An addiction specialist is a doctor who has been certified by the American Board of Addiction Medicine, or it could be a psychiatrist who has been certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. These individuals will have an extensive background in addiction education, and also expertise with the requisite knowledge and skills to provide screening, evaluation, treatment, and intervention for individuals suffering from addictions to alcohol and drugs. Since addiction can involve numerous factors and multiple drugs, there is a need to consult an addiction specialist during the treatment of addiction. More desirably, an addiction specialist will directly take part and oversee the individual’s recovery. Addiction specialists are much more familiar with healing the wounds that addiction can cause. Their training can also allow them to specifically tailor the approach used when directing treatment programs. The addiction specialist is a smart option when seeking a treatment center or rehabilitation program. They are well versed and experienced in regard to treating addition, and they are familiar with the current methods used for treatment. This makes them more qualified to make evaluations on treatment centers and gives their opinion a higher level of accuracy. A person can become an addiction specialist by studying two different disciplines: addiction medicine or addiction psychiatry. Those who study addiction medicine learn a specialized field of medical practice. The American Board of Addiction Medicine (ABAM) will certify them. Doctors who seek this certification must meet the criteria. It is open to all doctors from all specialties that have been certified by an American Board of Medical Specialty (ABMS) member or who have completed an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) – accredited residency, or who meet ABAM’s other standards. These individuals must still by an examination given by the ABAM. The other field of study, addiction psychiatry, requires different steps to be taken. The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) and a member from ABMS is responsible for giving the certification of addiction psychiatry. The only individuals who are capable of attaining this certificate are psychiatrists. At present, there are around two thousand psychiatrists who have achieved this certification. It is incredibly important to know whether or not an addiction specialist will have an involvement in the care and recovery of the individual suffering from alcohol and drugs. Being certified by the boards mentioned above shows that a doctor or a psychiatrist has the needed knowledge and expertise needed to treatment, diagnose, and care for individuals struggling with addiction. There are other ways to check a doctor’s background. States licenses are mandatory for doctors and physicians to possess to practice medicine. Often there are two separate types, one issued for the individual and another given to the treatment center. These are mandatory and also signify that a doctor and a rehabilitation program have done all that is required for a license. When selecting a program and an addiction specialist it is wise to know what all is involved in the accreditation and credentials.
