”It’s important to treat the entire individual, not just the addiction.” - Yahya Saeed, M.D., medical director, Gateway to Sobriety
Breaking through denial
One of the primary techniques employed by the addiction counselors at Gateway is a technique called motivational enhancement therapy. The goal is to help the individual “figure out for themselves the benefits of abstinence, versus the potential jeopardy of continuing to use,” Dr. Saeed says It's an indirect method. “We don't point it (negative consequences) out to them; we ask them 'How has alcohol (or drugs) affected your life?' As they describe it, they come to understand the negative impact addiction has had in their life.” The technique can be useful in helping break through the denial that is often a part of the addiction process. “Treatment only works if the patient is not in denial. If someone is in denial, we don't contradict them. The staff assesses if a client is ready for treatment. By the time they come to us, they under- stand that they need to be treated.” Based on his career so far, Dr. Saeed be- lieves he made the right choice of medical specialty. “Generally, of all the branches of psychiatry, addiction psychiatry is the most rewarding branch – in the sense of being able to change people's lives, and patients appreciating that. “As a general psychiatrist, you hardly ever get thanked for the work you are doing. But this (addiction therapy) work is life-altering for those who express their appreciation to us.”
Yahya Saeed, the medical director at Gateway to Sobriety, brings unique expertise to the challenge of helping people who are struggling with addiction to drugs or alcohol.
The son of a diplomat, Dr. Saeed was born in Pakistan, grew up in Mexico, and came to the U.S. at the age of 16. He decided “fairly early in life” he would like to become a physician; four of his uncles were physicians. A 1999 graduate of Ayub Medical College in Pakistan, he completed a residency in adult psychiatry at Louisiana State University, and then a fellow- ship in addiction psychiatry at Yale University, where the program is ranked as the top one of its kind in the U.S. A high percentage of people treated for addiction also have a co-occurring mental health disorder, such as depression, anxiety or other conditions. Working in the field, Dr. Saeed has been struck by the need for a collaborative, team approach to treatment, involving physi- cians, therapists and social workers. “They all play an important role,” in treating dual-diag- nosis patients, he notes. Treating the disease of addiction One of the most important principles in treating addiction is treating it as a disease, Dr. Saeed says. “You can’t come into it with a preconceived bias about the individual. Addiction is not just a habit or a lack of willpower; it’s a disease and we need to treat it that way.” Also, because addiction is also physically damaging to the body, “it’s important to treat the entire individual, not just the addiction.” In recent years, one of the most important advances in treating addiction has been the de- velopment and refinement of medication assisted treatment. (MAT). To reduce the cravings that can lead to relapse, “there are some very good medications available, and especially for opioids and alcohol addiction. When the medication decreases cravings, the patient can stay more focused on the other aspects of treatment.”
Gateway to Recovery uses buprenorphine for opiate addiction and naltrexone to help clients who are alcoholics.
Recovery is only possible when the client accepts that he or she has an addiction problem and wants to do something about it. Along with physical effects, it’s also essential to treat the psychological effects of addiction.
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