ASAM Patient Guide - NJ

English - 2015 ASAM Opioid Patient Guide

ASAM Opioid Addiction Treatment GUIDELINES Apps and Pocket Guides brought to you courtesy of Guideline Central. Enjoy!

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© 2016 American Society of Addiction Medicine. All rights reserved. ASAM.org 2 INTRODUCTION Addiction is a worldwide problem that affects many different people, their families, and communities. In 2014, about 435,000 Americans ages 12 or older reported currently using heroin, and 4.3 million reported nonmedical use of prescription opioids. Addiction is a chronic disease, like diabetes or heart disease, meaning there is no cure. But addiction can be managed, and people with addiction can, and do, recover. Treatment using safe and helpful methods provided by trained clinicians can lead to a healthy, positive way of life. This healthy way of life is referred to as recovery. Treatment with a medication along with counseling and other support is often the most effective choice for opioid addiction and part of recovery. This document provides facts about treatment from The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) – the leading medical society for addiction treatment. Learn more about ASAM at www.ASAM.org. DEFINITION OF ADDICTION * Addiction is a chronic brain disease in which a person regularly finds and uses drugs, or regularly does something (such as gambling) despite the negative things that can happen. It is a brain disease because addiction can change how the brain works. Besides harming a person's health, it can change how someone thinks and feels. This may last a long time, lead to other harmful actions, and cause difficult relationships with family and friends. Without treatment and recovery, addiction may keep getting worse. *Modified from ASAM Definition of Addiction www.asam.org/for-the-public/definition-of-addiction

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