Massachusetts Center for Addiction

With this approach, patients heal by doing. Therapists help patients process difficult emotions to speak, using guided activities like art or dance.

Creative processes like art, writing, or dance use inner creative desires to help boost confidence, emotional growth, and initiate change.

Family therapy addresses group dynamics within a family system, with a focus on improving communication and interrupting unhealthy relationship patterns.

Teaching life skills like cooking, cleaning, clear communication, and even basic math provides a strong foundation for continued recovery.

Massage therapy relieves physical and emotional tension, reduces pain, promotes relaxation, and improves emotion regulation.

Combined with behavioral therapy, prescribed medications can enhance treatment by relieving withdrawal symptoms and focus patients on their recovery.

This approach is based on idea that motivation to change comes from within. Providers use a conversational framework that may help you commit to recovery.

This method combines treatment with education, teaching patients about different paths toward recovery. This empowers them to make more effective decisions.

In recreation therapy, recovery can be joyful. Patients practice social skills and work through emotional triggers by engaging in fun activities.

Relapse prevention counselors teach patients to recognize the signs of relapse and reduce their risk.

A quick goal-oriented therapy that helps patients identify their current and future goals, find out how to achieve them, and empower future problem-solving.

Tending to spiritual health helps treatment become more effective, allowing patients to better cope with their emotions and rebuild their spiritual wellbeing.

Patients learn specific stress management techniques, like breathing exercises and how to safely anticipate triggers.

12-Step groups offer a framework for addiction recovery. Members commit to a higher power, recognize their issues, and support each other in the healing process.

This cognitive behavioral therapy teaches patients to accept challenging feelings and make the appropriate changes to reach personal goals.

Yoga is both a physical and spiritual practice. It includes a flow of movement, breathing techniques, and meditation.

Cocaine is a stimulant with euphoric effects. Agitation, muscle ticks, psychosis, and heart issues are common symptoms of cocaine abuse.

Symptoms of depression may include fatigue, a sense of numbness, and loss of interest in activities. This condition can range from mild to severe.

Drug addiction is the excessive and repetitive use of substances, despite harmful consequences to a person's life, health, and relationships.

Ecstasy is a stimulant that causes intense euphoria and heightened awareness. Abuse of this drug can trigger depression, insomnia, and memory problems.

Heroin is a highly addictive and illegal opioid. It can cause insomnia, collapsed veins, heart issues, and additional mental health issues.

Hallucinogenic drugs—like LSD—cause euphoria and increased sensory experiences. When abused, they can lead to depression and psychosis.

Methamphetamine, or meth, increases energy, agitation, and paranoia. Long-term use can result in severe physical and mental health issues.

OCD is characterized by intrusive and distressing thoughts that drive repetitive behaviors. This pattern disrupts daily life and relationships.

Opioids produce pain-relief and euphoria, which can lead to addiction. This class of drugs includes prescribed medication and the illegal drug heroin.

It's possible to abuse any drug, even prescribed ones. If you crave a medication, or regularly take it more than directed, you may have an addiction.

PTSD is a long-term mental health issue caused by a disturbing event or events. Symptoms include anxiety, dissociation, flashbacks, and intrusive thoughts.

Quitting smoking—i.e., ceasing to smoke—means giving up smoking nicotine and tobacco products. This process has very important health benefits.

Stress is a natural reaction to challenges, and it can even help you adapt. However, chronic stress can cause physical and mental health issues.

With suicidality, a person fantasizes about suicide, or makes a plan to carry it out. This is a serious mental health symptom.

Synthetic drugs are made in a lab, unlike plant-based drugs like mushrooms. Most synthetic drugs are either stimulants or synthetic cannabinoids.

Some traumatic events are so disturbing that they cause long-term mental health problems. Those ongoing issues can also be referred to as "trauma."