction: 

• Medical detoxification
• Frequent check-ins
• The 12-step approach to addiction
• Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
• Recreational therapy
• Group therapy
• Discharge planning

This approach creates a start-to-finish treatment plan, created and overseen by addictionologists on staff.

Substance abuse works differently in the adolescent brain than in the adult brain. While our programs use the same tools and approaches as our adult program, our adolescent program staff at St. Simon’s has specific experience in addressing the unique needs of teens experiencing addiction. Our program aims to not only help adolescents address substance abuse and the factors influencing it, but helps to teach life-long coping mechanisms that can last into adulthood. 

St Simons By-The-Sea, on St Simons Island, Georgia, is here to help you and your family overcome addiction. Admissions representatives are available anytime, day or night, to perform a confidential intake assessment at no cost to you. Walk-ins are welcome, but we encourage individuals needing help, their loved one or their healthcare provider to call us first at 1-800-821-7224.

St Simons By-The-Sea is not an emergency facility. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 911 and seek your nearest emergency room.