Meth Addiction Resource Center

• Mar
  19

  Substance Abuse and Dependency Treatment Guidelines

  Recovery from addiction is possible when effective treatment approaches are utilized for individuals seeking drug abuse treatment. It wasn't until the 80s that people suffering from substance misuse and dependency began to seek treatment for their stimulant addiction. Because there were people seeking treatment for stimulant abuse, a treatment approach began. The 28 day Minnesota Model hospital industry form of treatment responded the quickest in terms of success. This form of for-profit treatment took off extremely fast and these units began to multiply. Thousands upon thousands of people in need of cocaine treatment were treated in the Minnesota Model treatment programs with the same strategy for treating alcoholics. Today we're unable to evaluate just how efficient this treatment was.

  Drug addiction is a very serious brain disease that isn't treated easily. There are many factors to take into consideration because it affects every part of a person's life. Each drug that's misused is different also so there are various factors that come into play when determining treatment for substance abuse. There are guidelines that are used and followed when treating individuals for substance abuse and dependency now.

  Because there are so many different aspects to look at when it comes to drug addiction, an effective treatment program has to integrate a variety of components to be successful. It's important to make sure every aspect of the illness including the consequences are taken into consideration during treatment. The following guidelines are considered during treatment, addiction treatment has to:

  
  

  1. Help the person quit using substances
  2. Maintain a lifestyle that's drug-free
  3. Help the person productively function in their family, at work, and in society

  Because substance abuse treatment is so crucial for individuals that are addicted to drugs, there are important principles that an effective program bases their treatment approach on.

  
  

  1. Addiction is treatable but very complex, this disease affects the individual's behavior and their brain function.
  2. Everyone is different; there is no treatment that is completely appropriate for every person.
  3. Treatment needs to address not only the drug addiction but every aspect of the individual's life and needs.
  4. It's critical that the individual stays in treatment for a sufficient amount of time.
  5. The forms of substance abuse treatment that are most often used include individual counseling, group counseling (sometimes both), and behavioral therapy.
  6. For many patients, medications are an essential part of treatment, especially when they're combined with counseling and other forms of behavioral therapy.
  7. During treatment the individual's service plan and form of treatment should be evaluated on a regular basis and revised whenever needed; this will ensure that treatment continues to meet the individual's needs.
  8. Many individual's addicted to drugs also have other mental disorders.
  9. The first step of substance abuse treatment is medically assisted detoxification but detox does not mean recovery; detox alone is not treatment for long term drug abuse.
  10. The individual doesn't have to be willing in order for substance abuse treatment to be successful.
  11. Relapse does occur during substance abuse treatment so drug use needs to be monitored all the time.

  Effective Treatment for Methamphetamine Addiction

  Recovering from meth dependency can be very challenging but methamphetamine addicts can and do recover. It's important that detoxing from the substance abused takes place before treatment begins, especially if abuse is chronic. Medications and behavioral therapy can be very effective for the individual going through the detoxification process. Keeping the individual safe and comfortable is very important during this time. When the detoxification process is completed, treatment and relapse prevention can begin.

  Most of the time individuals that are addicted to meth need a much more intense form of treatment. Outpatient programs for meth addiction usually require longer treatment than for other substance addictions. Individuals in outpatient programs need to have contact with their treatment provider often.

  Long term chronic methamphetamine users may require residential treatment for their addiction. Sometimes a controlled environment and much more intense treatment approaches are necessary for individual's that have a long history of methamphetamine abuse. Each person is different and their dependency is as well, an assessment will help determine which treatment option best fits the individual's needs.

  At this time the treatment that's most effective for treating meth addiction is Cognitive Behavioral Intervention. This form of therapy helps to change the individual's way of thinking and their behaviors. It's important that the individual learns coping skills and better ways to manage stress, this helps to prevent relapse in the future as well. It's important for the individual to recognize what triggers their substance use; they learn ways to avoid certain situations and how to cope if they can't be avoided. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy addresses the important areas in the individual's life so they can recover from meth dependency and lead a drug free life.

  Treatment programs also need to address a few important issues for those dependent on methamphetamines. Stimulant use quite often affects the individual's memory and concentration and needs to be addressed during treatment. Time management issues also need to be addressed during meth treatment, those that abuse stimulants led hectic and chaotic lifestyles when abusing them. Treatment needs to focus on effective skills for managing time better, this will also help to prevent relapse during the treatment process and during recovery. Research shows that individuals attending methamphetamine recovery support groups combined with behavioral therapy is very effective for the recovering meth user.

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  Posted on March 19th, 2011

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