UC San Diego Health offers addiction recovery and treatment services for adults with substance use disorders alone or in conjunction with other mental health disorders. Our whole-person approach to care is extended to all populations without judgment and is focused on delivering compassionate, evidence-based care that improves quality of life and daily life functioning.
We recognize both the biological basis of addiction and each person’s unique sociocultural factors. To help you, we offer individual, family and group therapy on an appointment-by-appointment basis. Appointments require a referral from a UC San Diego Health physician.
Treatment for Alcohol, Opioid and Prescription Drug Use Disorders
We treat all types of substance use disorders, including those associated with:
- Alcohol
- Cannabis (marijuana)
- Heroin, oxycodone, fentanyl and other opioids
- Methamphetamine, cocaine and hallucinogens
- Nicotine
- Prescription drugs
Care for All Stages of Recovery from Substance Use Disorders
Because we bring the best available science to our care plans, we employ a "harm reduction" approach to addiction treatment and lifelong recovery. This nonjudgmental, evidence-based method of care uses practical strategies to reduce the consequences of drug use and is open to individuals (age 18 and older) in all stages of recovery, including:
- Abstinence
- Active use
- Maintenance
- Relapse
We can also help to identify early signs of problematic substance use, provide care for those experiencing significant consequences of drug use, and offer continuity of care following discharge from a residential detoxification program.
Services for Treating Addiction: What to Expect
The first stage of treatment includes:
- An orientation to our services
- A comprehensive assessment
- Treatment planning, including long-term recovery planning
The results of your assessment helps us identify your needs, personal strengths, and areas to work on. We can then work with you collaboratively to determine your treatment goals and treatment plan.
Our services include:
- Group therapy to address a range of topics such as recovery, relapse prevention, mood management, ADHD/ADD, mindfulness and trauma
- Problem-focused individual and family therapy
- Education on substance use disorders
- Family program to educate and encourage involvement and support of loved ones
- Help with linking to peer-support groups that can provide a sense of community to support a lifelong recovery process
- Medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorders, including buprenorphine for opioid use disorder, long-acting injectable and oral naltrexone and other medications for alcohol use disorder and smoking cessation drugs
- Medication management to address co-occurring mental health issues such as depression and anxiety-related disorders
- After-care weekly group sessions to foster long-term recovery and success
Our Care Team
Our care team includes registered nurses, licensed social workers, marriage and family counselors, psychologists and board-certified psychiatrists specialized in treating addiction. Together, we address all aspects of treatment and recovery from substance use disorders.
Commitment to the Community and Population Health
As the region’s only academic medical center, we are dedicated to improving what is known about addiction and ways to successfully treat it. Because of this, we track and study the outcomes of different care plans and will adapt and expand our services to continue to offer the highest level of care to those with substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health issues. We often provide specialty services not widely available elsewhere.
Free Online Meetings and Virtual Platforms
These free online and electronic resources may also be helpful:
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Al-Anon Electronic Meetings
Forum and recovery chat room for members, featuring voice chat, Skype and text chat meetings connecting people from around the world -
Alcoholics Anonymous Online Intergroup
Listing of online meetings from AA Intergroup -
Smart Recovery Online Community
Message board, chat room,
online meetings and events and online library -
Adult Children of Alcoholics
Phone and online meetings -
In The Rooms Online Meetings
An online platform supporting a wide range of 12-step and non-12-step meetings
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Refuge Recovery Online Meetings
Listing of daily online meetings -
Families Anonymous Virtual & In-Person Meetings
Online meetings for parents, grandparents, siblings, spouses, significant others, other family members and friends of those with a current, suspected or former drug problem
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Life Ring Recovery
Listing of online meetings
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The Temper
An online publication that explores life through the lens of sobriety, addiction, and recovery, with links to resources -
My Recovery
Online 12-step meetings -
Sober Grid
A free online social networking platform for people in recovery. Available in mobile app stores.
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Narcotics Anonymous
Listing of online meetings provided by NA