Drug Abuse Treatment Principles

No single drug abuse treatment is appropriate for all individuals. Matching the drug abuse settings, interventions, and services to each individual's particular problems and needs is critical to his or her ultimate success in returning to productive functioning in the family, workplace, and society.

Drug abuse treatment needs to be readily available. Because individuals who are addicted to drugs may be uncertain about entering drug abuse treatment, taking advantage of opportunities when they are ready for rehab is crucial.
Effective rehab attends to multiple needs of the individual, not just his or her drug use. To be effective, it must address the individual's drug use and any associated medical, psychological, social, vocational, and legal problems. An individual's plan must be assessed continually and modified as necessary to ensure that the plan meets the person's changing needs.

A patient may require varying combinations of services and rehab components during the course of recovery. It is critical the approach be appropriate to the individual's age, gender, ethnicity, and culture. Remaining in rehab for an adequate period of time is critical for drug abuse treatment effectiveness. Research indicates that for most patients, the threshold of significant improvement is reached at about 3 months in drug abuse treatment. After this threshold is reached, additional drug abuse treatment can produce further progress toward recovery.

Because people often leave drug abuse treatment prematurely, programs should include strategies to engage and keep patients in drug abuse treatment. Counseling (individual and/or group) and other behavioral therapies are critical components of effective drug abuse treatment for addiction.

Medications are an important element for many patients, especially when combined with counseling and other behavioral therapies. For addicted persons an oral medication can be an effective componentt. For patients with mental disorders, both behavioral treatments and medications can be critically important. Addicted or drug abusing individuals with coexisting mental disorders should have both disorders treated in an integrated way. Medical detoxification is only the first stage of drug abuse treatment. While detoxification alone is rarely sufficient to help addicts achieve long-term abstinence, for some individuals it is a strongly indicated precursor to effective drug abuse treatment.

Strong motivation can facilitate the process. Sanctions or enticements in the family, employment setting, or criminal justice system can increase significantly both treatment center entry and retention rates and the success of drug treatment interventions. Possible drug use during drug abuse treatment must be monitored continuously. Lapses to drug use can occur during drug abuse treatment. The objective monitoring of a patient's drug and alcohol use during drug abuse treatment, such as through urinalysis or other tests, can help the patient withstand urges to use drugs. Such monitoring also can provide early evidence of drug use so that the individual's treatment plan can be adjusted.

Recovery from drug addiction can be a long-term process and frequently requires multiple episodes of drug abuse treatment. As with other chronic illnesses, relapses to drug use can occur during or after successful drug abuse treatment episodes. Addicted individuals may require prolonged drug abuse treatment and multiple episodes of drug abuse treatment to achieve long-term abstinence and fully restored functioning. Participation in self-help support programs during and following drug abuse treatment often is helpful in maintaining abstinence.