Drug Addiction Treatment

Drug Addiction Treatment:

Drug addiction treatment attempts to treat drug addiciton through treatment that is tailored to individual needs so that patients can learn to control their addiction and live normal, productive lives.

Behavioral therapies can include cognitive life skills therapy, counseling, support groups, or family therapy.

In general, the more treatment given, the better the results. Many patients require other services as well, such as medical and HIV prevention services.

Patients who stay in drug addiction treatment longer than 3 months usually have better outcomes than those who stay less time.

Patients who go through medically assisted withdrawal to minimize discomfort but do not receive any further drug addiction treatment, perform about the same in terms of their drug use as those who were never treated.

Over the last 25 years, studies have shown that drug addiction treatment works to reduce drug intake and crimes committed by drug-dependent people. Researchers also have found that drug abusers who have been through treatment are more likely to have jobs.

The ultimate goal of all drug abuse treatment is to enable the patient to achieve lasting abstinence, but the immediate goals are to reduce drug use, improve the patient's ability to function, and minimize the medical and social complications of drug abuse.