Drug Treatment Essay

Despite the higher cost, a high-end substance abuse treatment center does not constitute better treatment. The support of therapists, counselors, family, friends, and peers can all be important factors in the recovery process. The most significant factor for an individual in the recovery process is a desire and a willingness to change. Many options exist for individuals that want to recover from addiction. These options include substance abuse rehabilitation centers and support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and SMART Recovery. These programs all have the same goal but use different techniques that at times even contradict other programs. Although the approach of the programs may vary, they have all been proven to work for certain

Not every addict should be treated the same. The regimen should address all of the aspects of an individual's life, including medical and mental health and follow up options. Behavioral Treatments help patients modify their attitudes and behaviors and increase healthy lifestyle skills and options. They can enhance the effectiveness of medication and help addicts stay committed to the treatment process. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a behavioral treatment with the goal of helping the user recognize, avoid, and cope with anything and everything involving their drug use and recovery (Davison, 2007). Therapeutic communities can also be extremely effective, especially for those who are severely addicted. They are highly structured programs that often involve residency for up to 12 months. It is important to recognize that no single treatment is appropriate for all individuals addicted to drugs (National, 2005).

Treatment guidelines from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration indicate that treatment should include age-appropriate group therapy, and teach skills to rebuild social support networks (Trevisan, 2008). Staff need to be experienced in working with the elderly and use a slower pace and age-appropriate content. Respect with an atmosphere of support and change rather than confrontation should be created in the therapeutic setting. Three medications have been approved for treatment of alcohol problems; however, there are few pharmacological treatment studies of alcohol dependence in older adults and no know studies of other drugs of abuse (Trevisan, 2008). These three medications include Disulfiram, Naltrexone, and Acamprosate (Trevisan, 2008).

Prescription drug abuse has become an epidemic in the United States especially among the youth of our country. The Partnership for a Drug Free America says that 2,500 teens a day abuse prescription drugs. Abuse of these narcotics can lead to serious mental and physical consequences. Why is this such a problem, what can we do to solve it, and how is it affecting our social lives?

I am currently interning at Volunteers of America Los Angeles (VOALA), and the program that I am placed in is a Harm Reduction program. I work with homeless veterans who are diagnosed with a mental and substance abuse disorder. For the past couple of months, I have seen the positive effects of Harm Reduction, and how safe it is with our clients. For this assignment, I specifically chose a conversation with Rusty Foster and Luis Lopez on Harm Reduction, because this is what I am interested in. As a recovering alcoholic myself, I want to work and help clients who are struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. I believe that addiction is hard to overcome, but Harm Reduction can be cost effective, educational, and a healthier way of using drugs and alcohol. While listening to this conversation, I immediately thought of my internship, and what I already know, and what I could learn.

There area unit synthetic heroin maintenance program pass by several North American nation and Canadian governments that area unit Those within the a hundred and eighty day detoxification program received one hundred twenty days of synthetic heroin treatment, followed by sixty days of synthetic heroin dose reduction till they were not taking synthetic heroin. They conjointly received a number of drug subject matter services. During the primary six months, participants were needed to attend 2 hours per week of habit psychotherapy, one hour per week of cocaine cluster therapy if they were found to even be obsessed with that drug, and a series of one- hour habit education categories command weekly. They conjointly attended weekly individual medical care sessions. throughout the last seven months of the study, participants were offered medical care treatment that enclosed weekly individual and psychotherapy and liaison services with the criminal justice system, medical clinics and work agencies. Also, the study found that those obsessed with cocaine were additional seemingly to drop out of the 180-day program than the synthetic heroin maintenance

Reduced health care coverage for substance abuse treatment has resulted in a diminished number of these programs, and the average length of stay under managed care review is much shorter than in early programs. Often, drug/alcohol abusers come into contact with the criminal justice system earlier than other health or social systems, and intervention by the criminal justice system to engage the individual in treatment may help interrupt and shorten a career of drug use. Treatment for the criminal justice-involved drug abuser or drug addict may be delivered prior to, during, after, or in lieu of incarceration.

Problem # 5 Illicit opiate use Goal(s): to be free from illicit drugs. Status: Active Objectives/Progress: Pt. has struggled with continued use of illicit drugs (marijuana, opiates and amphetamines) and his last quarter UDS reflect a pattern of heavy substance use. Pt. was encouraged to work with the medical staff to achieve a stable dosing level. Pt. is regularly taking his medication as prescribed by AMS Doctor and he stated his current prescribed methadone 90 mg is working "well". During the last quarter, Pt. made progress on developing a therapeutic relationship with his new AMS counselor for the upcoming quarter. Also, Counselor focused therapy session on establishing rapport and building trust with him. Pt. is currently in the contemplation stage of change because he more open to receiving information about his negative habits and willing to use educational interventions which he agreed with this assessment. Pt. was reinforced for any statement that reflected acceptance of his chemical dependence and acknowledgment of the negative consequences that opiates has had on his life. During the upcoming quarter, Counselor will assist Pt. to discuss and weigh the pros and cons of continuing his addictive

Non-Secure Substance Abuse Treatment Programs are six month medium intensity residential programs (Level II), consisting of a two month intensive treatment component followed by a four month employment/reentry component. These programs target offenders who fail outpatient or day/night treatment, or are evaluated as needing this level of structured environment. This program provides an alternative residential sanction to the court. As seen below, program success rates have increased from 47.5 percent.

Most of the rehabilitation treatment centers have variety of different therapies. These include the family therapy, behavioral therapy as well as music and art therapy. You must always keep in mind that each individual is unique with unique needs and hence a standard treatment plan will not be successful in all cases. Each person has some underlying issues that have pushed the person into substance abuse and these issues need to be addressed.

There are many contributing factors and political issues that address substance abuse. Throughout the years, many researchers have designed many interventions and social policies designed to treat people who have used, abused, and became addicted to substances. Today, there are many new studies that address substance abuse at the individual, group, family, and community or policy levels. Today, there are many services that are effective for decreasing recidivism in youth who have completed a substance abuse program. A substance abuse treatment program or center is the best way to treat individuals who have abused substances.

Individuals that are substance use focused, lack support, resistant, suicidal, or homicidal are best suited for this type of program. The client participates in multiple individual therapies, group therapies, and 12-step meetings each week. Residential treatment programs include detoxification programs (rapidly wean client off substance prior to referral to residential program) and hospital-based treatment program (offering medical services with individual, group, marital, and family therapy). Another form of residential treatment programs are therapeutic communities. These consist of 24-hour programs that may last 12-24 months. The client receives individual and group therapy and follow a 12-step program in a structured environment. An active participant, the belief is that community will foster change and healing in the client. Therapeutic communities provide encounter groups and tutorial

Scientific research shows that treatment can help many drug using offenders change their attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors; avoid relapse; and successfully remove themselves from a life of substance use and crime. Treatment can cut drug use in half, decrease criminal activity, and reduce arrests. It is true that legal pressure might be needed to get a person into treatment and help them stay there. Once in a treatment program, however, even those who are not initially motivated to change can become engaged in a continuing treatment process. In fact, research suggests that mandated treatment can be just as effective as voluntary admission to rehab centers.

These treatments could be given on out-patient basis, in-patient basis or on short-term or long-term residential basis. There are variety of professionals are giving service for drug addiction treatment. These professional are physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, rehab counselors, social workers, nurses, etc..

A person’s body, in almost every aspect of its being, is addicted when one is a mild to chronic user and abuser. The nervous system, brain, and muscle tissue are all living in anticipation of the next high. So, for the addict, it is crucial that the cycle of behavior, is broken. The addict needs to pull up the anchor that keeps them from moving forward. This means changing environments, patterns and even sometimes friends and social associates.