Getting Treatment

Many people reading this website will require assistance with drug addiction. We have dedicated a small section of this website to inform these people of treatment options we recommend.

In this article, we discuss a number of topics related to drug addiction treatment. We explain what is meant by drug addiction, how drug addiction is treated and the specific medications and therapies used to treat drug addiction. If you or a loved one suffer from a drug addiction, this article will inform you how you may make use of addiction treatment to improve this situation for the better.

What is drug addiction?

Many people assume drug addiction is a choice. They conclude the individual addiction is at fault for his or her addiction. However, this viewpoint heavily conflicts with a unanimously accepted scientific stance that addiction is actually a disease of the mind. The disease theory of addiction is now accepted by the vast majority of addiction experts across the globe.

The disease of addiction is characterised by loss of control. The person with a drug addiction exhibits compulsive and uncontrollable behaviour, particularly when it relates to seeking out and consuming the drug in question. People affected by drug addiction will continue to engage in drug use despite the negative consequences that arise as a result. These consequences include poor health, loss of career, and damage to family life.

At first, a person will consciously choose to consume drugs. However, over time, continuing to take drugs is largely an involuntary act. The choice to not take drugs becomes compromised. Drug use thus becomes compulsive.

Can drug addiction be treated?

The good news is that drug addiction is highly treatable.

Whilst drug addiction cannot be ‘cured’, it may be arrested. It’s also true that many drug addiction treatment programmes are unsuccessful, and marred by the relapse cycle.

The most effective forms of drug addiction treatment are long-term in nature. This addiction is a chronic disorder. This means treatment must run over several months in order to be effective. Any programme lasting under this amount of time is highly likely to be ineffective.

To be effective, drug addiction treatment must aim to assist the drug user in:

  • Stopping to use drugs
  • Staying drug-free for at least six months
  • Developing a lifestyle that’s fun and interesting without drugs

Generally, no single treatment is effective for every drug user. This means a drug user may attempt many different programmes before one particular approach is settled on. It’s also important to access a drug user’s personality and needs to try to select the most suitable form of treatment from the outset.

It’s usually beneficial to combine several forms of treatment into one overall programme. This is because several forms of treatment typically compound the effectiveness of each other. This is known as a ‘holistic approach’ to addiction treatment.

Treatment typically begins with a medically assisted detox programme. This is then followed up with counselling and therapy to ensure the mental aspect of addiction is addressed.

Treatment should also be reviewed at regular intervals. The needs of recovering drug users will change as their treatment progresses. The needs of somebody who has been in recovery for twelve months will significantly differ to the needs of somebody who is new to recovery.

How is drug addiction treated?

Drug addiction is treated over stages. Treatment begins with detoxification. Here, the physical aspects of addiction are treatment. Medications are given to the patient to help reduce withdrawal symptoms.

Following the conclusion of the detoxification, treatment then takes on a more therapeutic approach. Common forms of therapy employed to tackle drug addiction include cognitive behavioural therapy, psychotherapy and dialectical behaviour therapy.

Addiction treatment is most effective when it is tailored to the individual patient’s needs. If addiction treatment is offered on a residential basis, it must be combined with an intensive outpatient basis in order to be effective. Short term residential treatment programmes without any form of regular outpatient treatment are highly likely to result in relapse.

Contact us for more information

Learn How Bentham can assist you in obtaining your recovery goals

Our Partners

Bentham has partnered with a range of websites. These websites source content and donate funds to allow us to offer free resources to the public. Our kind partners also offer free information and resources through their own websites. Our partners are predominantly volunteer-run organisations and these volunteers support Bentham by contributing to the blog and promoting our website at events taking place across the United Kingdome and Europe. If you would like to learn about partnership opportunities, contact our editor today.

Alcohol rehab London by Rehab 4 Addiction in the UK.

nhs

Learn more at Alcohol Rehab London.