Treatment Goals for Substance Abuse

Treatment goals for people dealing with substance abuse and addiction are rarely straightforward. This is because addiction is a complex disease, and treatment approaches vary, depending upon individual needs. Substance abuse does not occur in isolation, but is often connected to a person's mental, social and emotional functioning. Therefore, an individual's treatment goals are often multi-layered, addressing substance, mental health and various social issues.

Counseling

• For most people in treatment for substance abuse, a major goal is to become involved in some type of counseling or therapy. There are many types of treatments available, and individual goals vary, depending on what the treatment involves. Group therapy is the most common form of treatment for substance abuse. Most programs are abstinence based, meaning that while receiving the treatment the individual agrees to not use substances. Some programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous are ongoing, and individual goals are made in conjunction with following the 12-steps, while some treatment groups are time limited, and conclude when an individual has met the goal of abstinence and shows insight into her substance use.

Medication

• Goals surrounding medication in the treatment of substance abuse and addiction can be related to both withdrawal and prevention of relapse. Withdrawal occurs when someone who is physiologically addicted to a substance stops using the substance. When this happens, the individual's body usually experiences symptoms. The goal of using medication for withdrawal is primarily to ease the distress (sweating, shaking and anxiety) that is caused by withdrawal.

  Other medications can be used to help people meet the goal of maintaining abstinence from a given substance. For instance, a person who is addicted to opiates, such as heroine, may be prescribed methadone, which will help ease withdrawal symptoms and relieve cravings, helping the person to stay abstinent from opiates.

Psychoeducation

• Psychoeducation is an important part of treatment for anyone receiving help for problems with substance use. Goals around psychoeducation include helping the individual learn about her addiction and what the process of recovery is, as well as the biological aspects of addiction. In addition to learning about substance use, psychoeducation can also help the individual learn about his own mental, emotional and behavioral health. Goals for psychoeducation can include educating both individuals in treatment as well as family and friends.

Dual Diagnosis

• People who suffer from both substance abuse and addiction problems, as well as mental health issues, are referred to as having a "dual diagnosis," meaning they have been given both a mental health and substance abuse diagnosis. As such, people with dual diagnoses benefit from treatment goals that include treating both issues. It is common for a person with a dual diagnosis to use substances to self-medicate. That is, he may be using a drug to change his mood and cope with the psychological distress inherent in a specific disorder. As such, goals for people with dual diagnoses often include discovering if there is an interaction between mental health and substance use and finding psychiatric medications to ease the symptoms of mental illness.