Treatment Options for Elavil Addiction

Elavil addiction can be treated with the standard addiction treatment approach of combining detoxification with behavioral therapy. Support groups can also help in the recovery process by giving a person a safe space to discuss their struggles with people going through similar issues themselves.

Elavil may have a higher abuse potential than some other types of antidepressants, particularly due to its potential ability to induce effects similar to alcohol in some people. Some people may experience euphoric or sedative effects when they abuse Elavil. 

If Elavil addiction is present, it’s important to treat the disorder as soon as it’s discovered. Early identification and treatment of addiction make sustained recovery much more likely.

What Treatment Options Are Available for Addiction to Elavil?

Elavil is a brand name for the medication amitriptyline, an antidepressant that may sometimes cause addiction, although to what degree isn’t known. 

If you believe you may have an addiction to this medication, there are various treatment options available that can help. Treatment programs often combine various modalities to best treat each person. Here are some of the options that may be used:  

Detox

Detox is the process of completely stopping use of a drug and allowing the body to adjust to that absence. It is generally only applicable when a person has developed a physical dependence on that drug. 

Taking amitriptyline long term, even as prescribed, is likely to cause physical dependence. This is true for most antidepressants. Suddenly stopping use of antidepressants suddenly after a period of sustained use can lead to a type of withdrawal known as antidepressant discontinuation syndrome.

The usual recommendation is to slowly taper the dose of amitriptyline with the help of a doctor. This lets the body gradually adjust to less of the medication rather than going from the standard dose you were taking every day to nothing. This slower adjustment often leads to less severe symptoms or no withdrawal at all if you follow the recommended dosing given to you by your doctor.

Behavioral Therapy 

Behavioral therapy, often just called talk therapy, is a treatment approach where you speak with a therapist (or sometimes multiple therapists) and work to identify different elements of your thought process that are leading to drug abuse. You learn how to make adjustments that can help you better resist substance abuse. 

For addiction treatment, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most commonly used type of behavioral therapy. In CBT, the focus is on identifying the types of feelings and thoughts that lead you to misuse Elavil or any substance. 

You’ll also pinpoint specific triggers that may be contributing to those thoughts and feelings. Then, a therapist helps you develop coping skills to help you deal with those triggers when you can’t avoid them. In the early phase of your recovery, it’s best to try to avoid triggers whenever possible.

Other types of behavioral therapy include dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), interpersonal therapy, and exposure therapy, among others.

Support Groups

Addiction support groups are community-based meetings that provide support and encouragement for individuals who are recovering from addiction. Some of these groups are targeted at helping people who are addicted to specific substances, but it’s unlikely that such targeted groups will be available for antidepressants. If you’ve been abusing Elavil, a more general addiction support group would be a good choice.

Support groups are typically free and open to anyone who wants to attend. Depending on the particular support group, meetings are generally held both in person and online.

During meetings, participants share their experiences, struggles, and successes with addiction and recovery. Members often provide support and encouragement to one another, and they share coping strategies and techniques for managing cravings and triggers. 

The groups are facilitated by a moderator or group leader, but the focus is on peer-to-peer support rather than professional therapy. Some formats, such as the 12-step model, feature an emphasis on a sponsor/sponsee relationship where a more seasoned member of the group serves as a mentor for someone who is new to recovery.

Supportive Medicine

Some types of addiction can be directly helped with medication but that isn’t the case for an addiction to Elavil. However, supportive medicine may sometimes be used to provide help in supplementary ways, such as using medication to treat withdrawal symptoms if those symptoms are particularly severe for a given individual. If you are feeling particularly bad symptoms during your addiction recovery process, talk with a doctor about whether any medications may be able to help.

If you’ve been misusing Elavil along with other substances of abuse, medication-assisted treatment (MAT) may be appropriate, depending on the other substances. MAT is often recommended to treat addiction to alcohol or opioids.

What Is the Most Common Approach to Treat Antidepressant Abuse?

Generally speaking, a medical professional will recommend a tapered approach to detox to avoid withdrawal. Because addiction makes controlling intake of a drug more difficult, this won’t always be possible, but suddenly stopping all use will make the detox process more difficult. Most often, a doctor will design a tapering schedule, and in some cases, a patient may need support to maintain that schedule.

Addiction treatment is generally needed if abuse is present, and this is often in the form of therapy. Depending on the severity of the addiction, more intensive forms of treatment may be recommended. 

The work you do in therapy will form the foundation of your recovery. Support groups and other forms of aftercare can help you to sustain your recovery well after you have completed any formal treatment program.

Life After Rehabilitation

The goal of addiction treatment isn’t to “cure” addiction in the sense that a person never feels drug cravings again. There is no cure for addiction, as it is a chronic condition.

Instead, a person is considered rehabilitated when they can maintain abstinence from substance abuse on a long-term basis. They may still feel an impulse to abuse drugs, but they have developed the skills needed to avoid relapse even in triggering situations.

Life after rehabilitation usually works best if a person still engages in some type of recovery maintenance. While you may not need the sort of weekly, focused addiction care many people benefit from in the beginning of their treatment process, you should still speak to a mental health professional on a regular basis to make sure you’re doing well. 

You may benefit from continuing to participate in a support group and talking about your sobriety and any challenges you’ve had. Your continued sobriety may also allow you to help others in the group more than you could when you started.

Resources for People Recovering From Addiction to Elavil

Recovering from addiction can be a challenging and isolating experience, but there are many resources available to help in your recovery journey. Here are some resources you can access:

SAMHSA’s National Helpline

SAMHSA’s National Helpline, available at  1-800-662-4357, is a free, confidential government resource to help people learn about mental health and addiction treatment resources in their area. The helpline works as a referral source, and operators can connect you with local support groups and other resources that can aid your recovery.

12-Step Meetings

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is the most common form of 12-step support, and it’s the foundation of the 12-step model. There are many offshoots of AA that cater to different substances of abuse. While there isn’t one specific to antidepressant abuse, people who abuse Elavil would be welcome at most 12-step meetings.

SMART Recovery

SMART Recovery is an addiction treatment organization that organizes support group meetings all over the country. These meetings are useful for people struggling with Elavil addiction as they’re not focused on a particular type of drug, such as with Alcoholics Anonymous. Instead, they aim to broadly help people who have an addiction talk with each other in guided meetings in ways that most people with addictions can find useful.

SMART Recovery doesn’t have an association with a higher power, like the traditional 12-step model does. As a result, some people feel more comfortable with the secular aspect of SMART Recovery.

Herren Project

Herren Project is an organization that hosts live online support groups for the families and loved ones of people struggling with addiction. This is a useful resource of an often overlooked element of addiction, as it can allow a person’s loved ones to discuss addiction in a healthy, judgment-free environment and get advice on how they may be able to help the person in their life struggling with addiction.