What Is an Addiction Evaluation?
If you are over-reliant on alcohol or drugs in your daily life, you will eventually experience negative consequences that could include hurting yourself or others, losing friendships or compromising your physical health. However, when you try to quit drinking or taking drugs after long-term misuse, you’ll probably experience withdrawal symptoms or cravings that trigger a return to substance use. At this point, entering addiction treatment can help you find freedom and live a healthier, happier life.
Whether you recognize you need help on your own or end up having a court-mandated substance abuse assessment, you will likely need to go through an addiction evaluation once you arrive at an accredited drug and alcohol rehab facility. This screening tool will help your professional treatment team determine the extent of your issues so they can develop a customized plan to start you on the path to wellness.
What Happens During an Addiction Evaluation?
A substance use evaluation takes place in a clinical setting. The aim is to thoroughly assess your condition and identify any co-occurring mental or physical issues that accompany your substance use disorder.
During your screening, a health professional will ask you questions about your medical history, how long you have been misusing substances and how much a drug or alcohol problem has affected your daily life. The answers you provide will help build a foundation for your comprehensive treatment plan. You may also need to undergo a simple physical exam, including blood and urine tests, to give your treatment team a more complete picture of your overall health and fitness.
Mental Health Screening
Because mental health challenges like anxiety, depression and PTSD frequently accompany substance use disorders, screening for the presence of these issues is a vital part of any addiction evaluation. Simultaneously treating both components of a dual diagnosis is essential to identify the root causes of your illness and lay the groundwork for a complete recovery.
Think of your addiction evaluation as the first step on your lifelong journey to ending your dependence on alcohol or drugs. Throughout this process, it’s critical to be open about your substance use and any other physical and psychological symptoms you are experiencing.
While this level of honesty may make you feel uncomfortable – especially if you are accustomed to denying and deflecting topics related to your drinking or drug use – you have no reason to be ashamed. The ultimate aim of the assessment process is not to judge or belittle you. Rather, it is to help you get the care you need to begin healing your body, mind and spirit from the disease of addiction.
Confidential, Compassionate Addiction Evaluations and Treatment in Florida
At Beach House, we provide a quiet, secluded setting where adults with substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders can begin working on their recovery. We built our campus on a five-mile preserve in the community of Juno Beach, Florida, with the sole intent of being one of the nation’s best treatment centers, and we have achieved that goal for the past two years in a row.
To learn more about our complete continuum of medically and clinically integrated care, our unique culture or the amenities we provide our residents, please connect with us today. Our admissions team is here 24/7 to take your call and verify your health insurance coverage.