Drug and Alcohol Addiction Treatment Programs

Drug and Alcohol Addiction Treatment Programs

There are many people all over the world who fall into the addiction to substance and alcohol. Once addicted, it is truly difficult to come out of it. Those who have been touched by drug and alcohol abuse in their lives need ideal drug and alcohol addiction treatment programs. Drug and alcohol addiction treatment can include medications, behavioral therapies, or their combination. You can continue reading this article to know more about these treatments, drug rehabilitation centers, the efficacy of these treatments, and more.

What are drug and alcohol addiction treatment programs?

  • Drug and alcohol addiction treatment programs are designed to help addicted individuals stop compulsive drug craving and use.
  • Depending on the individuality of each case, the treatment can be done in a variety of settings, can have different forms, and can have varied duration.
  • As drug addiction is a chronic disorder, one-time treatment is not sufficient.
  • The majority of cases require long-term processes involving regular monitoring and multiple interventions.
  • Treatment programs developed by drug rehabilitation centers can include behavioral therapy, medications, or their combination. The type of treatment or the combination depends on the patient’s individual needs and the type of drug they use.

What are the medications generally used for treating drug and alcohol addiction?
Following are the medications that drug and alcoholism treatment program providers generally use:

  • For individuals addicted to opioids, treatment medications available include methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone.
  • Nicotine preparations (patches, lozenges, gum, and nasal spray) and the medications varenicline and bupropion are available for the treatment of those addicted to tobacco.
  • Many alcohol rehabilitation programs count on disulfiram, acamprosate, and naltrexone for treating alcohol dependence.
  • Psychoactive medications, such as anti-anxiety agents, mood stabilizers, antidepressants, and antipsychotic medications, play an integral role in the treatment of drug abuse patients who have co-occurring mental disorders like depression, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia.

How effective is the drug addiction treatment?

  • Besides stopping drug abuse, the goal of drug and alcohol addiction treatment programs is to enable people to get back to productive functioning in their family, workplace, and in their community.
  • The efficacy of these treatment programs depends on the extent and nature of the patient’s problems.
  • The treatments provided at drug rehabilitation centers Phoenix, Arizona successfully manage addiction and help patients regain control of their lives.
  • Just like other chronic diseases like hypertension, diabetes, and asthma, wherein symptoms reoccur, relapsing to drug abuse is also possible.
  • When relapse occurs, one should not deem drug and alcohol abuse treatment a failure.
  • In fact, a relapse indicates that the treatment requires some changes and adjustments.
  • After continual evaluation of the treatment being provided and its relapse, a better course of action can be determined.

Is drug and alcohol addiction treatment worth its cost?

  • Drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs and treatments are certainly worth their cost, as they considerably reduce drug use and associated health and social costs.
  • They reduce associated health and social costs by far more than the cost of the treatment itself.
  • The treatments are also less expensive alternatives to other options, such as incarcerating addicted people. An average cost of 1-year imprisonment is $24,000 per person while the average cost for 1 full year of methadone maintenance treatment offered by some of the best inpatient drug rehab centers is approximately $4,700 per patient.

How long does drug addiction treatment usually last?

  • Individuals react to different drug abuse and alcoholism treatment programs differently.
  • Therefore, there is no predetermined treatment duration.
  • However, researches show that an adequate treatment length has better outcomes.
  • Participation for less than 90 days is of limited effectiveness for residential or outpatient treatment.
  • Treatment lasting significantly longer than the above-mentioned duration is recommended for maintaining positive outcomes.