What Is An Addiction Psychiatrist?

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Addiction can be a challenging struggle to overcome. When someone develops an addiction to a substance or behavior, it can be difficult to change the patterns of behavior and associated brain responses. It can be especially difficult to do so on your own. Luckily, there are professionals out there who can help, and one person who can help you is an addiction psychiatrist.

This may not be a type of psychiatrist you have heard of before. Keep reading to learn more about addiction psychiatrists and how one might benefit you if you're struggling with addiction.

What is addiction psychiatry?

Addiction psychiatry focuses on evaluating, diagnosing, and treating people who have an addiction. They treat addictions to drugs, gambling, and food, along with any other addiction where you lose control and have a tough time stopping behaviors. Here are some facts about addiction psychiatry.

They are experts on substance use

Everyone's brain reacts differently to a substance. One person can drink socially and not be addicted to alcohol, while some individuals may be more vulnerable to developing addiction over time. A psychiatrist understands how the brain reacts to substances and what health effects those substances can have. Repeated use can change brain reward pathways leading to strong addiction, and fixing that can be a challenge that a person with an addiction must face.

Addiction psychiatry is new but has advanced a lot

Addiction psychiatry became a recognized subspecialty in the late 20th century. It was created to add more sub-specialization in the world of psychiatry, and it became an official category in 1993. Since then, the world of addiction psychiatry has grown, with 13 programs in 1997 and 45+ programs today.

Addiction psychiatrists are qualified

A psychiatrist specializing in addiction goes through many stages of education before they can start their career. First, they need to go to medical school and become a medical doctor. Afterward, they complete a psychiatric residency, which typically provides experience with psychopharmacology, cognitive behavior therapy, and substance use treatment. When the residency is complete, they then enter a year-long fellowship in the subspeciality of addiction psychiatry before one can officially enter the field. Many choose to then pursue board certification by taking additional examinations.

Psychiatrists look for underlying disorders

Sometimes, a person who is addicted may have more than one mental health problem. Someone who has other mental health disorders may be more prone to addiction, or their disorder may intensify because of the addiction. For example, addiction can make your depression worse. People who have an addiction and another mental health disorder may be described as having co-occurring disorders.

Addiction psychiatrists know that everyone is different

There is no singular way to treat someone who has an addiction. Everyone responds to treatments differently, and a psychiatrist must employ different tools to make sure the person who is addicted manages to succeed. Some people work well through talk therapy, while others may benefit from medication management and cognitive behavior therapy when clinically appropriate. A psychiatrist recognizes these differences and will employ all the tools necessary to support the patient's recovery.

*Medication is prescribed only when clinically appropriate and is not guaranteed. Pricing, availability, insurance coverage, and copays vary by plan, location, and provider availability are not guaranteed.

Addiction psychiatry may employ medicine to treat patients

Sometimes, someone with an addiction to medication may be treated with other medication. This medication may help address withdrawal effects that come from staying away from the substance, or it may help address an underlying psychiatric condition. Either way, someone who has an addiction may benefit from medication management when clinically appropriate, and a psychiatrist can help monitor treatment decisions based on the person's needs.

Addiction psychiatry uses psychotherapy as well

Some people respond well to talk therapy or psychotherapy, which involves the client talking to the psychiatrist about their problems. A psychotherapy session might involve the patient using cognitive behavioral therapy techniques to help identify and change unhelpful thought patterns that enable addiction. Talk therapy can also help by identifying triggers that could cause a relapse. You might discover that the mere sight of alcohol can trigger your addiction, and you may involve avoiding triggers or developing strategies to cope with them.

Addiction psychiatrists get a full picture of the client

Sometimes, a psychiatrist may need complete information about a patient to treat them correctly. The psychiatrist will get the patient's medical history and learn about any mental health problems they may have. They will look into the patient's past treatment—if they have had any—to see what techniques have worked or failed. Once they have all the pertinent information, the psychiatrist will try to help by looking for solutions that can benefit the patient.

Psychiatrists may recommend different programs outside the office

A psychiatrist could recommend additional programs to help battle your addiction. This, along with addiction psychiatry, could help you out in your battle against addiction. These programs may include support groups or rehab.

A psychiatrist is patient

If you're recovering from an addiction, you may fail a few times while trying to recover. Relapses are common, especially when you don't know what your triggers are. A psychiatrist can help by being patient with you. They know recovery can be a long journey.

If you have a relapse, there is no shame in being honest with your psychiatrist and telling them what happened. Make sure you tell the psychiatrist all the events that led up to your relapse so they can help you find a pattern or a reason as to why you relapsed.

Some facts about addiction

Before we go, here are some facts about addiction that may help you to better understand it.

Anyone can be addicted to anything

Some might feel that our society has little sympathy for people with addictions. For some, the perception is that a person with an addiction is someone who willingly used a substance known to be addictive and is too weak to stop using it. However, the truth is that many people can develop addictions to substances or certain behaviors, though risk varies by individual and context. As we said before, someone could become addicted to alcohol while moderately drinking. Some substances have a high potential for addiction and can lead to rapid dependence, these include legal and illegal substances. A person can be addicted to prescription medication, too.

You don't even have to become addicted to a drug to have an addiction. Some behaviors, such as gambling or internet use, can become compulsive and resemble addiction for some individuals. This is why a person needs to seek help if they have an addiction they cannot control.

Support is available online

Addiction can be difficult to overcome, but there is hope. Talking to an addiction psychiatrist or a therapist can be more effective than tackling the problem alone. By speaking to an addiction psychiatrist or a therapist, you may be able to live a healthier, more productive life.

Online therapy is another way to seek out help, especially if you struggle with leaving the house. Online therapy can be done from the comfort of home. Many online therapy platforms have licensed therapists trained to work with those with all types of issues, including addiction.

BetterHelp is an online therapy platform able to connect you with a licensed therapist who can support you in your fight against addiction. BetterHelp now offers psychiatry services through UpLift as an additional care option alongside therapy. Psychiatry services may include medication management when clinically appropriate and based on a licensed provider's evaluation. Medication availability and coverage may vary by member location, clinical appropriateness, and individual pharmacy/insurance benefits. Prescribing decisions are made by the treating clinicians. We do not guarantee that any specific medication will be prescribed or covered by a member’s insurance plan.