Drug abuse is one of the leading problems affecting society today and despite the campaign against it, there is still a great deal of individuals affected by it. Taking a look at drug treatment programs available, and providing support for recovery are therefore some of the big steps you can take to reverse its effect on your life, or that of an affected loved one.

Principles Behind Drug Abuse Treatment

When health experts treat drug addicts, they understand that this condition does not just affect them physically. It targets their brain such that the patient’s behavioral patterns and function are altered. Thus, the sooner one is able to find treatment, the earlier you can stop any brain structure damage that might take place with persistent use of abusive drugs. Upon embarking on a drug treatment, patients and family members must realize that a single treatment approach is often not enough. You need to match treatments and enroll them into drug intervention programs that will regain one’s productive function in the society, workplace, or home. In some cases, the drug abuse problem is not the only thing being treated with patients. They have multiple needs that has to be addressed as well, thus a holistic approach treatment might be necessary. Another crucial factor aside from choosing the right type of treatment is time. Learning about how all of these factors affect the patient is important in the success of the drug abuse treatment procedure.

Drug Rehab

Drug addiction is no joke. Thus, patients are often required to enter into drug rehab for full monitoring and assessment of the patient’s response to the treatment being given. This is an important first step to also avoid the possibility of going back to using these addictive substances. During rehab, the patient undergoes extensive therapy wherein the patient can make good use of the therapist’s expertise in finding resourceful information to help in their treatment. In addition, peer support is provided as part of the drug rehabilitation such that you can share experiences with others who have gone through the struggles of drug addiction as you have. Throughout your entire stay at the rehabilitation center, medical professionals will be closely monitoring your progress and to safely assess how you are coping with the treatment given.

Drug Detox

Drug detox refers to that initial stage of drug addiction treatment wherein your body is internally cleansed any drug residues. This would normally cover between 3 to 14 days but it greatly varies with the type of drug used and how one’s body reacts to the presence of these substances. Thus, it varies whether the drug detox is done in a hospital setting wherein one can have medical supervision or right at your own home.

Behavioral Treatments

Behavioral treatment approach for drug abuse patients are far more structured. The aim with this type of treatment is to alter or modify behavior patterns in patients and restore normal function, which is done on either outpatient or inpatient basis. The most basic of this type of treatment is the Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. The objective of this therapy is to help the patient recognize situations that will invoke them to return to their abusive behavioral patterns. Next is the Multidimensional Family Therapy, which enters not only the patient, but also their families into the therapy treatment for a more efficient treatment approach. Motivational Interviewing is also done to encourage patients who are willing to fully let go of their drug addiction problems.

Drug Treatment Medications

The use of medications as part of your drug abuse treatment is often used as complementary medicine. The aim behind intake medication is to help the patient cope with withdrawal symptoms and other entailing conditions expected to arise during treatment process. Some of the medications prescribed by medical professionals are intended for specific types of substance abuse. You can currently find medications that will treat drug abuse for the following substances: alcohol, cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, heroin, nicotine, and morphine. When the properties from these medications enter your body, it restores normal brain function while preventing relapse and eliminating cravings for these addictive substances.

With the growing number of drug abuse cases there is a lot of chaos related to it. In trying to deal with a drug abuse issue people often decide on the solution, most of the time, based on the recommendations and that only enhances the failure rates.

Majority of people who get referred to drug abuse treatment or rehab centers only tend to encounter failures or quit the program half way through. Well, it is imperative to understand what suits others does not necessarily suit you.

Traditional rehabs are outdated as opposed to non-traditional methods. It would be wise to obtain the statistics first and then choose the program that you want to participate in. Gauge the best chances for success by knowing the facts first.

In looking through the drug abuse treatment options let us get one thing clear – based on the drugs abused there could be other drugs involved to make the treatment process effective. Good examples of this would be Methadone and Buprenorphine that help with treatment of opioid addiction.

Then again, no one treatment option suits all. Every drug addict needs to be evaluated independently and a treatment program need to be tailor made accordingly. Likewise, the treatment process should address the issues that led to the addiction in the first place. For instance, there are people who turn to prescription drugs/alcohol in an attempt to freeze some emotional issues or to tolerate pain.

Again, there are drug abuse cases in conjunction with an existing mental illness. Many a time, mental issues are left undiagnosed, misinterpreted and the drugs given to treat such disorders have been mishandled leading to chronic dependency.

It is relatively a cumbersome process to ease the withdrawal associated with the drug usage. In fact, the drawback with treatment programs that use substitute drugs to aid with withdrawal is the abuser eventually getting addicted to the substitute drug. Hence, the treatment program needs to be a blend of behavior modification therapy along with counseling and gradual weaning of the medication, which facilitates for lasting abstinence.

So having thrown some light on the kind of drug abuse treatment options lets us take a quick look at some types of treatment programs on offer. Well, to start with some treatment programs could be inpatient programs while the other expects regular attendance at the outpatient facility.

Centers also offer something called family therapies wherein the whole family actively participates in the treatment plan to help their loved ones. Centers also do offer 24-hour hotline services in case of any emergency.

There are residential treatment programs for chronic users requiring treatment for a prolonged period of time. Here the abuser learns to interact with the other inmates and simultaneously gets treated for other existing drug-related conditions.

A few good examples would HIV/AIDS or hepatitis that often accompanies drug addiction or gets contracted resulting from drug abuse. Addicts who put in genuine efforts in eradicating the problem go on and seek help at good centers.

When people consume excessive drugs then it leads to drug abuse and this kind of addiction is a type of psycho-physiological disease. The impact of drug abuse and its side effects has to be understood well and it needs immediate attention and initiation of a recovery process. Drug addiction is against nature and this cannot be justified in any way. A recovery program will help the drug addicts to treat the drug abuse efficiently.

The treatment always starts with a detox procedure that will remove the drug present in the body at that point of time. Drug Detox is a precursor to an effective drug abuse treatment and should not be ignored. If a drug abuse center does not have a good detox service then it will not help the individuals get out of their problems.

It is important to note that no addict would be able to beat the addiction on his own. Drug addicts must get a proper drug abuse treatment from an expert in a drug rehab center to ensure a speedy recovery.

It is essential that the drug addicts get committed to the rehabilitation program and also to the treatment process and continue to the final stage. It is the treatment center’s responsibility to ensure that the addicts do understand the treatment program in a proper manner and also know about the consequences of drug abuse.

They should also explain about the various procedures that will be administered during their stay at the rehab center. If the patient or drug addict is well informed about what they should expect and how they must respond to it, then there are greater chances that they will participate in the program actively.

During the process of drug abuse treatment, the patient must understand the healing process which varies based on the severity of the condition. Drug abuse is a result of underlying clinical condition that makes the person weak physically and morally. It has to be treated by a clinical treatment process and not by just trying to make them aware of drug abuse problems.

The treatment program should cure the mental disorder and physiological disorders that will make the patient achieve lasting sobriety. A good drug abuse treatment plan is one that will work well on the patient when it is administered and monitored properly by experts.

The life of drug addicts change when they attend a drug abuse treatment program in a center. The treatment center will make a lot of difference in the life of patients. The drug addicts must take the first step and make up their mind and opt for change. How to cope with the change and handle a changed life? This question is also addressed through life skills, vocational training, social skills training and self management techniques.

Treatment centers help all patients who approach them for drug rehab treatment. The center needs to have commitment from the patient who gets admitted for treatment. The patient must be mentally and physically strong to ensure speedy recovery. For this a nutritious diet plan is always implemented in these centers. The treatment center has the all the facilities to cure drug addicts and help them lead a normal life.

Principles Of Drug Abuse Treatment

The treatment of drug misuse is based on certain effective principles:

- Addiction is a complex but treatable disease
- Single treatment can not be give to everyone
- Drug misuse treatment should be readily available
- Effective treatment covers the multiple needs of the individual
- Taking the treatment and staying the course for the entire duration
- Individual and group counseling
- An important element in treatment is right medications
- Continuous monitoring and assessment of the individuals treatment is vital for progress
- Awareness that many drug-addicts also have mental disorders
- Medically assisted detox is only the first step to treating the addiction
- Voluntary drug treatment is effective but not necessary
- Constant monitoring to avoid drug use lapses during treatment
- Treatment programs should assess patients for infectious diseases

What to look for when choosing a Drug problem Treatment Program

There are many drug treatment programs available so how to find that you have chosen the best one?

- 24 hour in-patient care
- A staff of experienced physicians and trained therapists
- Qualified nursing staff
- Numerous additional support personnel

The drug abuse treatment should provide each patient with an individualized treatment plan encompassing detoxification, rehab and additional support through a variety of specialized aftercare programs. The patients who require specialized treatment for gay-friendly rehab, sexual abuse treatment, dual diagnosis treatment and other special services should be available for them.

Drug Misuse Recovery – One Day at a Time

Recovery of drug problem is an on going process you cannot get “cured”. It is very important that you understand that the abuse didn’t occur in one day, and neither will the recovery this is a monumental step to accepting drug treatment.

Drug abuse treatment has many steps beginning with detox and moving on to the addiction treatment program, on-going support and relapse prevention. During the drug abuse recovery process, an individual will discover new life skills and learn how to deal with cravings, thoughts, and the urge to start the addictive behavior all over again.

Additional Recovery Tools

For those seeking treatment there are many number of effective drug abuse recovery tools available. For instance some programs may incorporate meditation techniques, holistic approaches and exercise programs like yoga to help the drug abuse patient to relax and remain focused on recovery issues. Some programs use art therapy or music therapy to allow individuals to communicate through their creative expressions.

Prevention Of Drug Abuse

If drug abuse prevention techniques are not mentioned, which are an important part of any addiction recovery program, then this missive remains incomplete. By learning the triggers that influence abusive behavior, you can learn to avoid the allure and continue on a road to long-lasting recovery.

Choosing a drug treatment center can be one of the most crucial decisions of your life. It is of vital importance that you consider a few factors before arriving at a decision.

Drug abuse is a disease that requires a doctor specializing in addiction medicine to make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe the most appropriate treatment. You must ensure that a drug abuse treatment center can offer a variety of treatment programs that meet your needs. These programs may comprise inpatient, residential, outpatient, and/or short-stay options. Then another important question arises: how much does a drug treatment center cost? The price tag for treatment is presented in many kinds of formats. You must have a clear idea of what is included, what will be added to your bill as a fee-for-service program, and what services will be covered by your health insurance.

Inquire if the center has provisions for on-site medical care. It is advantageous, since physicians and nurses provide 24-hour hospital services to monitor and ensure a safe withdrawal from drugs. Check the center’s medical credentials and accreditation.

Do not forget to ask which medical costs are included in the price of treatment at the center. As family involvement is a crucial component of recovery, ask if there is any time devoted to family programs, and if group therapy is included. Keep in mind that drug rehabilitation treatment programs should include a continuing care program that supports and monitors recovery.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provides on-line resources for locating drug and alcohol abuse treatment programs. The Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator lists private and public facilities that are licensed, certified, or otherwise approved for inclusion by their state substance abuse agency

All information in the locator is completely updated each year, based on facility responses to SAMHSA’s National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services. New facilities are added monthly. Updates to facility names, addresses, and telephone numbers are made monthly, if facilities inform SAMHSA of changes.

Addiction may not be the biggest barrier to recovery.

The addiction is a disease belief makes no sense as it doesn’t even claim to end addiction.

Belief That Drug Abuse Is A Disease Creates Failure

“The disease concept has proven to be far more damaging to the substance abuser then anyone could have predicted. Therapists claim the disease concept helps the patient to understand the seriousness of [his/her] problems. But in reality, this idea has backfired. The disease concept strips the substance abuser of responsibility. A disease cannot be cured by force of will.” (Alcoholism: A Disease of Speculation, 2003)

Fact: The Addiction = Disease belief is failing as a rehab philosophy. More people end addiction on their own (80%) than are cured using the Disease Model (22%). The people who stopped on their own were abusing drugs, and got better results than those trying the Disease Model of Treatment.

Drug Abuse Treatment’s Top 5 Lies

1. Addiction is a disease that addicts are powerless over
2. Only 10% of addicts actually end their addiction
3. Once an addict, always an addict
4. Drug Abuse requires medical/counseling treatment = the addict needs drugs
5. Addict is not responsible for their actions

You should be easily able to see how these top 5 lies about addiction recovery stop successful treatment. Have you felt like, “Why even try to end an addiction if one has it for life? If only 10% get cured, whatever treatment program we try, we will probably fail anyway.”

Drug Abuse’s top 5 lies create apathy and breed inaction amongst those good people attempting recovery.

Why do the lies continue?

95% of the Addiction Treatment industry is run by facilities that use the Disease / Moral Models of Drug Rehab. Centers using these methods are paid for by Insurance companies and many are funded with public money.

Need I say more?

If You Want To End Addiction, What Now?

There are a number of drug rehab programs which are ending addiction. Guess what? They don’t use the disease / moral model of recovery.

As 95% of the drug rehab industry uses the disease model or moral model (12 Step) in treatment, it is no surprise that you may not have heard about successful methods of recovery. The better non-medical and non-12 Step centers average 75% longterm (1 – 2+ years) success.

There are drug abuse programs which actually end addiction.

Drug Abuse Treatment Options

Depending on the types of drugs abused, other drugs may be required required in the treatment process. Certain narcotics have been developed and are prescribed by doctors to allow the detoxification from an abused drug. Methodone and Buprenorphine are examples of drugs used for opioid addiction. Without these drugs, patients would undergo severe withdrawal symptoms that might pose a health risk or force them to take illegal drugs to ease their suffering.

No particular drug treatment option will suit every addict. Each drug abuse case must be assessed independently so a program can be tailor-made for each patient. Treatment options need to address other existing issues that may have contributed to the dependency. For example, someone who has experienced grief may resort to alcohol or prescription drugs to numb their emotional pain. Social ties may need to broken, if friends are encouraging or facilitating the addiction.

In some cases, a pre-existing mental disorder needs to be treated as well as the drug abuse problem itself. Occasionally, mental disorders are undiagnosed, misunderstood or drugs meant to treat the disorder have been misused, resulting in chronic dependency.

Easing the withdrawal crisis that occurs when a person stops using drugs is not always possible. No amount of reassurance that things will get better is an effective drug treatment option. Drug abuse treatment programs that use substitute drugs have some drawbacks, because the abuser will eentually need to quit the substitute. An integrated treatment comprising behavior modification therapy as well as the ultimate withdrawal of all medications can produce lasting abstinence.

Types of Programs

Some drug abuse programs are inpatient programs; others rely on regular attendance of an outpatient care facility. Some patients also attend Multidimensional Family Therapy. Entire families participate in these programs, which seek to minimize myriad environmental factors that contribute to drug abuse.

Outpatient care consists of regular, scheduled visits with a doctor or a treatment counselor. Most programs also include support groups, and some have 24-hour hotlines that patients can call for emergency counseling. These programs work best for patients who are abusing drugs that don’t cause physical addiction and who genuinely want to recover.

In chronic drug abuse cases, or cases where the drugs cause a physical addiction, residential treatment programs are often necessary. The patient may be in care for a lengthy period, learning how to interact with others, while at the same time withdrawing from drug dependency and receiving treatment for any drug-related illnesses. Hepatitis or HIV/AIDS are often contracted as a direct result of drug abuse. Other diseases can be contracted, too; some are contagious without sharing drug paraphernalia.

Illegal Drug use although against the law is often considered a personal choice and many believe that in the spirit of freedom drugs ought to be legalized. But then we also know that many who use drugs cannot control themselves and thus end up abusers of drugs or become drug addicted. Recently this was discussed at length in an online think tank. One think tank member stated in the online discussion:

“I believe that if you are using intoxicants, regardless of what that substance is, meth, alcohol, cocaine… it doesn’t matter, as soon as you start interfering with another citizens right to quite and peaceful existence, by fighting, causing an accident, the need for emergency services to be deployed, etc then you face not only a criminal charge but an additional charge for drug abuse.”

Indeed there in lies the problem and it happens all too often unfortunately with drug users and experimenters who turn into drug addicts. Another think tank member partially agreed with this statement and further stated:

“I am glad we agree on that point. Your last point of stating abstractly that if we deny people the choice to experiment or decide for themselves that that which is brushed under the carpet will rear its ugly head in an inopportune time for the whole of humanity is well taken and I agree that living in denial of this real problem does no one any good at all and the current way we deal with drug abuse in this country is not working. The thought of decriminalization is bothersome, because it is sending a mixed message to the “just say no” theme, as if we tell kids it is bad news and then tell them it is legal, easy to get and available, then you see the problem. Although I have always thought that in Germany they have less problems with alcohol because they have made it so socially “okay” and thus kids would rather have a root beer than a shot of hard alcohol.”

The debate went on for many pages and is far from over. Of course the online think tank needs more input before rendering any sort of solution or issuing any type of report. We hope to have a national discussion on this subject and join with others who see problems and seek the best possible solution to the drug issues in American Society. Consider all this in 2006.

Teenage drug abuse is a serious issue. However, some people, including parents, may not realize the severity because of commonly accepted myths. For parents, it is important to get accurate drug abuse information.

1. Myth: Using prescription drugs is less harmful than street drugs.

Fact: Many prescription medications intended to alleviate pain, depression, or anxiety are just as dangerous and addictive as illegal drugs. Because of this assumption that prescription drugs are safer, many children are more willing to start experimenting with these medications. And more often than not, teenage prescription drug abuse is accompanied by alcohol consumption.

Prescription drugs are only safe when taken as directed by a doctor. The wrong dosage and/or potential interactions with other drugs, one’s diet, or physiological makeup may have damaging or even deadly effects.

2. Myth: Using alcohol or marijuana as a teenager is a normal part of growing up.

Fact: Less than half of American teenagers drink alcohol or smoke marijuana. Exposing a developing child to such substances is illegal for good reason. Besides the lasting damage it can cause to the brain, using substances can also harm teenagers’ social development.

In hindsight, people who experimented with substances as teenagers report they were “looking for something.” Trying to have a good time, simplifying social interactions, or solving problems with drugs or alcohol often means they are learning to go to those substances for help. This maladaptive learning process is not easily unlearned.

3. Myth: Drug testing will only further alienate my child.

Fact: If a child is demonstrating signs and symptoms such as isolation, sleeping during abnormal times, becoming increasingly argumentative and confrontational, or easily agitated, then something serious may be wrong. Drug testing is a starting point for discerning what’s wrong and finding a solution. Mending a tumultuous relationship with your child begins with understanding the problem.

4. Myth: Drug abuse only really happens in impoverished or low-income areas.

Fact: Studies have found drug addiction and alcoholism occurs across socio-economic levels and ethnicities. Drug abuse is prevalent in both private and public schools throughout the country. Although rates of substance abuse vary somewhat based on gender, age, and socio-economic status, about one in 10 people who abuse drugs become addicted, which is why some mental healthcare professionals refer to drug use as Russian Roulette.

5. Myth: Drug addiction is a question of moral fiber or character.

Fact: Most addicts start as occasional drug users. While some may view drug use as an immoral choice, drug addiction is a “disease of the brain,” says Dr. Alan Leshner, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse. At a certain point, the choice to use becomes a compulsion. Changes in brain chemistry through drug abuse result in uncontrollable drug addiction.

6. Myth: An addict or alcoholic has to really want to be sober for drug treatment to be effective.

Fact: A majority of youth sent to treatment centers are not there through choice. When drugs or alcohol consume a person, the last thing they “want” is rehabilitation. Whether for legal reasons or family reasons, many people seeking substance abuse treatment did not make the choice alone. In fact, those who have been pressured into treatment through a process of confrontation, coercion, or ultimatum appear to do better. Studies demonstrate that the reason someone seeks treatment has little influence on how well they will do.

7. Myth: After a treatment program, an addict shouldn’t need any more treatment.

Fact: Unfortunately, drug addiction is generally a lifelong struggle. Like many diseases, relapse and remission cycles are possible. Although some people can quit immediately, or after one drug treatment program, most require long term plans with strong support and resources and even repeated treatment programs.