Drug Addiction Treatment Plans

There is nothing simple about drug addiction. It is intense, compulsive and uncontrollable. The consequences are almost always devastating. Addiction is a disease just like diabetes and high blood pressure, except addiction affects the brain. When people first begin using drugs, they make a conscious choice; however, it does not take long for them to lose the ability to make choices about their drug usage. The act of using becomes compulsive and takes up both their days and nights. The brain has a number of circuits that trigger rewards when an addict uses; it also controls their ability to use drugs. Genetic makeup, family history and environmental factors are also responsible for addiction. There is no way out besides treatment or death.

Detox

• Detox from drugs is done in an assisted format. The patient must be admitted to the detox facility as an inpatient. The purpose is to eliminate the drugs from the body. The sooner this is accomplished, the sooner the cravings will dissipate, however, they will never be completely gone. In detox, doctors and nurses are present to assist with the discomfort that the patients experience. Many times detox is dangerous, which is why it should always be done in a medically supervised setting. Part of detox is also preparing the patient for inpatient treatment. Detox usually lasts no more than one week. Detox can be successful in the hospital, drug treatment centers or residential rehab centers.

Harm reduction

• Harm-reduction treatment is for opiate addicts--those who use heroin, morphine and opiate-based prescription drugs such as Vicodin, Oxycontin and Lorcet. Especially among heroin users or other IV users, there is always a great risk of passing on disease through blood that is contaminated. On the most basic level, harm reduction offers needle-exchange services, advice and support. Methadone and Suboxone are also used as part of the harm-reduction approach. The theory is to get junkies off of the street, stop their illegal activity and replace their drug of choice with a safe and legal alternative that stops cravings and blocks neurotransmitters so that they cannot get high if they use. This is monitored in a clinical setting and dosed according to federal regulations.

Outpatient Treatment

• In outpatient drug treatment, patients come to the clinic regularly (most often a few times per week) to engage in individual and group counseling. Behavioral treatment is mainly used to change attitudes and behaviors. Healthy life alternatives are taught, as well as the use of cognitive behavioral therapy, to help patients make better choices when they are having the urge to use or are placed in situations that trigger use. Outpatient drug treatment also works with the families of the addicts and teaches them how to trust, forgive and simply how to live with an addict. Motivational incentives are used as a way of teaching addicts that there are positive outcomes when they do not use drugs.

In-patient Treatment

• In-patient drug treatment is also known as residential rehab. Here, the patient is admitted to a licensed drug-treatment clinic where they will stay for as little as a few weeks to as long as several months. While no facility is the same, these facilities include group and individual counseling, vocational activities, 12-step programs, crisis intervention and specialty services for pregnant women, medical conditions and mental illness. Patients are also prepared for a transition into a sober living facility, if they so choose, after they complete inpatient rehab.

Counseling and Psychological Support

• Counseling and psychological support must be part of every patient's drug treatment plan. It must be conducted by a trained professional with a specialty in the field of substance abuse. There needs to be structure, and the counseling has to be formal in order to set plainly clear plans and goals. Cognitive behavior therapy is often used in conjunction with teaching coping skills, motivational interventions, family therapy and coping skills.