|  | Conditions Treatments | Drug Addiction

Key Elements in Drug Treatment

People suffering from drug addiction benefit from treatment, but the treatment plan must include a few key elements. If a person is forced into the wrong program, it is likely to be ineffective. Though programs may have differences, the basic premise remains the same. They might be designed for kids, teens or adults, counsel people dealing with more than one addiction or address a range of emotional issues that led to the addiction, but all are designed to help a person recover from her addiction.

  1. Assessment of the Addiction

    • The first element of a drug treatment program is to assess the addiction. The goal of this step is evaluating the overall health of the patient in order to develop a treatment plan that addresses physical, mental, spiritual and emotional factors. The overall assessment might consist of several individual assessments, including a medical evaluation, a counseling evaluation that looks at a person's current lifestyle and previous behavior patterns, a physical therapy assessment, a nutrition assessment and a fitness assessment.

    Tailoring Treatment

    • Once the assessment is complete the results are used to tailor a treatment program for the individual. Treatment needs to address all aspects of a person's life and might include counseling or medical treatment to address concerns other than the drug addiction. For instance, victims of physical abuse may participate in counseling to address those issues, as well as the addiction. If family members will be involved in the treatment process, this is arranged at this point. The patient might take part in the planning process if she is healthy enough to participate.

    Engaging in Treatment

    • A critical element of the actual treatment process is the presence of a qualified staff. Professionals need to understand the specific addiction being treated, as well as the individual in treatment. Age, culture, gender and emotional and physical health all play a role in treatment and the staff needs to take these factors into account during the process. Therapy should be designed to build trust between therapists and patients, as well as between other patients in group therapy settings. Confidentiality is an important part of effective treatment.

    Outcomes and Continuity

    • Effective treatment is never completely over because remaining drug-free is a lifetime commitment. The transition period from inpatient to outpatient care is designed to help the patient adjust to life outside of a facility. The inpatient protion of treatment is evaluated at its conclusion by patients and therapists and an ongoing plan is developed. Continuing-care plans include relapse prevention, follow-up therapy sessions and referral to community resources. Resources offer career and housing assistance, family support and health services.

Drug Addiction - Related Articles