Our Philosophy

The Awakening Recovery Center staff understands that those seeking treatment do so with the greatest of intention to overcome their addiction.  Unfortunately, the will to overcome an addiction can be rapidly overridden when “cravings” for substances become overwhelmingly intense.  These cravings are often the direct result of the neuro-biochemical disorder of addiction and is often exacerbated by sensory triggers, stressors, internal psychological triggers, or simply trying to live life without substances.

Having lived through this ourselves, we understand.  We understand that asking someone to commit to not drinking or using is akin to asking them to not live.  We know that the development of abstinence in their lives is a difficult promise to keep when alcohol or drug deprivation effect becomes overwhelming.  Intense cravings can cause someone who is “working hard” to “fall off the wagon” during the early recovery process.  We help them get back up, hop back onto the “wagon” again and ask them to cognitively learn from the process.  We know that they have “lapsed” back to old coping skills and we will continue to help them learn new techniques to deal with life on life’s terms.

With this said, Awakening provides a treatment program to reduce alcohol, opiate, and other drug cravings through cognitive- based therapies, and when medically indicated, utilize craving reduction medications to reduce or eliminate cravings during those critical first 30-45 days of early recovery.  We have found that during this time-frame, the use of pharmacotherapy assists with the reduction of cravings and improves the chances for longer-term recovery.

Awakening Recovery Center works with Dr. Amit Vijapura, a board-certified, research- based psychiatrist, who assesses the need for possible utilization of craving reduction medications.  Recent treatment protocols have encouraged the use of Vivatrol, which is the new injectable formulation of the opiate receptor antagonist, Naltrexone.  As well as the alcohol-craving reduction medication, Campral and the opiate craving reduction medication, Suboxone.  Dr. Vijapura has determined that the use of Vivatrol supports a reduction of alcohol craving that assists those patients who have had trouble in the past maintaining sobriety.  He has also had successes with Campral to help patients who have had physical discomfort in the first several weeks of abstinence.  Dr. Vijapura has had great results with Suboxone for use with opiate abusers because of its efficient beneficial properties in relieving the withdrawal symptoms of opiate abusers as well as reducing their anxiety and stress.

Our experiences have shown that treatment successes are dramatically improved when combining  effective medications with cognitive-based therapy and sober support systems such as AA, NA or others.  Philosophically, we believe in providing all available treatment protocols and techniques to help each patient have a realistic opportunity to learn to maintain abstinence and become a non-drinker and/or non-user.  Our clients will always be provided the latest and most cutting-edge techniques to help them better manage their lives and to help them learn to live a new way of life.