Strategies & Tactics to Deal With Substance Abuse

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, substance use and addiction is a complex illness in which the voluntary use of drugs or alcohol gradually becomes compulsive. The institute stresses that there is no one single cause of drug abuse and that there is also not one treatment method that is appropriate for everyone.

Medical Interventions

• The National Institute on Drug Abuse suggests that many individuals with addictions also suffer from other mental disorders. Successful treatment is typically dependent on a thorough medical and psychological evaluation. A medical professional should assess the level of substance use, the possible need for medical detoxification, and any underlying mental health disorders. This assessment can help determine the most effective course of treatment, including therapy, medication and even residential treatment. Individuals seeking treatment may benefit from an initial meeting with a physician or psychologist for assessment. Professionals at the institute note that the use of psychotropic medications for treatment of anxiety and depression often aid in recovery and the prevention of relapse.

Individual and Group Counseling

• The institute provides an extensive amount of information regarding counseling interventions commonly used for substance abuse. These treatments can include cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, and multidimensional family therapy. All of these techniques involve the use of psychological counseling to reinforce and support a client's efforts to reduce or abstain from substance use. Counselors help clients set goals and identify and resolve life issues related to substance use. The main emphasis of many individual counseling techniques is to help clients identify triggers and emotions that lead them to abuse substances. Over time therapy can help change these patterns.

12-Step Fellowship

• The institute notes that 12-step treatments are commonly used by Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. The 12-step method stresses that willpower alone is not enough for sustained long-term abstinence from drugs and alcohol. Twelve-step recovery stresses participation in fellowship and group meetings as an essential part of recovery. The central theory is that self-centered behaviors must be replaced by a group consciousness and spiritual development. Participants in 12-step programs must willingly participate, and they attend group meetings that support and reinforce their efforts to abstain from drugs or alcohol.