Addiction is a chronic, progressive disease. Though treatable, recurrence rates are high. Widely misunderstood as a weakness or a character flaw, addiction is a disease of the brain. Quannacut at Eastern Long Island Hospital (ELIH) offers a continuum of care for those addicted to alcohol and drugs. Beginning with the detox process, patients move on to education counseling and physician supervised treatment in the 28 day Rehab program, all supported by an outpatient program that includes Sober House residences.
Education, counseling and physician-supervised medical treatment for recovery are provided, and outpatient plans are developed for patients at discharge. Recognizing that addiction is characterized by relapse, the continuum of care provides support by allowing patients to re-enter the process, where and when needed, to meet the goal of total abstinence.
The term “Quannacut” means “rainbow” in the Native American language, symbolizing hope that recovery is possible. The caring and compassionate staff has faith in every human being’s ability to make changes. Though addiction is an extremely challenging illness, those at Quannacut gain strength from the achievements of their patients. Alumni meetings are held on Saturdays, and there, the positive effects of the program are evident: former patients get together, many speaking of their return to family and friends, their ability to hold jobs and to function in their communities.
The entry point for many patients is “detox,” Quannacut’s acute medical unit. Typically lasting 2-7 days, the goal is for the patient to stop taking the addicting drug as quickly and safely as possible. Effective detox helps patients transition from treatment to long-term sobriety with greater confidence.
The goal of rehabilitation or “rehab” is to put patients on course for long-term recovery. Patients receive education, group and individual treatments, and attend self-help meetings. Diverse therapies are employed. Art and drama therapy play a role, and Ben, a pet therapy dog, provides inspiration to many patients. Rescued from the street, Ben went through rehab himself, and now leads a productive life helping others.
New treatments provide additional hope for challenging addictions.
To combat opiate addiction, doctors at Quannacut have begun to employ a new methadone alternative combination drug (buprenorphine/naloxone). Because it has significantly less abuse potential, patients may fill their own prescriptions, and the drug can be administered in a doctor’s office, avoiding the stigma attached to visiting a methadone clinic. Naltrexone, initially developed to block the effects of narcotics, was recently proven to reduce the craving for alcohol, and has become another tool in the fight against alcohol addiction.
While every element employed in the continuum of care, including these new drugs, can provide “another leg up” for the patient committed to working to stay clean and sober, there is no magic bullet because addiction is a chronic condition, and although there is treatment, it should not be thought of as a “cure” for the disease.
ELIH can help patients develop an outpatient plan to assist in remaining clean and sober. The plan may include living in a “sober house,” a facility where people in recovery live together, supported by others going through similar situations. Referrals can be made by Quannacut counselors to AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) or NA (Narcotics Anonymous), or other groups that provide peer support and guidance, as part of an individual’s outpatient plan.
Significant others can help an addicted loved one, as well as themselves, by seeking education and counseling to understand the illness, its effects on the patient, and on themselves. Quannacut outpatient offers programs for family and friends of patients, and Al-Anon and similar programs can be helpful in learning how to support a loved one without enabling the addiction.
Lloyd Simon, MD is board certified in Internal Medicine and Addiction Medicine and currently serves as the Medical Director for Quannacut, an alcoholism and substance abuse treatment center at Eastern Long Island Hospital. Quannacut provides education, counseling and physician supervised medical treatment for recovery from alcoholism and other substance abuse.