The Basics of Substance Abuse Treatment

Substance abuse treatment has changed remarkably over the last several years.  It used to be that people detoxified and were led through a series of talk therapies designed to help the abuser learn ways of coping without using illicit drugs or alcohol.  There were both inpatient and outpatient programs that sometimes lasted for several weeks.

Substance abuse treatment now involves quite a bit of pharmacology.  There are drugs that can be used to reduce the effects of withdrawal.  There are drugs to prevent a person from using alcohol or they would become ill.  There are now drugs that can lessen the cravings for certain drugs or alcohol.

In the treatment of alcohol abuse, substance abuse treatment includes the use of Librium to manage withdrawal symptoms.  Some choose Antabuse—a drug that, if taken with alcohol, causes extreme nausea or vomiting.  Naltrexone is used to prevent the cravings associated with alcohol abuse.

Substance abuse treatment still has, as its mainstay, the use of group and individual therapy.  This is often done as an inpatient in a hospital or special center for drug abuse.  The individual goes through detoxification and then participates in educational or therapeutic programs that teach them about drug abuse in general.  They also learn about what triggers their use so they can catch the triggers that bring on substance use.  They also learn about the effect of substance abuse on their lives, including lost jobs, broken relationships and poor health. 

Substance abuse treatment generally lasts thirty days but can go longer if needed.  Unfortunately, many substance abusers go through treatment several times before they are finally free of drug or alcohol use.  Often they need to change big aspects of their lives and give up their using friends before they can actually get their lives turned around and normalized.

Substance abuse treatment sometimes works better if men are separated from women.  Men and women have different issues around abuse and sometimes heal faster if they are separated from one another.  There are special programs for teens as well.  Teen drug abuse is very common and there are many teens who get to the point of needing treatment before they even get out of high school. 

Most experts agree that substance abuse treatment is the only practical way to get a person off drugs or alcohol.  Going “cold turkey” without the medical and social support of a treatment program can be very dangerous and often doesn’t work.  More often than not, the substance abuser can’t break the cycle of abuse and ends up going back to their drug or drugs of choice without being completely healed.

Substance abuse treatment can be ordered by the court for those who have committed a crime while under the influence.  The judge will order treatment instead of putting a person in prison.  If the person successfully handles treatment, he or she may avoid going to jail.  Unfortunately, those who undergo drug or alcohol treatment by order of the court often do not successfully stay off drugs.