Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Drug And Alcohol Treatments

Just like alcoholism, drug dependence is a disease and as such, it can be treated using rehabilitation programs. However, there are stark differences in the nature of the problems that are experienced by drug dependents. In some cases, physical effects are more pronounced as some drug dependents develop mental illness. In addition to this most drug addicts are also more prone to destructive behavior as compared to their alcoholic counterparts. This may be because the substances abused by drug addicts tend to have more adverse effects, as they are more “potent.” The wide varieties of drugs that are available also add to the complexity of drug addiction and its treatment.
Treatment
In the same way that alcoholism may require tailored treatment, treating drug addiction also employs tailor-fit rehabilitation programs, although there is a wider variety because programs are sometimes created for specific drug-users and specific substances. The usual process that drug addicts undergo in rehabilitation is also similar to what alcoholics undergo since programs also follow the three steps—intervention, detoxification, and rehabilitation—that most rehabilitation centers use. During detoxification, patients also receive medications that not only help suppress withdrawal symptoms, but they also help block the effects of the substance to which the patient was addicted. During rehabilitation, patients also receive behavioral therapy, counseling, and family therapy.
The general principle in treating drug addiction is that the more the patient is treated, the higher the chances that the patient will be able to live a drug-free life after the program. Given this, drug dependents are encouraged to stay in the program longer and constant follow-ups through support groups are also encouraged.
Alcoholism and drug dependence are similar in a way because they both can be treated using the same rehabilitation programs and approaches. However, there are some differences on how these programs are administered because there are problems that are very specific to drug addiction. One of this includes programs that are created specifically for specific substances that are abused. Despite some differences, the goal of the treatment for both alcohol and drug dependence remains the same, which is to help people to successfully live cleaner lives and to successfully re-integrate themselves in society.
Alcohol Treatment provides detailed information on Alcohol Treatments, Drug And Alcohol Treatments, Alcohol Treatment Centers, Alcohol Treatment Programs and more. Alcohol Treatment is affiliated with Inpatient Alcohol Treatment Centers.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Emerson
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Drug Addiction Rehabilitation - Tailoring The Treatment To The Need

The intensity of drug addiction rehabilitation required by different addicts will vary according to the severity of their addictions. When addicts admit themselves, or are forcibly admitted, to drug addiction rehabilitation facilities, their physical conditions are evaluated so that an appropriate treatment can be determined. There are different drug addiction rehabilitation programs designed to treat the different levels of addiction.
Outpatient Treatment and DetoxThere are, at the lowest level of drug addiction rehabilitation, intervention and short duration programs, which do not involve any physical treatment. They include court-ordered attendance at classes on the dangers of driving while intoxicated or visits to rehab units for teens caught using drugs or alcohol who has not yet become addicts. They are designed to steer people off the road to addiction before they have traveled to far down it.
Detoxification is the second level of drug addiction rehabilitation; just the opposite of short-term intervention, detoxification treats only the physical nature of addiction. The addict is admitted to a facility, remains until he or she is free of the effects of whatever substances caused the admission, and is released.
Inpatient TreatmentThe most comprehensive of all the drug addiction rehabilitation programs is inpatient treatment. Inpatient drug addiction rehabilitation requires addicts to take up residence in the facility where they receive their treatment, and the amount of time they stay will depend on how hard they work on confronting their addictions and learning healthier patterns of behavior.
Inpatient drug addiction rehabilitation will first include detoxification, with or without the use of sedatives and pain medications; their inclusion will depend both on whether the addict's system can handle any more chemicals, and whether those running the program believe going "cold turkey" when withdrawing is the best deterrent to future substance abuse.
Once the detoxification is over, the addicts will spend their days learning to take responsibility by having jobs assigned to them; going to individual and group counseling sessions, and getting at the emotional causes underlying their dependencies. The process can last for a month of for a year, depending on the severity of the addiction. Inpatient drug addiction rehabilitation is a last resort.
Therapeutic techniques in inpatient facilities may include journaling so that the addicts can learn both self-observation skills and how to recognize the situations in which their cravings for drugs are triggered.
Choosing the appropriate drug addiction rehabilitation is a matter of balancing the severity of the addiction with the addict's desire for recovery.
You can also find more information at Drug Addiction Programs and Drug Addiction Recovery
Drugtreatmentinfo.org is a comprehensive resource to known more about drug addiction.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Judy_Wellsworth
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