Substance Abuse Treatment

PROFILE OF A DRUG ABUSER  MOST PEOPLE IN TREATMENT ARE BETWEEN YEARS OF AGE  MANY DRUG ABUSERS SUFFER FROM MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS  30-40% OF DRUG ABUSERS ARE HOMELESS  THOSE IN TREATMENT USE MULTIPLE DRUGS

BENEFITS OF DRUG TREATMENT  LESS EXPENSIVE THAN INCARCERATION  ILLICIT DRUG USE IS REDUCED  CRIMINAL ACTIVITY DECLINES  MORE STABLE EMPLOYMENT  REDUCED TRANSMISSION OF BLOODBORNE INFECTIONS

Components to Treatment 1. Detoxification 2. Counseling 3. Support Groups

DETOXIFICATION  THE GOAL OF DETOXIFICATION IS SAFE WITHDRAWAL  ANOTHER GOAL FOR DETOXIFICATION IS PROVIDING FOR A HUMANE WITHDRAWAL  DETOXIFICATION SHOULD PREPARE THE CLIENT FOR ONGOING TREATMENT

COUNSELING  AFTER DETOXIFICATION IT IS CRITICAL FOR THE CLIENT TO BE COUNSELED TO BEGIN TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUES THAT WERE CENTRAL TO USING DRUGS AS A COPING MECHANISM

SUPPORT GROUPS  SUPPORT GROUPS ARE IMPORTANT TO ASSIST THE CLIENT TO STAY CLEAN AND SOBER

TREATMENT ISSUES  VOLUNTARY VERSUS COMPULSORY TREATMENT  MATCHING PATIENTS AND TREATMENT  TREATING ADOLESCENT DRUG ABUSERS

PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH TREATMENT  CLIENT RESISTANCE TO TREATMENT  COMMUNITY RESISTANCE  CLIENT PREFERS CONTINUING DRUG USE  RELAPSE  PERSONEL RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION

TREATMENT PROGRAMS  METHADONE MAINTENANCE  THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITIES  OUTPATIENT TREATMENT  INPATIENT TREATMENT  SELF-HELP GROUPS

METHADONE MAINTENANCE  METHADONE IS A SYNTHETIC DRUG THAT ELIMINATES WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS FROM OPIATES AND PREVENTS AN OPIATE ADDICT FROM EXPERIENCING EUPHORIA  METHADONE MAINTENANCE IS EFFECTIVE ONLY FOR HEROIN

METHADONE MAINTENANCE  THE DEMAND FOR METHADONE MAINTENANCE IS HIGH  WAITING LISTS FOR METHDONE MAINTENANCE PROGRAMS CAN BE UP TO ONE YEAR

THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITIES  THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITIES (TC) ARE DRUG- FREE RESIDENTIAL SETTINGS WHERE ABUSERS RESIDE FOR 1-2 YEARS  TCs STRESS GROUP INTERVENTION TECHNIQUES AND LIFE IN A TC IS VERY STRUCTURED WITH CLIENTS BEING GIVEN CHORES (HENCE COMMUNITY)  THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IN TCs IS THE HIGH DROPOUT RATE

OUTPATIENT TREATMENT  OUTPATIENT TREATMENT INCLUDES COUNSELING, GROUP THERAPY, VOCATIONAL/EDUCATIONAL SERVICES

INPATIENT TREATMENT  INPATIENT TREATMENT ARE HOSPITAL BASED  INPATENT TREATMENT HAS BEEN SHOWN TO BE NO MORE EFFECTIVE THAN INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT TREATMENT

SELF-HELP GROUPS  SELF-HELP GROUPS HELP PEOPLE TO STAY CLEAN AND SOBER  EXAMPLES INCLUDE ALCOHOLIC ANONYMOUS  ALCOHOLIC ANYONMOUS IS A POPULAR SELF-HELP GROUP THAT FOLLOWS A 12 STEP MODEL

REASONS FOR NOT SEEKING TREATMENT  UNAVAILABILITY OF FACILITIES  COST OF TREATMENT  STIGMATIZATION  FACILITY PHILOSOPHY  SOME PREFER DRUG USE  FEAR OF BECOMING KNOWN TO LAW ENFORCEMENT

FACTORS THAT PREVENT DRUG RELAPSE  Marriage  Steady Employment  Compulsory Supervision  New Relationships  Belonging to a Desirable Group  A Substitute Dependency

ALCOHOL TREATMENT  ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS  MODERATE DRINKING  DISULFIRAM  NALTREXONE

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS  THE MAIN FOCUS OF THE 12 STEP MODEL IS THAT A PERON ADMITS TO BEING POWERLESS OVER ALCOHOL AND CANNOT OVERCOME ALCOHOLISM WITHOUT ASSISTANCE FROM A HIGHER POWER (RELIGIOUS CONVICTION IS IMPORTANT)  THE ONLY REQUIREMENT FOR AA IS THE DESIRE TO STOP DRINKING

MODERATE DRINKING  MODERATE DRINKING IS A CONTROLLED DRINKING APPROACH WHEREBY THE ALCOHOLIC CAN RESUME DRINKING IN A MODERATE WAY  AN EXAMPLE OF MODERATE DRINKING INCLUDES MODERATION MANAGEMENT (MM)

DISULFIRAM (ANTABUSE)  DILSULFIRAM (ANTABUSE) IS A DRUG THAT WHEN TAKEN ACTS AS AN ADVERSIVE AGENT BY INTERACTING WITH ALCOHOL IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE DRINKER BECOMES VIOLENTLY ILL WHEN HE/SHE COMSUMES ALCOHOL

NALTREXONE  NALTREXONE TRADITIONALLY IS USED TO BLOCK THE EFFECTS OF OPIATES BUT HAS BEEN SHOWN EFFECTIVE IN ALCOHOL TREATMENT

Summary  Most people in treatment are between years of age  Substance abuse treatment has documented benefits  Detoxifcation, counseling, and support groups are key elements to treatment  There are a wide variety of treatment options available  The more structure to one’s life relapse is less likely