How Drug and Alcohol Treatment Centers Rehabilitate Athletes
Keeping athletes in peak physical condition
When people think of someone who needs drug and alcohol treatment, they almost always picture a low-life, bum with no job and no teeth; however, substance addiction can affect everyone, even athletes. In fact, athletes struggle with drug and alcohol addiction, as well as an addiction to performance-enhancing drugs (PED’s). Regardless of the sport’s anti-drug policy, many athletes continue to abuse certain illicit substances that do not help, but harm their performance. Drug and alcohol treatment centers help rehabilitate athletes in order for them to regain their peak physical condition and continue entertaining their millions of fans.
Most recently, Josh Gordon, wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns, checked himself into an inpatient drug and alcohol treatment center after violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy. Gordon admitted to having an alcohol problem after getting caught drinking on a team plane, as well as being arrested for drunk driving. Violating the substance-abuse policy significantly decreased Gordon’s chances of playing a second season with the Browns, as well as increased his chances of negatively impacting every aspect of his life.
Sports and Substance Addiction History
According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), “Drug abuse occurs in all sports and at most levels of competition. Athletic life may lead to drug abuse for a number of reasons, including for performance enhancement, to self-treat otherwise untreated mental illness, and to deal with stressors, such as pressure to perform, injuries, physical pain and retirement from sport”. For athletes, PED’s are the first substance to be abused. Doping, as it is referred to, is the “use of drugs or other substances for performance enhancement”, which include stimulants and steroids. The NCBI reports that doping began as far as back as the third century BC during the ancient Greek olympic games when olympians would use “brandy and wine concoctions and ate hallucinogenic mushrooms and sesame seeds to enhance performance”.
Modern doping began in the early 1900’s, but athletes were not tested until 1966 when the Federation Internationale de Football Association and Union Cycliste Internationale decided that trusting the athletes to say whether or not they were doping was a bad idea because most of them were probably lying. Not only do PED’s give an unfair advantage but they also cause long term effects that can negatively impact physical and mental health.
The United States Anti-Doping Agency reports that PED’s can cause the following long-term effects:
- Impotence
- Acne
- Balding
- Steroid rage
- Stunt growth
- Blood clots
- Heart and liver damage
Drug and alcohol abuse are not to be taken lightly; they can take control of every aspect of life including mental and physical health, as well as relationships at home, work and school, which is why drug and alcohol rehab centers offer the help, support and guidance for not only athletes, but each and every person who is suffering from a substance addiction.
Treatment and Rehab Programs
Drug and Alcohol rehab centers offer programs designed to help patients live independently from stimuli. Each program includes a thorough assessment of mental and physical health, the safe removal of all toxic substances through a detoxification (detox) and a combination of traditional and experiential therapies in order for patients to effectively cleanse their minds and bodies.
The assessments that patients must undergo at drug and alcohol rehab centers include a psychiatric, brain wellness, psychological and toxicology test. The psychiatric, brain wellness and psychological tests help therapists and psychiatrists determine the patient’s state of mind, if there are any brain ailments or injuries and if they have any learning disabilities that may detract from the effectiveness of treatment. And lastly, the toxicology test which determines each and every substance that is in the body which will help decide the detox option patients will undergo.
Detox is the safe removal of all toxic substances from the body. Depending on the severity of the addiction, it can last anywhere from 5-7 days or a couple of weeks. During this process, patients will experience symptoms of withdrawal that will be uncomfortable; however, medical professionals are equipped to administer pain-easing medication, as well as nutritional support in order for the body to replenish and restore itself.
Following the detox, patients will begin a series of therapeutic modalities that help them recognize their negative behaviors in order to replace them with positive coping mechanisms. Drug and alcohol treatment centers provide the tools necessary for patients to regain control of their lives and significantly increase the chances of a healthy and happy longevity.