Treatment Discussion

3

Aug 23

Principles of Effective Treatment for Substance Abuse and Addiction

Tags: Substance Abuse Treatment,Rehad,Therapy,Counseling,Detox,Recovery,Drug Abuse Treatment,Alcohol Abuse Treatment

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Research is being done all the time always looking for better ways to improve treatment associated with drug abuse and addiction. Since the middle of the 70s research has shown that treatment helps individuals that are addicted to drugs and other substances. Treatment helps patients to stop using drugs, avoid relapse, and patients are able to successfully recover and restore their lives.

In order for this to take place, research tells us that there are important guidelines that have be set in place which form the basis of any effective treatment program. These crucial guidelines or principles include the following:

1. Addiction is a complicated but treatable disease that affects the user's behaviors and brain function.
2. There is no one particular treatment that's appropriate or suitable for everyone.


3. It's necessary that treatment for substance abuse and addiction be readily available.


4. Effective treatment has to address all of the individual's needs, as well as their substance use issues.


5. The patient needs to be able to remain in treatment for a sufficient period of time, this is critical.


6. Various behavioral therapies and individual or group (or both) counseling are the most common methods of treatment for drug abuse.


7. Medications are a very important part of treatment for many people suffering from substance abuse issues; this is especially true when medications are combined with counseling and other behavioral therapies.


8. An individual's treatment plan has to be evaluated frequently and changed when necessary to make sure that it meets with the patients changing needs.


9. Many people that are addicted to drugs have mental disorders as well.


10. Medically assisted detox is only the first stage of treatment for addiction because detox alone has little effect when it comes to changing long term drug abuse.


11. An individual doesn't have to volunteer for Treatment in order for it to be effective.


12. Because relapse does happen, it's important to monitor the patient continuously during treatment.


13. Patients in treatment programs should be evaluated for the presence of HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B and C, tuberculosis, and other infectious diseases and also provide patients with targeted risk reduction counseling in order to help them change their behaviors that put them at risk of contracting or spreading infectious diseases.

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3 Comments

1. 
   Megan K 13 years ago

   I had been to every 12-step meeting in town by the time my wife finally confronted me about all of the money that mysteriously vanished from our bank accounts. I had been making up excuses to stay out later, spend weekends away from home and generally avoid my day-to-day life. She put two and two together and realized that I was taking money from our retirement fund and our children's college funds to pay for my drug addiction.
   
   I thought there was no hope left. I thought that since outpatient 12-step didn't work for me I was doomed to be an addict forever and live my life as an epic failure. My wife thought otherwise. She thought residential rehab could help me. I took a leap of faith, since I really didn't have anything to lose, and checked myself into rehab the very next day. I can honestly say that talking me into going to rehab was the most loving thing my wife has ever done for me. Accepting the encouragement and going to rehab was the best decision I've made in my life.
   
   Six months ago today was my first day in rehab. Now I'm 180 days clean and sober and I'm finally proud to say that I'm my wife's husband and my children's father. I'm living up to my responsibilities as a productive member of society. I encourage anyone who's tried one treatment method that didn't work to try another. My addiction is different than your addiction. It's not realistic to expect to treat them the same way.

2. 
   Nancy P 13 years ago

   About a year ago, practically against my will, my parents convinced me to go to rehab. They said that if I didn't go they would throw me out of the house, take back my car and stop paying my cell phone bill. Even though I was high at the time, I was just barely sober enough to realize that meant if they followed through with their threats I would be homeless, penniless, and without transportation or communication. I didn't think my parents would actually do that to me, and even if they did, I thought that rehab only worked for people who thought they were ready for recovery and volunteered to go to rehab.
   
   I told my parents that I wasn't going to give up my addiction and I left the house to meet my dealer. When I came home late that night I couldn't get in the house. The locks had been changed. Unsure of what else to do I pounded on the door hoping for someone to wake up and answer. My mother opened the door and told me that I would have to figure out how to survive on my own or go to rehab.
   
   I chose to go to rehab. At the time I just thought that rehab was better than being homeless. I didn't actually think I'd recover, but I did. . After being sober for about a week I realized that recovery was far better than living a life of addiction. I'm living proof that you don't have to think you're ready to start the recovery process.
   

3. 
   My New Life 12 years ago

   Your information is unbelievably compelling. I enjoyed reading your viewpoints on this subject. I'm impressed with your use of bold material and interestingly fresh ideas.