Philosophy of Addiction Treatment

Arnab Datta MD completed two fellowships (specializations) in Addiction Psychiatry, which makes him  a controlled substance specialist. Dr. Datta can help one manage their doses of Xanax or Klonopin, Adderall IR or other controlled substance medication. Even though patients were prescribed these meds by a doctor, the dosage may not be right and patients may have become dependent on it. Dr. Datta can help taper these down to a healthy dose. Also, patients don’t need to be “addicted to a drug” “or suffer from addiction” to see Dr. Datta.Bad habits are like our “Demons.” They can be a behavior. Dr. Datta treats both drug addiction and behavioral addiction.  Dr. Datta is someone who can help you overcome your bad habits or self sabotaging drives. 

We have self-sabotaging drives within us – Recovering from addiction is about conquering one’s demons. It’s an unconscious battle one has with themselves. It takes a while to even see these maladaptive unconscious patterns, most people are in denial. You must have a good addiction psychiatrist who can help you understand your negative drives so you can overcome them and be a happier and more content version of yourself.

Dr. Datta believes in moderation. If someone has one glass of wine with their family and friends, they might not be an addict. Then again, there are people who have one glass of wine and it leads to 10; they may be on a slippery slope to a more vicious relapse. It depends on the history, personality and emotions of that specific person. Dr. Datta is very much against the buzz phrase “You are an Addict.” Every person is different.

Supportive psychotherapy is great, but Dr. Datta’s treatment is more than that. This is also more intensive than just psychiatric medication management (or a 10-15 min wellness check). This is an in-depth character and personality analysis where people do serious inner work not just in one session but longitudinally. Various psychotherapy techniques are used, in this section, motivational interviewing is used, the psychotherapy of addiction.

If you need an empathic person who understands your plight, but at the same time – is a coach who will help you beat addiction, then Dr. Datta is for you.

Dr. Datta is psychopharmacologist and a controlled substance specialist who integrates psychotherapy into the treatment. He helps patients remedy medication regimens that might be causing negative side effects.

• An example of a general medication is Seroquel (Quetiapine). There are patients who swear by taking Seroquel (which is actually an antipsychotic medication, but at lower doses it can be sedating) for sleep, but it’s causing them to gain weight and have diabetes in the future. Dr. Datta can advise on the effects of every psychiatric medication and the implications on your mind and body presently and over time.
• Another example is Lyrica(or Pregabalin). People take Lyrica for nerve pain, but it’s also considered a controlled substance medication, thus addiction potential is there. Dr. Datta also uses Lyrica in certain situations.
• Then there’s your classic controlled substance medications such as xanax (alprazolam) 6mg and Adderall (amphetamine salt) IR 60-90mg (immediate release tablet which is different from Adderall XR – the extended release capsule which is more healthy than the IR tablet). Dr. Datta will help you with the underlying causes of your anxiety and adhd and help you build the strength to overcome it.
• Dr. Datta is an empathic controlled substance specialist, who meets you where you’re at with meds and psychotherapy, and provides a plan for you even on the free discovery call – so potential patients know what they’re getting into before they sign on.
• Dr. Datta has corrected the controlled substance medication for countless patients while also paying attention to the conscious and unconscious mind and physical health of the patient. 

Dr. Datta does not fill controlled substance medication before their due date, ever. This is why a free discovery call is needed before the patient is accepted into the practice. We need to have a basic understanding of each other before getting started with this type of treatment.

Dr. Datta served as the Medical Director of Addiction Services at St. Joseph’s Medical Centre in Yonkers (from 2016-2021), where he started a suboxone and vivitrol program to treat substance abuse as well as treat general psychiatric conditions. Dr. Datta is presently the medical director of 3 clinics in NYC; Revcore, Silverlake and GMHC (Gay Men’s Health Crisis). This website represents Dr. Datta’s private practice, which is separate from his medical director positions. Also found on the About page.