Treatment Of Addiction

June 29th, 2011

Treatment of addiction and drug abuse is delivered in a variety of settings, using multiple approaches including behavioral and pharmacological methods. Research on addiction classifies programs into general types or modalities that have been proven successful.

Various Forms Of Treatment Of Addiction

Detoxification/Withdrawal

Detoxification is the process whereby the drug is eradicated from the body with medical supervision. Detoxification alone does not help deal with the psychological, social, or behavioral issues associated with drug or alcohol abuse. This treatment is typically combined with another method of treatment.

Long-Term Residential Treatment

This treatment of addiction provides the individual with care 24 hours a day/7 days a week in a non-hospital setting. The goal of this sort of treatment is to create an environment in which detoxification, psychological struggles, and behavioral repertoires can be controlled and managed for. Treatment in long-term residential centers is highly structured and can be very confrontational, allowing the individual to recognize hurtful beliefs and patterns and to adopt new patterns that will help them cope in the present and the future.

Short-Term Residential Treatment

Short-term residential treatment typically provides an intensive 12-step approach to overcoming addiction. These are hospital-based, inpatient, 3-6 week-long programs. This attacks issues firsthand and assists the individual in gaining access to outpatient treatment programs in the future.

Outpatient Treatment

This sort of treatment can vary greatly in type and intensity of services available to the individual. Group counseling tends to be a major type of outpatient treatment program. Alcoholics Anonymous is an example of an outpatient treatment program.

Individual Drug Counseling

Drug counseling that is individualized allows the person who suffers from addiction to be a part of a treatment of addiction program that tailors the therapy to the needs of the patient. All aspects of addiction including physical, psychological, and behavioral issues are examined one-on-one with a certified therapist.