Treatments for Drugs & Alcohol Abuse

Drug and alcohol abuse is detrimental both to the abusers and to the abusers' loved ones. Drug and alcohol abuse cause significant health problems and economic hardships. One of the first steps for effective treatment is for the abuser to acknowledge the problem.

Types

• People who abuse drugs and alcohol often suffer from addiction. Not everyone who abuses drugs and alcohol is addicted in the sense that it prevents the person from functioning. Nonetheless, anyone who abuses drugs or alcohol may benefit from techniques used to treat addicts. Other treatment options, especially ones to help ease physical addiction, are only suitable for people who suffer from drug addiction or alcoholism.

Considerations

• Different types of abuse will require different types of treatments. As you seek help for yourself or your loved one, realize that it may take time to find a successful treatment plan. Conduct research online to find a program that suits your needs.
  Remember, not everyone who abuses alcohol requires intensive anti-addiction therapy. Sometimes all the person needs is a support group or network.

Support Groups for Drug and Alcohol Abuse

• Many people who abuse drugs and alcohol find solace in the company of other people who are in recovery. Support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous let people know that they are not alone in their struggle. Programs like AA assign mentors/sponsors who have remained clean for years to help guide people new to treatment.
  In addition to sponsorship, AA meetings are a time for people to share success stories or openly discuss their current struggles with abuse. Through methods such as the "12 Steps to Recovery," AA and similar organizations give tools to help people conquer their addictions and tendencies to abuse drugs and alcohol.

Therapy

• According to the National Institute of Drug Addiction, most treatment options for drug abuse and addiction include an element of clinical therapy. Some people benefit from sessions with a psychiatrist or therapist to address the core emotional issues that may contribute to abuse. Others respond to group sessions led by a therapist. Group therapy gives people a support network like non-medical support forums, such as AA, but individual therapy allow a therapist to offer suggestions and treatment plans based on a person's unique issues.

Medication

• Psychiatrists often supplement therapy with medication designed to help relieve underlying mental conditions that may contribute to a person's drug or alcohol abuse. For instance, if a person abuses drugs and alcohol because he suffers from depression, antidepressants may help cure the addiction/abuse. In addition, many physically addictive drugs cause people to go through periods of withdrawal once they cease use. In some cases, as with drugs like heroin, the withdrawal symptoms become so detrimental that treatment centers provide controlled drugs like methadone to help detoxify a person's body in a controlled environment. Rather than let a person vomit, shake, sweat or have a seizure, treatment centers will gradually dissipate a person's exposure to the offending drug or use a drug with similar properties.