Drug Addiction - Drug Treatment

Substance Abuse and Drug Treatment

People afflicted with drug addiction, as well as those who care about them, such as family, should have an educated understanding of this progressive illness. Simply, drug addiction affects a person in a multitude of ways. Many think that if the alcoholic or drug addict just stops using or drinking, he will straighten up. If this were the case, then nobody would need treatment. Fact is, drinking or using drugs are only symptoms of the disease of addiction. The rest of the problem, and the areas we address in treatment, lay beneath the surface. The longer a person remains chemically addicted, the more damage he has done to himself. While physical medical problems do occur after years of abuse, i.e., liver damage, organic brain syndrome, etc., these only occur after decades. The damage that needs to be addressed in drug rehab treatment applies to the disintegration of an individual's personality; all the 'non-physical' things that compose him as a human being. Chemical addiction affects honest thoughts, feelings, character, morals, and common sense.

Drug Addiction

Denial and rationalization with the underlying motive of 'using again,' is warping the mind's ability to produce good judgment. Emotionally, years of being under the influence of a chemical stunts a person's potential to grow. Spiritually, if a person needs to 'trust' a drug, he loses the opportunity to build trust in himself and a Higher Authority. The family suffers when it frequently blames itself for the origin of the addict's disease, and never knows what is exactly the truth when dealing with his excuses.

Addiction and alcoholism find their way into every walk of life. Nobody is immune. Anybody is susceptible. Drug addiction is this nation's modern day 'plague.' Nobody plans to become an alcoholic or a drug addict. The fact is, a person consumes a drug that produces a good feeling. When it occurs again, a new behavior is being learned. Inevitably, if this course of behavior continues, the 'affect' of chemical well-being and the drug become more and more important. The 'invisible line' of addiction could be somewhere right around the corner! It's a gradual illness that is usually spotted only in hindsight.

Drug Treatment

Recovery from chemical abuse is opposite those negative effects that permeate an addicted person's personality. Character shortcomings, self-deceit, inadequacies and insecurities need to be uncovered, discovered and discarded. Simply, a course of action that promotes character building, self-honesty, and revitalizing spiritual principals and morals, needs to be taken. Admitting ones lack of control in regards to addiction requires rigorous honesty. Seeking help and taking action is the first step out of addiction. Entering treatment is getting the best help available. Most treatment programs include drug and alcohol education, counseling and groups. If a person can be honest with himself, admit his shortcomings, and be answerable for his mistakes, he can change. Relapse occurs only when a person stops trying. A new strength develops in any person that sincerely makes the decision to change, follow direction, and consistently apply his best.

What is drug addiction treatment?

There are many addictive drugs, and treatments for specific drugs can differ. Treatment also varies depending on the characteristics of the patient.

Problems associated with an individual's drug addiction can vary significantly. People who are addicted to drugs come from all walks of life. Many suffer from mental health, occupational, health, or social problems that make their addictive disorders much more difficult to treat. Even if there are few associated problems, the severity of addiction itself ranges widely among people.

A variety of scientifically based approaches to drug addiction treatment exists. Drug addiction treatment can include behavioral therapy (such as counseling, cognitive therapy, or psychotherapy), medications, or their combination. Behavioral therapies offer people strategies for coping with their drug cravings, teach them ways to avoid drugs and prevent relapse, and help them deal with relapse if it occurs. When a person's drug-related behavior places him or her at higher risk for AIDS or other infectious diseases, behavioral therapies can help to reduce the risk of disease transmission. Case management and referral to other medical, psychological, and social services are crucial components of treatment for many patients. The best programs provide a combination of therapies and other services to meet the needs of the individual patient, which are shaped by such issues as age, race, culture, sexual orientation, gender, pregnancy, parenting, housing, and employment, as well as physical and sexual abuse.

Treatment medications, such as methadone, LAAM, and naltrexone, are available for individuals addicted to opiates. Nicotine preparations (patches, gum, nasal spray) and bupropion are available for individuals addicted to nicotine.

Medications, such as antidepressants, mood stabilizers, or neuroleptics, may be critical for treatment success when patients have co-occurring mental disorders, such as depression, anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, or psychosis.

Treatment can occur in a variety of settings, in many different forms, and for different lengths of time. Because drug addiction is typically a chronic disorder characterized by occasional relapses, a short-term, one-time treatment often is not sufficient. For many, treatment is a long-term process that involves multiple interventions and attempts at abstinence.

Why can't drug addicts quit on their own?

Nearly all addicted individuals believe in the beginning that they can stop using drugs on their own, and most try to stop without treatment. However, most of these attempts result in failure to achieve long-term abstinence. Research has shown that long-term drug use results in significant changes in brain function that persist long after the individual stops using drugs. These drug-induced changes in brain function may have many behavioral consequences, including the compulsion to use drugs despite adverse consequences defining characteristic of addiction.

Understanding that addiction has such an important biological component may help explain an individual's difficulty in achieving and maintaining abstinence without treatment. Psychological stress from work or family problems, social cues (such as meeting individuals from one's drug-using past), or the environment (such as encountering streets, objects, or even smells associated with drug use) can interact with biological factors to hinder attainment of sustained abstinence and make relapse more likely. Research studies indicate that even the most severely addicted individuals can participate actively in treatment and that active participation is essential to good outcomes.