Drug Addiction Treatment Questions to Ponder

Drug Addiction Treatment Questions to Ponder

As a general rule, treatment centers should measure how effective the services they provide including investing in continuous research to uncover newer and more effective treatment methods. There is no doubt that treatment of drug abuse and addiction is very complex, hence, its recovery requires multiple stages of intervention. Drug addiction treatment may include aside from medications, behavioral therapy or a combination of both. Because of the complex nature of drug addiction treatment, it is important to deal with the following questions.

What is drug addiction treatment?

Before going into a program, you need to have a clear idea what a drug addiction treatment is all about. Basically, it is a program that is designed to help individuals who are addicted to stop uncontrollably seeking and using drugs. Treatments usually classify addiction as a chronic disorder that can result in relapses when insufficient treatment is delivered. This is why the treatment program for most drug addicts involve long-term and multiple interventions with constant monitoring.

Today multiple evidence-based drug addiction treatment methods exist. Many of these treatment programs are a combination of medication and contingency management like behavioral therapy. The specific treatment program will vary and tailor-fitted to the individual needs of patients, types of drugs used, and other similar factors.

Is the age of first use important?

Age of first use is of critical importance because this will give a timeframe indicator of when the addiction potentially started. This is vital because drug addiction does not happen overnight, rather, it is the result of continued use and dependence that becomes internalized. For example, in the case of alcoholism, abuse and dependence has been established to be 5 times more likely for those who started drinking at the age of 15; the same can be said with drug addiction. Therefore, establishing the age of first use becomes a critical factor of the treatment program.

Can addicts stop using drugs without treatment?

Believe it or not, almost all drug addicts believe that they are capable of stopping their dependence and use without proper treatment and intervention. Of course, there are those who have successfully done it, but the reality is that many fail to abstain for the long-term.

According to research, it is difficult to stop because extended drug abuse changes the function of the brain, which continues to exist even after the person stops using drugs. These changes also alter the behavior of the person resulting in the impulsive use of drugs creating dangerous consequences, which is one of the significant characteristics of an addiction.

How can treatments stop the drug use?

The success of treatments to institute long-term recovery is based primarily on its design to uncover and understand the basic biological components that can block successful recovery. For example, a drug addict may find it difficult to maintain abstinence without treatment because of the stress he experiences from work or an existing problem in the family for example. Environmental factors may also come into play and can be an aggravating factor why there is continued dependence on drug use.

These triggering events result in heightened craving for drugs and increases the possibility of relapse for those in recovery. All of these factors can also serve as a stumbling block that only active participation in treatment programs can overcome.

What motivates people to stay in treatment?

The primary motivating factor for many drug users to stay in treatment is the long-term success that the program delivers. For many seeking treatment, this is critical and becomes a huge consideration on whether to stay, get out of treatment, or seek other alternatives.

Aside from this, there are also individual factors that must be considered like the degree of support from the immediate family, peer pressure, work atmosphere, and others. Treatment programs that firmly establish positive and therapeutic relationships have been found to be the most successful. These programs establish early on the expectations from the treatment program.

Get Help From Canadian Addiction Treatment Centres

With patient-centered treatment, addiction can be stopped. At Canadian Addiction Treatment Centers, we help people struggling with addiction work their way back to a healthy, addiction-free lifestyle. Get help today by filling out our contact form or giving us a call at 1-877-937-2282.