Addiction treatment modalities

[Dr. Linton Hutchinson]

Outpatient Care


⋄ Techniques vary by clinician but typically include :
o cognitive-behavioral therapy
o problem-solving groups
⋄ Low success rate with heavily addicted individuals.
⋄ Moderate addicts may find that this level of treatment is enough to end their drug abuse problems.



12 Step Programs


⋄ Clients attend meetings.
⋄ Preferable after or in conjunction with some other form of drug treatment
⋄ There is the belief that they will never "recover" from their drug addiction.
⋄ This type of program may leave many feeling powerless (one of 12 steps is to accept powerlessness) over ever ending their battle with drug addiction.
⋄ This type of program may work for some, but has low success rate.



Inpatient Short-Term Rehabilitation


⋄ Substance abuse treatment that lasts typically for 30 days.
⋄ Overseen by medical professionals and trained counselors, often Certified Drug Addiction Specialist.
⋄ Goals are primarily physical stabilization, abstinence from all use, and lifestyle changes.
⋄ Primarily founded in a modified 12-step approach.



Inpatient Long-Term Rehabilitation


⋄ Inpatient long-term residential program is a 24 hour a day 7 days a week treatment.
⋄ Duration can be from several months to a year or more.
⋄ Residential treatment is conducted in non-clinical settings known as therapeutic communities.
⋄ May also include additional treatment strategies such as social education.



Methadone Maintenance Treatment


⋄ For clients with a dependence on heroin or other morphine like drugs.
⋄ Methadone decreases the feeling of pain and reduces emotional responses to withdrawal symptoms.
⋄ A dose typically suppresses an addict's symptoms for 24 hours.
⋄ Downside:
o Clients are physically dependent on
o They may find themselves using it for many years after they start treatment.
o Methadone may be more difficult to withdrawal from than heroin.
o Maintenance involves more time, pain, and expense than heroin withdrawal.