Top Khat Treatment Centers

Overcome your khat addiction today!

There are centers available to help treat Khat addiction. Finding a Khat treatment center that is right for you can be very difficult. If you have the ability to do so, you should always do some research and learn about the treatment center. Because Khat acts much like an amphetamine, you will want to make sure the treatment center will be able to treat you for a similar addiction. The Khat treatment center you choose to help you with a Khat addiction must have the ability to treat an addiction to amphetamines. Khat is a habit forming drug, and many people that have used it, had to seek treatment to help them stop. Khat treatment centers can also help you understand the reasons you formed an addiction to Khat.

What is Khat?

Khat is a plant, often grown to the size of a tree, and when the leaves are chewed saliva breaks down the chemicals, known as cathinone and cathine. They are then introduced into the body and produce an effect comparable to amphetamine. The leaves can often be made into a tea and drank, or rolled into cigarettes and smoked. Throughout history, the plant has been used in medicine and is said to be an aphrodisiac. Use of Khat is not illegal in many countries in Europe, the Middle East, and some parts of Africa. Although its use is illegal in the United States, like other illegal substances it does find its way into the country.

Leading Causes of Khat Addiction

Khat is a highly addictive and habit forming drug which can provide a euphoric feeling for the user. There are also effects that enhance other aspects of a person’s life like their eating habits and weight issues. Much like amphetamines, Khat enhances the metabolic rate of a person and also inhibits the feeling of hunger, and suppresses their appetite. This can be one of the leading causes of addiction in countries where people are under extreme pressures to look thin. There are also countries in the world where Khat has been used in and is a part of their social culture. This can lead to an overuse of the drug causing a possible Khat addiction.

Why Quit Khat?

A Khat addiction can lead to complications in many different areas of your life. While you are using Khat you may be feeling an increased ability to socialize and have a more outgoing personality but there are many health risks involved with Khat addiction. There have been reports of people under the influence of Khat having issues like insomnia, impotence, violent tendencies, intestinal issues, forming oral cancers, and other serious effects on their health. There have also been people with increased chances for depression, anxiousness, violent mood swings and irritability, and psychosis. The continued use of Khat can cause problems in all aspects of your life which is why it is very important for you to act now and leave the Khat addiction behind.

Khat Withdrawal Symptoms

Every drug you try to quit using will have some unwanted effects on your body. The withdrawal symptoms of Khat addiction are much like an addiction to amphetamines. There is not any evidence to show how addictive Khat is on the body but there have been reports of symptoms after quitting use. Some people have had feelings of being very tired, inability to perform simple tasks, a lethargic feeling, and even had issues with trembling. Treatment centers that are able to treat Khat addiction will be able to help minimize the effects of the withdrawal symptoms.

Treatment for Khat Addiction

Learning how to manage the stress in your life is one way a Khat addiction treatment center can do to help you. They will also be able to show you ways to cope with the causes of your stress and your triggers which will give you a better chance at avoiding a relapse. Khat addiction can be difficult to treat by yourself, and a Khat treatment center can offer support, medical help, and teach you skills for life after the addiction. It is important to separate yourself from people using the drug and learn how to start mending broken relationships caused by Khat addiction, and a Khat treatment center will be able to help you do this.

Khat Treatment Centers

Khat is an African leaf that people chew in order to benefit from its natural stimulant effects. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, people use khat as they use tobacco. They chew the leaves and stems, then allow it to rest in their cheek, chewing it occasionally. Unlike tobacco, khat produces euphoria, excitement, and energy. It is important to note that Khat is a very different drug from the synthetic nicknamed cat. They are different drugs with very different properties.

Although many people in Africa and the Middle East use khat regularly, there is a chance of both physical and psychological addiction. This chance for addiction coupled with the long term effects of khat use are problematic. In the short term khat leaves you euphoric, energetic, and happy. In the long term it can lead to some very serious problems. The faster you get off khat, the less likely you will suffer serious long term effects. Fortunately, there are treatment centers that help with even the most severe khat addictions.

Types of Khat Treatment Centers

There are two main types of khat treatment centers. If you are addicted to khat, you can choose between an inpatient treatment center and an outpatient treatment centers. Each of these has its own benefits and drawbacks.

• Inpatient treatment centers – inpatient centers are residential treatment centers. This means you live at the center while you are being treated. Although most treatment centers are voluntary, there are those that are locked facilities. As with any treatment center, there are advantages and disadvantages to using one.

o Advantages of inpatient treatment:

• 24 hour a day care
• always someone to speak with no matter what time of day or night,
• peer support,
• you are away from temptation, and
• it is easier to focus on your addiction in a closed environment.

o Disadvantages of inpatient treatment:

• it is very restrictive,
• you have to take off work or school,
• you do not have the immediate support of your family or friends, and
• it is generally cost prohibitive.

• Outpatient treatment centers – outpatient treatment centers offer the same services as inpatient centers except instead of staying at the facility you stay at home and visit the clinic daily, weekly, or monthly depending on your level of treatment. Of course, there are advantages and disadvantages to this type of treatment as well.

o Advantages of outpatient treatment:

• freedom,
• ability to work or attend school,
• support from family and friends while undergoing treatment, and
• is less expensive than inpatient treatment.

o Disadvantages of outpatient treatment:

• easy to relapse due to the availability of the drug,
• there are triggers in the home environment that provide temptation,
• no peer support from others in similar situations, and
• no support during off hours.

These are the two main types of khat treatment. These two types may be combined with each other as well as other methods to form a more comprehensive treatment program.

Do I Need Residential Khat Addiction Treatment?

Only you can decide whether you need residential khat treatment. There are many reasons why you might want to choose inpatient treatment over the other treatment options. A few of these reasons are:

• you have tried outpatient treatment and not been able to stop using khat,
• you have tried repeatedly to quit on your own,
• you need a drug free environment at least of a little while,
• you have other medical conditions that need treatment while the addiction is dealt with,
• you have a mental condition that needs treatment along with the addiction, and
• you feel that the khat is taking control of your life.

All of these are reasons to choose inpatient treatment for khat addiction. There are also a number of long term side effects that may need to be dealt with while receive treatment for the addiction. These long term side effects are:

• addiction,
• depression,
• paranoia,
• seizures,
• anorexia,
• intestinal problems,
• cardiovascular issues,
• liver disease and malfunction,
• tremors,
• nightmares, and
• rarely psychosis.

It is also possible to overdose on khat. When this happens, residential treatment might be your only option. When you are caught with any quantity of khat, you can be arrested and the judge might order residential treatment as part of probation or a sentence.

Will my Privacy be Respected?

As with any medical treatment facility, khat treatment facilities, by law, have to respect your privacy. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services publication, The Confidentiality of Drug and Alcohol Patient Records Regulation and the HIPAA Privacy Rule, there are only a few circumstances that a treatment center is allowed to reveal your private information. These circumstances are:

• a consult with another doctor – healthcare workers might need to consult with another doctor about your case. They might want another opinion or to find another course of treatment. A consulting doctor might need to know your name, condition, course of treatment, and biographical information in order to form an intelligent opinion on your case.
• as information for research – companies often use biographical information as data for research projects. This is the way they gather data on new treatments and medications. These companies receive biographical and some treatment data.
• drug companies – these companies often use data from clinics as a comparison. Usually the only data released to them is basic biographical information and drug success rates.
• government entities – some government agencies request data from treatment centers, particularly when the treatment center is government funded. Government agencies use this data in a variety of ways.

These are usually the only circumstances that clinics can divulge your information. It is important to remember these clinics cannot tell anyone else, unless you ask them to. Almost all clinics respect this right to privacy implicitly.

It is important to remember that although the clinic protects your privacy, your friends, family, and other people that you tell might now. Before telling anyone where you are, it is important to evaluate whether you can trust that person not to say anything. Even in this day and age people are not always understanding about drug treatment.

How Long will Khat Addiction Treatment Take?

How long the khat addiction treatment takes depends on several factors. These factors include:

• how long you have used khat before seeking treatment,
• how much you use at once, and
• what your overall health was while you were taking khat.

Many people take khat for years before they begin suffering adverse effects. Unfortunately the adverse effects can start any time while you are still taking the drug.

Once you recognize there is a problem and seek treatment, it does not take long for the withdrawal symptoms to set in. These symptoms include:

• depression,
• fatigue,
• nightmares, and
• tremors.

These symptoms last a few days sometimes up to a month. Since khat is not particularly physically addictive but is psychologically addictive, there is no clear timeline. The psychological problems brought on by khat have a timeline all of their own. Since each person is different, there is no set length of time to get over the addiction that matches everyone’s needs. The time depends highly on the strength of the addiction.

What Happens During Treatment?

What happens during drug treatment for khat is almost the same thing that happens in treatment for many other drugs. The first phase of treatment involves detoxing from the khat. Sometimes it is a medical assisted detox, while others you quit “cold turkey,” with counseling support. After the detox is finished, you start intensive therapy to not only stop the drug abuse but to find the original cause.

In treatment, you will learn how to handle drug cravings as well as how to change the patterns that started you on the path to abusing drugs. Once you have a solid place to start from you begin the healing process. With the help of counselors, therapists, and doctors, you create an environment where the drug addiction will not reoccur.

Some treatment programs last 14 days while others can last up to 90 days. The length of treatment for khat addiction depends on you. Since the addiction is primarily psychological, the work that you do to stop it directly impacts the length of time you will need to remain in treatment.

How Much Does Treatment Cost?

There are a lot of factors that influence the cost of khat drug treatment. Some of these factors are:

• treatment level,
• amenities,
• type of treatment, and
• amount of time in treatment.

The three main types of treatment each have different costs associated with them. These are:

• Inpatient treatment or residential treatment – this type of treatment comes in three cost tiers.

o Luxury rehab – luxury rehabs cater to your every need, even beyond khat addiction treatment. A luxury rehab often costs from around $20,000 to hundreds of thousands depending on the amenities the facility has.

o Private rehab – a private rehab has less amenities than a luxury rehab but still has some common ones such as massage therapists and holistic practitioners. This type of rehab runs between $5,000 to $20,000 per month.

o Government funded rehabs – government funded rehabs usually only have things specifically focused on addiction treatment. They have only medical treatment and counseling available. The government funded rehabs often have a sliding scale based on income to cover the cost.

• Outpatient treatment – this type of treatment has varied costs based on program and services. Some services are available at very low cost while others run into the hundreds. As with anything the more services an outpatient center offers and the more services that you take advantage of the more it will cost.
• Combined treatment – combined treatment is by far the most expensive type. It also tends to be the most effective at preventing relapse. By combining inpatient and outpatient treatment, you get the best of both worlds. Unfortunately, you also get the cost of both worlds. Combined treatment runs the same as inpatient and outpatient together.

Regardless of the type of treatment you want speak with both your insurance company and the financial counselor at the khat treatment center. Many insurance companies now cover the cost of addiction treatment of all varieties. The financial counselor routinely works with insurance companies and government agencies to find money for treatment. The cost of addiction treatment should nto stop you from getting the help that you need.

Finding Help

Admitting that you have a problem is the hardest part of addiction treatment. Once you have done this the rest is easy. After you decide to get treatment, carefully consider your options. Take your time and learn which treatment will work the best for you. Once you decide on which type of professional treatment you want, call 800-256-3490.

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