Recovery From Drug Addiction
The methods healthcare professionals use to provide recovery from drug addiction are varied, as no one treatment is suitable for all everyone. The interventions, settings and services depend on factors like: kinds of drugs used, the quantity of drugs involved, how long the problem has lasted, medical complications and the addict’s social needs. Also, it is essential that healthcare professionals take into account the age, sex and cultural background of the patient.
Addiction treatment must always be obtainable. Timing is critical: an addict may easily change his/her mind about going into treatment, so the treatment should always be available and accessible; otherwise, a precious opportunity will be squandered. Further, in order to succeed, drug addiction treatment must deal with all the factors related to the disease, medical, psychic, social, occupational and legal.
During the course of treatment the changing needs of the patient have to be continuously evaluated. Services will probably have to be provided in different combinations. For example, a patient who is receiving psychotherapy or counseling might have need of certain medications, family therapy and legal and social services. For treatment to work, the patient must give it enough time. Of course, the amount to time needed depends on the situation of the individual. Researchers believe that the most improvement is usually made within the first three months after treatment has begun; treatment after this period can build on the progress that has been made. Healthcare professionals know that patients often decide to terminate treatment too early, so they (the professionals) must come up with strategies to deal with this problem.
Behavioral therapies and counseling (whether individual or group) are of decisive importance in treatment of addicts. Therapists help patients learn discipline so as to desist from drug abuse, find positive, satisfying activities to take the place of drug consumption and learn new ways of solving problems. Therapy can also help patients with interpersonal relationships so that they find a more secure place in their families and communities. It should be added that medication can be a vital part of the recovery process, especially when accompanied by behavioral therapies. Naltrexone can be very helpful for patients suffering from opium addiction; levo-alpha-acetylmethadol (LAAM) can be used successfully with heroin addicts; nicotine addicts are treated with oral medications (buproprion, for example) or nicotine replacement products (like gum or patches). For patients with dual diagnosis both medications and behavioral treatments are essential. In addition, healthcare professional must be sure, when dealing with patients who suffer from drug addiction and mental disorders, to take measures addressed to both.
Professionals know that detoxification is only the first step in drug addiction recovery. Detoxification only addresses the acute symptoms that accompany withdrawal; alone it has little effect on long-term drug consumption. There are cases, however, where medical detoxification can be a portent of successful treatment.
The role of others in motivating the addict to come for treatment can be critical. The addict’s family, employers and or/co-workers and the criminal justice system can play a big part in motivating an addict to seek treatment, stick with it and complete it successfully.
Healthcare professionals must be vigilant in order to prevent relapse during treatment. Monitoring methods like urinalysis can assist the patient remain abstinent. The awareness that the addict is relapsing allows professionals to alter the treatment.
It is important that the treatment includes testing for HIV/AIDS, TB, Hepatitis B and C and other infectious diseases, as well counseling that provides the addict with the knowledge of how to reduce risks for himself/herself and others. Addicts must learn to desist from high-risk behaviors; if they already have the disease, they much learn to deal with it properly.
The successful treatment of drug addiction may take a long time and there is always the possibility of relapse during and after the process. It has been shown that involvement in self-help programs both while undergoing and after completing treatment is vital in the struggle to continue abstinence.
