Drug Abuse Treatment Today – New Trends and Best Practices
Drug abuse is a serious problem that affects millions of people in the United States. The addict’s dependence upon drugs or alcohol may be due to chemical imbalances in their brain or the physical dependence upon the drugs. The addiction has harmful psychological and physiological effects on the addict. Many times, the drug abuser will become dependent upon the drug of choice to provide them with a little “drug relief” or to feel normal and “normal.” This type of behavior often develops into a habit and can be very difficult to break from.
With the development in recent years, there have been many changes to the way drug abuse treatment works. Drug rehab clinics and organizations are more likely to use a holistic, all natural, treatment approach. They tend to use fewer medications and highly individualized programs that meet the specific needs of the individual addict. In recent years, there has also been a change in the number of individuals who enter these clinics.
There has been a radical decrease in the number of people entering drug abuse treatment facilities. In the past, there was an overwhelming majority of young adults entering drug abuse treatment facilities. The number of young people entering rehab has declined steadily and currently, there is only a small percentage of teens entering treatment facilities. This may have something to do with the fact that it is becoming more challenging for teens to enter drug abuse treatment programs. These programs now offer individualized one-on-one treatment plans for their patients.
The new drug rehab treatment approach utilizes a specialty care approach to the treatment of the patient. For decades, drug abuse programs were specialized to treat individuals based on the specific ailment or addiction. Today, treatment centers are treating the addicted person as a unique, whole person with a unique, underlying illness. A personalized care plan is formulated for each patient, one that takes into consideration the unique personality of the addicted individual.
A new trend in treatment is seen in the use of 12-step programs. These programs are designed to assist the patient with the entire withdrawal process. Detoxification is done under the guidance of professional doctors, nurses and specialists. Once the patient has completed the detoxification process, the primary care clinicians help the patient to develop an individualized treatment plan, one that includes therapies, counseling and support.
There is also a trend that has developed in the types of treatments being offered. For example, many treatment programs now incorporate the belief that people will not become addicted if they are abstinent from drugs. Many of the traditional programs now recommend that patients remain abstinent until they are cured. This belief is believed to be part of the reasons that a large number of adult and teenager patients fail to stay sober.
Another trend is that of combining different treatment approaches. For example, many treatment programs now recommend using medication as a common adjunct to a behavioral and lifestyle program. This approach allows the physician to treat the physical symptoms associated with withdrawal without focusing on the addictive substance. The medications are taken only when the patient is experiencing intense cravings or when they are out of control. This combination of pharmacological and behavioral therapies provides patients with a more complete remedy.
In order to best treat substance use disorders, professionals must pay special attention to how various medications may affect the body. There are two main ways that this can occur. First, there is a possibility that the medications may actually cause an adverse reaction and cause a withdrawal syndrome that makes it difficult to maintain sobriety. Second, once the patient has stopped taking the medications their body will display a rebound effect in which the euphoric effects of the substance are still present but they are coupled with feelings of anxiety, irritability and depression.