HEALTH & WELLNESS
Getting to the root of substance abuse
Substance abuse — a dependence on drugs
and/or alcohol — is widely regarded as a signifi-
cant problem in American society, yet many peo-
ple who are struggling with addiction don’t realize
or choose to deny that they have a problem.
My colleague, Dr. Kapila Marambage, Medical
Director of the Inpatient Addiction Recovery Pro-
gram at Princeton House Behavioral Health, notes
DR. MICHAEL that the key to conquering alcohol and drug addic-
BIZZARRO tion is acknowledging the disease and addressing
its root causes.
“We want patients to have a comprehensive
view of their substance abuse issues,” says Dr. Marambage. “We
explore all of the contributing factors that have made someone
a severe drug or alcohol user. Most people go into a treatment
program without a reasonable understanding of what’s really
happening to them. We try to educate our patients to give them
and their families a better understanding of their problems, in
addition to what they need to do to overcome them.”
A multidisciplinary approach
Alcohol and drug use has turned into dependence when
someone’s life revolves around the substance. This can create
many serious hardships — ranging from family, occupational
and legal problems to medical complications such as infectious
disease, liver, cardiac, gastrointestinal and pancreatic issues, or
brain damage. Our Inpatient Addiction Recovery Program at
Princeton House aims to help patients deal with these medical
problems, as well as psychiatric issues that may be drivers of
the substance abuse and may become exacerbated by alcohol
or drug dependence.
The program offers:
• an evaluation and individual treatment plan by a
board-certified psychiatrist
• 24-hour registered nursing care
• evidence-based therapy and traditional 12-step and
recovery-based programming
• medication management
• group and individual therapy
• expressive therapies like art, music and yoga
• nutritional counseling
• medical care by a team of primary care physicians and
• family therapy and education.
The goal of any recovery program should be to address every
aspect of someone’s substance abuse issues to deliver the best
level of care. d
Michael Bizzarro, Ph.D., LCSW, BCD, is the director of clinical
services for Princeton House Behavioral Health’s First Responder
Team and a member of the NJ State PBA Clinical Services team.
To learn more about Princeton House Behavioral Health’s In-
patient