When a person reaches a point where drugs have taken control of their life and they feel unable to get out of that situation, it becomes clear that they need outside help. That is when an entire rehabilitation process begins, leading to full recovery. This process, which may take more or less time, may require admission to an addiction treatment centre. In any case, it is a vital stage that every addict must go through to regain control of their life. Today we are talking about addiction rehabilitation.
What is addiction treatment for?
The goal of drug-use rehabilitation is to help the addict permanently stop the compulsive pursuit and use of substances. Treatment itself can take place in different settings and may also vary in approach and duration depending on each case. Addiction is typically a chronic disorder characterised by occasional relapses. For that reason, a short-term treatment approach is often not enough. For most people, the rehabilitation process is a long-term process that involves interventions and constant supervision.
What is addiction treatment like?
When it comes to treating drug addiction, there are several scientifically based approaches. The most common approach usually includes behavioural therapy (whether individual or group therapy, cognitive therapy, or contingency management), medication, or a combination of both. Applying one specific treatment or another will vary depending on each patient’s individual needs and also on the type of drugs they have used. Other factors that can influence the treatment approach include the severity of the addiction and previous attempts to stop using.
In addition, it is common for addicts to have other health problems, mental disorders, or legal, work-related, family, and social issues that often need to be addressed. However, the addiction treatment programmes that work best are those that combine therapy with other services tailored to each patient’s needs. These needs can vary widely and are related to aspects such as race, age, culture, sexual orientation, sex, use of other drugs, health problems, dependent children, housing, and employment. Other aspects to consider include any history of physical and sexual abuse.
Medication-assisted treatment
It is very common for an addict’s rehabilitation process to include the use of medication, especially to treat substance addictions. For example, when the addiction is to opioids, drugs such as methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone are used. In the case of alcoholism, the medications commonly used are disulfiram, acamprosate, and naltrexone. In any case, it is common for people with severe addiction to use multiple drugs. For that reason, they will need treatment for all the substances they have abused.
On the other hand, it should be borne in mind that the use of certain drugs can be counterproductive in specific cases. For example, when patients have co-occurring mental disorders such as depression, anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia. The use of psychoactive medications such as antidepressants, anxiolytics, mood stabilisers, or antipsychotics can be critical to the success of treatment for these patients.
Therapy as a fundamental part
When a person decides to undergo treatment to recover from drug use, therapy is a fundamental pillar of the entire process. So-called behavioural therapies provide the patient with strategies to cope with cravings, teach ways to avoid drugs and prevent relapse, and help manage relapses if they occur. Other benefits of behavioural therapies focus on improving communication skills, interpersonal relationships, childcare, or family dynamics.
Most treatment programmes use both individual and group therapies. The advantages of group therapy lie in the social reinforcement it provides and in helping to promote abstinence and a drug-free lifestyle. In addition, some of the most widely accepted behavioural treatments, such as contingency management and cognitive behavioural therapy, are also being adapted for use with groups in order to improve effectiveness and reduce costs. However, especially with adolescents, group therapy can have unintended effects. In this regard, it is the therapists’ job to remain alert to these effects and monitor them.
It has been shown that the treatments that tend to work best are those that combine behavioural therapies and medication. By addressing different aspects of addiction, the result is more effective than any single approach on its own. CCAdicciones is an addiction treatment centre where we have the best professionals to help you if you are addicted to any drug or have any other addiction. Contact us if you believe you need help to regain control of your life.
