31 S. Braddock St. | Winchester, VA 22601

(540) 535-1111 | Available 24/7

31 S. Braddock St. | Winchester, VA 22601

(540) 535-1111 | Available 24/7

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Hallucinogen Treatment & RehabilitationFind Recovery

 Seeking help for addiction and treatment for hallucinogens may seem overwhelming, but remember that you don’t have to face it by yourself. Addiction is a medical condition, and there’s no need to feel ashamed when seeking help. Our compassionate team will provide the support and expert care personalized to your specific physiological, mental, and spiritual needs.

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Reclaim Your Life

Understanding Addiction to Hallucinogenic Drugs

Hallucinogens alter consciousness by disrupting the central nervous system, leading to addiction with prolonged use. They affect the brain's reward system, causing imbalances in dopamine release and decreased brain activity. Hallucinogens can lead to physical and psychological addiction, mental health conditions, altered brain structure and function, cognitive impairments, and long-term effects like flashbacks and hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD).

  • How Does Hallucinogen Addiction Begin?

    It can stem from genetic predisposition, environmental factors, and psychological issues. Trauma, prenatal exposure to substances, and malnutrition during early development may increase the risk of developing addiction.

  • More Than Rehab: Become Who You Are Supposed to Be

    If you or a loved one has faced setbacks with trying treatment options or by trying a rehab center, don't lose hope. We offer a fresh start with powerful evidence-based recovery strategies that treat the whole person.

Journey to Renewal

Overcoming Addiction with Us

Our compassionate and skilled staff swiftly navigates you out of crisis, establishes stability, and through our integrative approach—builds a solid foundation for enduring sobriety and health. Our philosophy is to treat the root causes of the disease of addiction. Here are just some of the modalities we integrate. 

Psychotherapy: Individual/Group

Psychotherapy sessions led by trained clinicians help clients share experiences, explore emotions, and address addiction-related struggles.

Amino Acid Therapy

Amino Acid Therapy uses specific amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins, to help regulate brain chemistry and alleviate cravings and other discomfort associated with addiction and early recovery.

12-Step Meetings

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)/Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings follow a proven 12-step program that helps individuals develop coping strategies for managing addiction in a healthy way.

Meditation

Meditation at BTG helps manage stress, reduce anxiety and depression, improve sleep, and enhance mental focus. This centering practice promotes calm and well-being, aiding clients in addiction recovery.

Creative Expression

At Bridging the Gaps, we provide art and music therapy to help clients explore and resolve core issues, understand their addiction, express themselves healthily, and develop coping skills.

AcuDetox

Acudetox is a non-verbal approach to healing that involves the placement of up to 5 sterile, disposable needles into specific points in the ear. This helps with emotion regulation, enhances detoxification, and a discovery of inner quiet, strength, and resiliency. 

Massage/Reiki

Stress is a serious barrier to healing from the disease of addiction. Massage therapy is very effective in reducing stress and promoting deep relaxation. Reiki is a form of energy healing which has many physical and emotional benefits.

Group Education

Group education allows clients to learn more about the disease of addiction and develop cognitive and behavioral tools to avoid relapse, mend relationships, and establish healthy habits in recovery.

Neurofeedback

Neurofeedback (EEG biofeedback) is used to help patients break free from harmful patterns of thinking and behavior. In those with cannabis addiction, we target the alpha and theta brain waves and train them to function more efficiently. This can help reduce cravings, improve impulse control, and promote emotional stability.

Nutrition Education

Nutrition Education teaches our clients the importance of a healthy and balanced diet, as well as how certain foods can impact their physical and mental health.It also address the specific dietary needs of those struggling with addiction, such as vitamin deficiencies or food sensitivities that may contribute to cravings and relapse.

Brainspotting

Trauma-informed care takes into account the potential impact of past trauma on an individual’s current mental health and well-being. This approach recognizes that traumatic experiences can significantly contribute to addiction, and therefore aims to address these underlying issues utilizing trauma treatment techniques.

Yoga and Exercise

Yoga and exercise have been shown to be beneficial in addiction recovery. These activities not only promote physical health, but also mental and emotional well-being.

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Beyond Sobriety

Navigating Life's Challenges with Confidence and Sobriety

In our accepting community, you'll be supported and surrounded by a tight-knit group that ensures personalized care. By focusing on healing the mind, body, and spirit, we go beyond mere symptom management. Our program equips you with crucial life skills and resilience to face life's challenges, forge significant relationships, and confidently tackle the duties of sober living. It isn’t just about overcoming addiction—it's about thriving in every aspect of life.

    Individualized treatment plans tailored to your goals and lifestyle
    Experienced staff dedicated to your recovery journey
    Comprehensive support throughout the rehab process

Help is Available

How Addiction to Hallucinogenic Drugs is Treated

Learn how Hallucinogen impacts overall health and wellness and the varied effects of addiction on the body and mind, from increased heart problems and liver damage to severe mental health issues and cognitive impairments. 

Neurochemical rebalancing for hallucinogen addiction involves several key components. First, a comprehensive neurochemical deficiency assessment, spanning across four pages, is conducted. This assessment helps identify specific areas of neurochemical deficiency. Next, a personalized approach is taken to provide individuals with tailored amino acids and supplements. Additionally, an abstinence-based symptom sheet is utilized to monitor and track 25 different symptoms that are correlated with neurochemical imbalances. Based on the information gathered, the amino acid protocol is then adjusted accordingly to address individual needs. Clients will receive the amino acids and cofactors they need to help restore healthy brain chemistry. This helps to reduce or eliminate cravings and eradicate uncomfortable side effects of recovery, also known as post-acute withdrawal.

Excessive use of hallucinogens takes its toll on the mind and body. In order to repair the damage that has been done, it’s important to prioritize restoring physical health and wellness:

Improve Nutrition and Teach Healthy Habits: Proper nutrition is essential for restoring physical health after excessive use of hallucinogens. The body needs fuel to repair itself and regain strength. At Bridging the Gaps, we understand that healthy eating is essential to replenish important nutrients. Proper nutrition helps to stabilize mood, reduces cravings, and improves energy levels, cognitive function, and overall well-being. Our clients work with a nutritionist to create healthy, balanced meals and learn how to shop for healthy foods and effectively read nutrition facts. The goal is to establish healthy eating habits here that will help our clients when they eventually leave and navigate recovery outside of our walls.

Exercise Regularly: Regular exercise plays a vital role in restoring physical health after excessive use of hallucinogens. Not only does it help strengthen the body, but it also releases endorphins which can improve mood and reduce stress. Our clients exercise every morning and attend a private Yoga class once a week with a certified instructor. We prioritize exercise for several reasons. First, exercise releases endorphins, which can improve mood and reduce stress, anxiety, and depression – common triggers for relapse. It can also help regulate sleep patterns and improve quality of sleep. Lastly, engaging in physical activity also provides a healthy outlet for emotions, reducing the risk of turning to stimulants as a coping mechanism.

Promote Healthy Sleep Hygiene: Sleep is essential for the body to heal and repair itself. Hallucinogens like LSD often lengthen REM sleep to unhealthy levels, causing nightmares that create fear and hallucinations while both asleep and awake. Incorporating good sleep hygiene practices is crucial for improving overall health. Establishing a regular sleep schedule and avoiding caffeine, heavy meals, and electronics before bed can help regulate sleep patterns. Getting enough quality sleep can also aid in mood stabilization, reducing cravings and improving overall mental health. We encourage our clients to maintain proper sleep hygiene.

People who have experienced trauma may develop coping mechanisms like substance use to deal with the overwhelming emotions and feelings associated with their trauma. This can include turning to hallucinogens to escape painful memories or emotions. The clinicians at Bridging the Gaps are dedicated to helping our clients work through these painful events and uncover the hope that lies within.

The first few weeks of group psychotherapy and individual sessions aim to educate the client about their disease, help them begin to address some of the behaviors or thoughts that lead them to use, and begin to build community.

After about 4-6 weeks of stabilization, clients who have suffered significant trauma will begin working on processing these events. The caring, compassionate clinicians at BTG are trained and experienced in trauma-informed care and trauma treatment techniques. Instead of asking, “what’s wrong with you?”, trauma-informed clinicians instead seek to understand what happened to you. Using trauma treatment tools like Brainspotting and DBT, we help our clients to work through their trauma and understand what they need to adequately heal.

At BTG, we believe that the opposite of addiction is connection. We know that the key to long-term success in recovery is having a supportive sober community to help guide you through difficult times. Our clients attend AA or NA meetings and select a sponsor while they’re in treatment with us. Upon completing treatment, we have an Alumni Program that allows our clients to stay in touch and navigate recovery together.

Empowering You: Flexible Treatment Programs for Sustained Sobriety

Residential Treatment Program

Immerse yourself in our supportive community and beautiful environment, where our comprehensive treatment center offer the structure and supervision you need to focus on your recovery journey and build a strong foundation for lasting sobriety.

Partial Hospitalization Program

Engage in rigorous daytime treatment that provides care tailored to your needs, while allowing you the flexibility to return home or to a sober living environment in the evenings, ensuring a balance between intensive support and personal responsibility.

Outpatient Treatment Programs

Our intensive outpatient and continuing care programs provide accessible mental health and addiction services, fitting your schedule and supporting sustained sobriety and personal growth in recovery.

Recover

Our Process For Addiction Treatment

At Bridging the Gaps, we have developed a straightforward, three-step process designed to provide you with the support, resources, and tools you need for a successful recovery.

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Step 1: Assessment

The first step in our addiction treatment process is the assessment phase. During this stage, our experienced team will conduct a comprehensive assessment to understand your unique needs and develop a personalized treatment plan.

Step 2: Treatment

Once your personalized treatment plan is established, you will begin the treatment phase. This may include a combination of individual therapy, group counseling, holistic activities, and evidence-based practices to address the physical, emotional, and psychological aspects of addiction.

Step 3: Recovery

The final step in our addiction treatment process is the recovery phase. During this stage, we will provide you with ongoing support, relapse prevention strategies, and aftercare resources to help you maintain long-term sobriety.

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Reach Out

You’re Not Alone: Connect with Our Admissions Director

We know that recovery isn’t just possible–it’s also magical and life-
changing. That being said, we know it’s often difficult to take the first step. Contact our Admissions Director today – 24/7 – if you or a loved one needs help. We’re here to listen.

  • Compassionate Support

    Let Bridging the Gaps assist you or a loved one on the dedicated path to recovery and a brighter future.

  • You Matter!

    Our team will work to understand you and your situation. You’re never “just another client” because we value your individuality. 

Effects of Hallucinogen Addiction

Learn how addiction to hallucinogens impacts overall health and wellness and the varied effects of addiction on the body and mind, from increased heart problems and liver damage to severe mental health issues and cognitive impairments. 

Speech Issues

Individuals may begin to struggle with communication, using simple sentences and reducing their vocabulary. Speech may become disorganized, and they may struggle to express themselves clearly in conversations. Some hallucinogens, such as PCP and ketamine, can also cause slurred speech.

Memory Loss

Those struggling with memory loss due to excessive long-term use of hallucinogens may have trouble recalling new information, forget things easily, or lose track of conversations. They may also have trouble remembering events that happened in the recent past or confabulate things that never occurred.

Anxiety and Depression

Long-term hallucinogen use can cause serious mental health problems, including anxiety, depression, feelings of detachment from reality, and suicidal ideation.

Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD)

Hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD) is a long-term and sometimes permanent psychotic state that involves frequent episodes of visual hallucinations, perceptual disturbances, and delusions. It is a rare condition that affects a small percentage of individuals who use hallucinogens such as LSD, psilocybin, PCP, and MDMA.

Know What to Look For

Signs of Hallucinogen Addiction

Signs of hallucinogen addiction may vary, depending upon the type of drug your loved one may be using. However, there are several physical, behavioral, and social signs that frequently occur across all hallucinogen drug classes:

  • Physical Signs of Hallucinogen Addiction

    The physical signs of hallucinogen abuse can range from mild to severe. They include dilated pupils, tremors, and sweating. Long-term hallucinogen use can cause brain damage, leading to chronic headaches, seizures, and changes in vision. Skin problems such as rashes and sores may also appear in users due to the interaction of the drugs with their sweat glands.

  • Behavioral Signs of Hallucinogen Addiction

    Hallucinogen addiction has behavioral signs that are hard to ignore. Individuals with a hallucinogen addiction may isolate themselves from friends, families, and coworkers. They may also experience frequent and intense mood swings, paranoia, and erratic behavior. Treatment may also become more challenging since hallucinogen users experience intense and unpredictable trips that can make them violent, making handling them a task.

Social Signs of Hallucinogen Addiction

A person with a hallucinogen addiction may have changes in their social behavior. They may start spending time with people who use drugs, engage in criminal activities, and ignore work and family responsibilities. They may also lose interest in activities they previously enjoyed or neglect their physical appearance and grooming. It could lead to strained relationships, lost friendships, and joblessness.

Insights for Your Recovery Journey

Explore our latest blog articles on addiction treatment, mental health, and holistic recovery strategies.

Client Testimonials

Read what our clients have to say about us

FAQs

Find answers to commonly asked questions about addiction and recovery.

  • What is the first step I should take if myself or a loved one wants to stop using hallucinogens?

    The first step towards recovery from hallucinogen addiction is seeking professional help to detoxify the body safely. While hallucinogen withdrawal is not usually fatal, it can lead to seizures, confusion, and impaired reflexes that should be monitored by a medical professional. Once the detox process is complete, it’s highly encouraged to enter a residential treatment facility to assist you with the vulnerable early stages of recovery. At Bridging the Gaps, we offer residential treatment that is designed to help your mind, body, and soul begin to heal from the devastating effects of hallucinogen addiction.

  • How can I or a loved one expect to feel in the early stages of recovery from hallucinogen addiction?

    Early recovery from hallucinogen addiction is an important and often difficult process. It can be an emotionally draining experience as well as a physically exhausting one. On a physical level, individuals in the early stages of recovery may experience withdrawal symptoms from stopping their use of hallucinogens. These symptoms can include headaches, nausea, difficulty sleeping, and changes in appetite. Emotionally, individuals may experience intense cravings for their drug of choice as well as feelings of anxiety, depression, and irritability.

    At Bridging the Gaps, we understand the struggles of early recovery and provide integrative treatment plans to assist our clients as they navigate the physical and emotional pain of these first few weeks. Within the first week of treatment, the client is assigned their counselor, attends group psychotherapy, receives medical treatment, and begins a customized amino acid therapy protocol that has been proven to calm withdrawal symptoms as it works to restore healthy brain chemistry. Clients are provided a safe, non-judgemental space to share their struggles as they begin to build community with others traveling the same journey. Lastly, plenty of time is given for rest as the body and mind begin to heal.

  • What types of therapies and interventions does Bridging the Gaps use to help treat hallucinogen addiction?

    At Bridging the Gaps, we integrate traditional treatment modalities with innovative and holistic methods to ensure we are adequately treating the whole person, bridging the gaps between traditional and progressive forms of treatment. While we utilize traditional and effective methods like psychotherapy and 12 step programs, we also utilize cutting edge technology, like neurofeedback, and integrative, holistic medicine, including amino acid therapy and AcuDetox, to support all aspects of wellness as our clients transition into recovery and beyond.

  • How can family and friends support someone who is in treatment or in recovery from hallucinogen addiction?

    Supporting someone in treatment or recovery from hallucinogen addiction can be a difficult task, but there are some key steps that family and friends can take to provide support and encourage recovery.

    The first thing family members should do is educate themselves on the disease of addiction. Understanding how addiction affects the brain will help you to better understand the symptoms and behaviors your loved one exhibits, and will empower you to help them through this process. At Bridging the Gaps, we offer a family education program that meets virtually one night each week to educate family members about the disease of addiction so they can develop a thorough understanding to aid them through this process.

    Next, adhere to the boundaries that your loved one in recovery puts in place. Certain social events like weddings can be very triggering for someone in early recovery, so adopting an understanding mindset towards your loved one as they decline invitations to these types of events is critical. This can be difficult, but try not to take this personally – they are doing what they need to do to stay sober. Encourage your loved one as they begin to navigate life without opioids, avoid triggers, and uphold their boundaries.

    Most importantly, make sure to take care of yourself. Addiction is an insidious disease that can have detrimental effects to the mental health of family and friends of those who are struggling. Attending support groups can help you process what you went through, gain strength to assist your loved one in recovery, and establish a community of people who understand what it’s like to walk in your shoes.

    Bridging the Gaps also offers comprehensive outreach to family members to help you navigate your loved one’s treatment and recovery journey. Our family program includes weekly psychoeducation, the opportunity to participate in therapeutically facilitated conjoint sessions with your loved one, and an extended family aftercare program to help you process your emotions and gain insight from other family members.

  • After treatment, what kind of support is available to help myself or a loved one sustain recovery?

    At BTG, we offer a long-term continuum of care, where clients can receive services from us often up to a year, and sometimes longer. Our level of care adjusts to the stage of recovery the client has achieved, slowly and safely progressing them to independent life free from alcohol or drugs.

    Upon completion of treatment with us, we offer an Aftercare Program, as well as an Alumni group, to help build a supportive sober community for those who have completed our program. We also encourage our clients to continue to attend AA or NA meetings to help support them through continued recovery.

Insurance

Your Addiction Treatment Could Be Covered

If you do not see your provider listed, please contact us to learn more about obtaining coverage. We do not accept Medicaid at this time.

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Contact Us

Reach Out to Us

We welcome you to call our Admissions Director, Sue Dennis, at (540) 535-1111 to discuss admitting yourself or a loved one fortreatment. However, if you would first like us to verify your insurance, use this form or get in touch via phone or email.

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