Does CATC treat addictions to substances other than opioids?

CATC is currently focused on treating Opioid Use Disorder. That said, our patients often present addiction to opioids and other substances, i.e., alcohol, cocaine, and methamphetamine. Our expert addiction treatment specialists support them in meeting their personal recovery goals.

How do I get started on a Methadone or Buprenorphine program?

CATC offers same-day intake appointments in all our centres. We recognize that when you are ready to start your recovery journey, we need to be ready to support you. From our location page, select the location that is nearest to you and then either walk-in or call 1-877-937-2282 to start your intake virtually.

What should I expect during an intake appointment?

Our Intake appointments usually range from 60-90 minutes. Our CARE team will capture your medical history, discuss medication options, share information on how the treatment program works, and prepare for your initial assessment with an expert addiction medicine physician. You do not need a referral to start on our programs, walk-ins are welcomed. You will be asked to present your provincial health card to see a physician.

What are the costs of the program?

Our programs are usually delivered at no cost to the patient. In some cases, patients may have to pay for their medications or counseling services that are not covered by their provincial health plans. Our CARE teams will work with you to help determine the best plan to get the costs of your care covered.

How can I ensure that my personal information is kept confidential?

All client information is considered confidential. We will not release your personal health information to anyone without signed consent from you unless it is required by law.

I recently found out I was pregnant and need help; can I use Methadone to help with my withdrawal?

Methadone is a safe and effective way to manage opiate dependency during pregnancy. Treatment with Methadone prevents opioid withdraw, which can be dangerous for your baby. View our resource on Opioid Use Disorder During Pregnancy.

When can I expect to be free of my opioid addiction with treatment?

Addiction is a chronic and relapsing condition. Every patient, depending on their history and recovery goals, will take a unique recovery journey. The ultimate goal of the program is to improve our patient’s quality of life across many dimensions – including ensuring the presence of a home, a job, and a friend for those who have lost so much because of their addiction. Methadone and Buprenorphine/Naloxone (Suboxone®), when taken as prescribed, are safe and effective medications. This decision to taper off these medications should be made with your physician to ensure the best chance of success for you and prevent sudden onset withdrawal. People who are most successful at tapering off treatment, have generally been abstinent from illicit drugs for more than a year and are demonstrating a high level of functional stability, i.e., gainfully employed, presence of positive/supportive social relationships.

How often do I have to come to the treatment centre?

Your visit frequency will change as your stability increases. In early recovery, you will see your doctor 1-2 times a week to get your dose adjusted and you will see your pharmacist daily for the first 2-3 months. As your drug use declines, you will see your physician less – usually 1 time per month and visit your pharmacist 2-4 times per month. CATC offers integrated medical and pharmacy services, so there is no need to visit multiple locations.

When can I get my medications to take at home?

Once you have been on the program for 4-8 weeks you may be eligible for take-home doses. You will start with one dose, and as you gain stability these will increase. There are clinical guidelines that our physicians follow to determine take-home eligibility; physicians also utilize their clinical judgment based on your specific situation.

How often do I have to complete a urine drug screen during treatment?

Frequency of Urine Drug Screens also changes as you become more and more stable. In the first few months of treatment, you will be required to produce a urine sample 1-2 times per week to help the physician understand your use patterns. We also use urine drug screens to ensure that you are taking the medication that is being prescribed, as diversion of prescription medications is common. In some cases, your physician will ask for a random urine drug screen; this practice helps us identify and prevent any unsuspected medication diversion that may be occurring.

If I use drugs while on the program, am I kicked off?

Absolutely not. We recognize drug use and relapses are part of the recovery journey. It is important to remember that using other drugs while on Methadone or Buprenorphine/Naloxone (Suboxone®) can be dangerous. There have been reported deaths because of the combination of Methadone with alcohol, opioids, cocaine, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, and/or tranquilizers. If you have been prescribed or are using other medications, please disclose this to your CATC physician so they can make an informed decision on your treatment.

Do you recommend Methadone or Buprenorphine/Naloxone (Suboxone®)?

The best medication for you is based on many factors and the decision should be made with advice from your physician. Both medications have their pros and cons and there is emerging evidence that medication choice should be influenced by the amount and type of opiates that are being used. In a recent survey of our patients, 67% of those who had tried both medications said Methadone worked best for them. This is consistent with data reported from other countries. Because CATC offers several medication types, you can always transition between medication types to see what works for you. Have a specific question? Please call us at 1-877-937-2282 or email info@canatc.ca.

Drug Addiction: Causes, Signs and Evidence-Based Help

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Drug Addiction: Causes, Signs, and Evidence-Based Help

Drug Addiction: Causes, Signs, and Evidence-Based Help

If you’re questioning whether drug use has become a problem, for yourself or someone you love, you’re not alone. Many people wait months or even years before seeking help, unsure where the line is between manageable and something more serious.

Drug addiction is a medical condition, not a moral failure. It’s complex, it’s treatable, and recovery is possible. This guide covers what addiction really is, how it develops, warning signs to watch for, treatment options that work, and practical next steps you can take today.

You’ll find information here on the difference between drug use, dependence, and addiction, how addiction changes the brain and behaviour over time, signs that indicate it’s time to seek help, what evidence-based treatment looks like, and how to take a first step toward recovery.

Whatever brought you here, seeking information is already a meaningful step. CATC’s intake team is available for confidential conversations about your situation.

Why Understanding Drug Addiction Matters

Canada’s toxic drug supply crisis has claimed tens of thousands of lives since 2016. According to the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, the average in 2023 was 22 opioid-related deaths per day across the country. Behind each of those numbers is a person, someone’s child, parent, friend, or partner.

But addiction’s impact extends well beyond overdose risk. Personal costs include physical health deterioration, worsening mental health, relationship breakdown, career and financial instability, and a gradual loss of the life and identity a person worked to build. The broader societal costs are equally significant, straining healthcare systems, workplaces, and families.

What matters most is this: effective treatment exists. Modern addiction treatment combines medical care, therapy, and ongoing support to address the whole person. Recovery isn’t only about stopping drug use. It’s about rebuilding a life worth living. Thousands of Canadians enter recovery every year, reclaiming their health, relationships, and purpose.

Understanding addiction is the first step toward breaking its grip.

What Is Drug Addiction?

Drug addiction, clinically called substance use disorder (SUD), is a chronic medical condition involving complex interactions between brain circuits, genetics, environment, and life experience. It’s characterized by compulsive substance use despite harmful consequences.

This isn’t about willpower or character. It’s about fundamental changes in the brain’s function.

The Continuum: Mild, Moderate, or Severe

Modern medicine recognizes substance use disorders on a spectrum. The DSM-5 categorizes SUD as mild (2 to 3 symptoms present), moderate (4 to 5 symptoms), or severe (6 or more symptoms, which many commonly call addiction). This approach recognizes that addiction develops gradually. Early intervention at the mild stage can prevent progression to more severe dependence.

Dependence vs. Addiction

These terms are often used interchangeably, but they describe different things. Physical dependence means your body has adapted to a substance. You may experience tolerance, meaning you need more for the same effect, and withdrawal symptoms when you stop. Many medications cause physical dependence without causing addiction.

Addiction involves compulsive use despite negative consequences. The key distinction is loss of control. Someone with addiction continues using even when their health is suffering, relationships are breaking down, work or school performance is affected, or legal and financial problems are mounting.

You can be physically dependent without being addicted, as with someone taking prescribed opioids for legitimate pain management. You can also be addicted without severe physical dependence, as cocaine creates intense psychological addiction but comparatively milder physical withdrawal.

The Brain Disease Model

Addiction fundamentally changes brain structure and function. Repeated drug use floods the brain’s reward system with dopamine, affecting natural motivation circuits. Over time, the brain produces less natural dopamine, reward pathways become more sensitive to drug cues, the prefrontal cortex weakens, and memory systems encode powerful associations with drug use.

Addiction isn’t a choice. It’s a chronic, relapsing brain disorder. Like diabetes or heart disease, it requires ongoing management. Unlike those conditions, it carries a significant stigma that keeps people from seeking help.

How Addiction Develops

Nobody develops an addiction overnight. It’s a gradual process involving brain changes, behavioural patterns, and individual vulnerabilities.

The Initial Reward Response

All addictive substances share one characteristic: they trigger a significant dopamine surge in the brain’s reward centre. This creates a powerful memory: this substance produces pleasure or relief. For someone trying alcohol to relax or taking prescribed painkillers after a procedure, the initial experience may seem manageable. The brain, however, takes careful note.

Tolerance and the Shifting Baseline

With repeated use, the brain adapts. It produces less natural dopamine and reduces receptor sensitivity. More of the substance is needed to feel normal. Natural rewards, including food, relationships, and achievements, pale in comparison. This creates a cycle where use brings temporary relief, the brain adapts, and natural pleasure diminishes, tolerance builds, and life without the substance begins to feel empty or unbearable.

Loss of Prefrontal Control

The prefrontal cortex normally helps override impulses. Addiction weakens this control. Brain imaging shows reduced activity in areas responsible for decision-making, impulse control, consequence evaluation, and self-awareness. This is why someone can genuinely want to quit and still find themselves using again. The thinking brain wants to stop. The survival brain demands the substance.

Who Is Most at Risk?

While anyone can develop addiction, certain factors increase vulnerability. Biological factors account for roughly half of addiction risk and include family history, certain gene variations affecting dopamine, early exposure (adolescent brains are especially vulnerable), and differences in how substances are metabolized. Environmental factors include childhood trauma, peer pressure, availability of substances, chronic stress, and lack of stable support. Psychological factors include co-occurring mental health conditions, impulsivity, poor coping skills, and unresolved trauma.

Addiction tends to emerge from a combination: a vulnerable brain, an addictive substance, and an enabling environment.

Common Types of Drug Addiction

While all addictions share core features, each substance creates unique challenges. Understanding these differences helps explain why treatment must be individualized.

Alcohol Use Disorder

Despite being legal and socially accepted, alcohol remains one of the most addictive and harmful substances. According to Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health, the risk of harm begins to increase above 2 standard drinks per week. Alcohol depresses the central nervous system, initially lowering inhibitions and producing a sense of ease. With chronic use, the brain becomes dependent on alcohol to maintain chemical balance. Unique risks include potentially life-threatening withdrawal (including seizures and delirium tremens), damage to nearly every organ system, and the fact that social acceptability often delays recognition of a problem.

Opioid Addiction

The opioid crisis has affected communities across Canada, involving prescription painkillers such as oxycodone and hydrocodone, heroin, and synthetic opioids like fentanyl. Opioids bind to receptors throughout the brain and body, blocking pain signals and producing significant dopamine release. Tolerance develops rapidly. Unique risks include extremely high overdose risk due to respiratory depression, fentanyl contamination in street drugs, severe flu-like withdrawal symptoms, and the fact that many cases begin with a legitimate prescription.

Stimulant Addiction

This category includes cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, and prescription ADHD medications when misused. Stimulants flood the brain with dopamine while blocking its reuptake, producing intense energy and euphoria. The crash that follows drives repeated use. Risks include cardiovascular damage, severe psychological symptoms including paranoia and psychosis, rapid physical deterioration, and intense cravings despite less pronounced physical withdrawal.

Benzodiazepine Dependence

Prescribed for anxiety and insomnia, benzodiazepines such as Xanax, Ativan, and Valium carry high addiction potential. They enhance GABA, the brain’s primary inhibitory neurotransmitter, producing calm and sedation. Tolerance can develop within weeks. Risks include dangerous withdrawal (seizures and psychosis are possible), memory problems, cognitive impairment, high overdose risk when combined with opioids or alcohol, and the fact that many cases begin with a prescription.

Other Substances

Cannabis, while less physically addictive than many substances, can still lead to psychological dependence and cannabis use disorder. Inhalants, hallucinogens, and synthetic drugs each present their own patterns of risk. What unites all of these substances is that they affect the same reward pathways in the brain, creating compulsive use despite mounting consequences.

Recognizing the Signs and Symptoms

Addiction rarely announces itself. It develops gradually, and early signs are often dismissed or explained away. Recognizing the signs in yourself or someone you care about can make a significant difference.

Physical Signs

The body often shows addiction’s impact first. Tolerance building means needing increasing amounts for the same effect. Withdrawal symptoms such as shaking, sweating, and nausea appear when not using. Other signs include unexplained weight changes, bloodshot eyes, poor coordination, disrupted sleep, neglected personal hygiene, and unexplained injuries. Different substances produce different physical signs. Stimulant use may involve extended periods without sleep. Opioid use may involve drowsiness and nodding off mid-conversation.

Behavioural Signs

Significant time spent obtaining, using, or recovering from substance use is a key indicator. Other signs include neglected responsibilities at work, school, or home; financial problems and unexplained need for money; increased secrecy and dishonesty about whereabouts or activities; withdrawing from longstanding relationships and forming new social circles; risk-taking behaviour; and repeated attempts to cut back, followed by a return to use.

Emotional and Psychological Signs

Extreme mood swings, heightened anxiety when unable to use, persistent low mood, irritability, and obsessive thoughts about the next dose are all common. Denial, minimizing the problem, and blaming external circumstances are also typical. Underlying guilt and shame, combined with a feeling of powerlessness to change, often accompany problematic use.

If substance use is causing problems in any area of your life, including your relationships, health, work, or finances, it’s worth taking seriously. Even a few signs deserve attention. Addiction is progressive. Early intervention can prevent years of difficulty.

The Impact on Families and Relationships

Addiction is often described as a family condition, and for good reason. When one person is struggling with substance use, everyone close to them feels the effects.

The Effect on Loved Ones

Family members often experience chronic anxiety about their loved one’s safety, grief over who the person used to be, physical health problems from sustained stress, financial strain from covering debts or treatment costs, and social isolation driven by shame. Partners may take on all household responsibilities. Parents may enable a child’s addiction out of love and fear. Siblings may feel overlooked as addiction dominates family attention.

Children Are Affected Too

In Canada, many children live in homes where a parent has a substance use disorder. These children face elevated risks of neglect, emotional trauma, academic and behavioural struggles, and developing their own mental health or substance use challenges. Many adult children of parents with addiction describe feeling forced into adult responsibilities far too early.

Patterns That Keep People Stuck

Families often develop unhealthy patterns in response to addiction: making excuses for the person, covering up consequences, trying to monitor or control their use, sacrificing their own needs, or walking on eggshells to avoid conflict. These responses, while well-intentioned, can inadvertently perpetuate the cycle. Family members need their own support.

Healing Together Is Possible

Family therapy helps rebuild trust and communication. Support groups like Al-Anon and Nar-Anon provide community and coping strategies. Many treatment programs include family programming, recognizing that lasting recovery happens in relationships. You didn’t cause your loved one’s addiction, you can’t control it, and you can’t cure it. But you can get support for yourself, and that matters.

Barriers to Seeking Help

If effective treatment exists, why do so many people delay getting help? The gap between those who need treatment and those who receive it remains wide.

Stigma

Despite growing awareness that addiction is a medical condition, stigma persists. People with addiction face moral judgment, employment discrimination, healthcare provider bias, and social rejection. Self-stigma compounds this. People hide their struggles, delay seeking help, and suffer alone. For professionals, parents, or community leaders, the fear of being found out can feel paralyzing.

Denial and Lack of Awareness

Addiction affects judgment. Many people don’t recognize the extent of their problem because use increases gradually, they compare themselves to more severe cases, substances temporarily relieve emotional pain, their social environment normalizes heavy use, or they fear what life without substances might feel like.

Practical Barriers

Even when someone is ready for help, real-world obstacles arise: concerns about cost, uncertainty about insurance coverage, long wait times at some programs, geographic access in rural areas, work and family obligations, and childcare needs. These barriers are real, but they’re not insurmountable. Modern treatment addresses each of them through flexible programs, rapid admission, and confidential financial consultations.

Fear of Withdrawal and Change

The prospect of detox frightens many people. Others fear losing their primary coping mechanism, facing underlying pain or trauma, or the possibility of relapse and disappointing others. These fears are understandable. The hardest step is often simply making the first call.

Evidence-Based Treatment Options

Effective addiction treatment isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s comprehensive, evidence-based, and tailored to each person’s needs.

Comprehensive Assessment

Treatment begins with a thorough evaluation by medical and mental health professionals. This covers substance use history and patterns, physical health and medical needs, co-occurring mental health conditions, family and social situation, and the person’s goals for recovery. This assessment guides an individualized treatment plan with no assumptions and no judgment.

Medical Detoxification

For those physically dependent on substances, medical detox provides safe, supervised withdrawal management. This typically involves 24-hour medical monitoring, medications to ease withdrawal symptoms, nutritional support, and attentive care during a vulnerable time. Detox generally lasts several days, depending on the substance. It’s not the treatment itself. It’s the foundation that makes treatment possible.

Inpatient Treatment

Inpatient addiction treatment provides intensive, round-the-clock care in a structured residential environment. A typical day includes individual therapy, group therapy, educational sessions on addiction and recovery, life skills training, wellness activities, and family programming. Programs typically run from 30 to 90 days, though extended care is sometimes recommended. The goal is not just sobriety. It’s addressing underlying issues and building a foundation for lasting recovery.

Partial Hospitalization and Intensive Outpatient

Not everyone needs or can access inpatient care. Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP) provide 9 to 18 hours of structured treatment multiple days per week. Standard outpatient treatment involves weekly individual or group sessions. These programs allow people to maintain work and family responsibilities while receiving meaningful support.

Medication-Assisted Treatment

For certain addictions, medications are an important part of treatment. For opioid addiction, methadone, buprenorphine, or naltrexone can reduce cravings and prevent overdose. For alcohol addiction, naltrexone, acamprosate, or disulfiram support recovery. These are evidence-based medical treatments, not substitutes for one substance with another. They significantly improve outcomes when combined with therapy and support.

Evidence-Based Therapies

Effective programs use proven therapeutic approaches, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), which addresses thought patterns and behaviours; Motivational Interviewing, which builds internal motivation for change; Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), which supports emotional regulation; and trauma-informed care, which addresses underlying trauma safely.

Aftercare and Ongoing Support

Recovery doesn’t end with treatment discharge. Robust aftercare includes ongoing individual or group therapy, peer support groups such as AA, NA, or SMART Recovery, sober living environments, recovery coaching, alumni programs, and vocational or educational support. Ongoing support significantly improves long-term outcomes, just as ongoing management improves outcomes for any chronic health condition.

What Recovery Actually Looks Like

Recovery is possible. Research consistently shows that treatment works and people do rebuild meaningful lives. Longer treatment durations tend to produce better outcomes. Multiple treatment episodes are common and do not indicate failure. Combining approaches, including medication, therapy, and peer support, produces the best results.

Recovery isn’t only about abstinence. It’s about rediscovering purpose, healing relationships, and building a life you don’t want to escape from.

What to Do Next

If you recognize yourself or someone you love in these pages, the next step doesn’t need to be large. It just needs to be honest.

Take a few minutes to reflect on how often you’re using and whether it has increased, what impact substance use is having on your life and the people around you, what you fear most about continuing, and what your life might look like with support.

Consider talking to someone you trust, whether a close friend, your doctor, or a therapist. You might simply say: “I’m struggling with substance use and I need some support.” Most people respond with more compassion than you expect.

When you’re ready, reach out to CATC’s intake team for a confidential conversation. Our team will listen without judgment, answer your questions about treatment, explain your options, and help you understand next steps. This conversation doesn’t commit you to anything. It’s simply a chance to explore what’s possible.

Seeking help isn’t a weakness. It’s self-awareness. Every person in recovery started exactly where you are: recognizing something needed to change and deciding to find out what that could look like.

You are not your addiction. You deserve health, connection, and hope. Recovery is possible, and it starts with a single step.

Talk to Our Intake Team

CATC offers confidential intake support. Our intake specialists are ready to listen, answer your questions, and help you understand what treatment options exist for your situation.

There’s no pressure and no obligation. Just an honest conversation about what’s possible, whenever you’re ready.

Call: (855) 937-4949
Or schedule a call at a time that works for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between drug dependence and addiction?
Physical dependence means your body has adapted to a substance, and you experience withdrawal when you stop. Addiction involves compulsive use despite negative consequences in your health, relationships, or daily life. You can be physically dependent without being addicted, and vice versa. Our intake team can help you understand where you or your loved one may be on that spectrum.

Can drug addiction be treated?
Yes. Drug addiction is a treatable medical condition. Evidence-based approaches combining medical care, therapy, and peer support have helped thousands of Canadians achieve lasting recovery. Treatment works best when it’s individualized to the person’s specific needs, history, and circumstances.

What does treatment actually involve?
Treatment typically begins with a comprehensive assessment, followed by medically supervised detox where needed, and then a structured program of individual therapy, group therapy, psychiatric support, and skill-building. Aftercare planning is built into the discharge process. CATC’s inpatient programs in Ontario provide all of these components in a CARF-accredited residential setting.

How do I know if I need inpatient or outpatient treatment?
This depends on the severity of substance use, the presence of co-occurring mental health conditions, the home environment, and whether previous outpatient support has been sufficient. Our intake team can help you understand which level of care makes the most sense for your situation, with no pressure and no obligation.

Is drug addiction treatment covered by insurance in Ontario?
Many private insurance plans cover addiction treatment. Coverage varies by plan and provider. Our intake team can help you verify your benefits confidentially before you make any decisions.

What should I do if someone I love is struggling with addiction?
Reach out to our intake team. We speak regularly with family members and supporters who are trying to understand their options and figure out the best way to approach the conversation. Support is available for you, too, not just your loved one. You can also email connect@canatc.ca to connect with our team directly.

This page is for informational purposes and is not medical advice. Please speak with a qualified healthcare professional for personalized guidance about your situation.