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Drug Addiction Treatment

While in drug addiction treatment, recovering drug addicts learn about addiction, recovery and relapse while addressing misguided beliefs about self, others and their environment. Attending a drug addiction treatment program helps the recovering drug addict make lifestyle changes, manage feelings and develop coping tools and drug refusal skills. In addition, they learn to identify relapse warning signs and challenge thoughts that may lead to relapse. Drug addiction treatment is an important part of recovering from drug addiction. In addition to stopping drug use, the goal of drug addiction treatment is to return the individual to productive functioning in the family, workplace, and community.

According to several studies, drug addiction treatment reduces drug use by 40 to 60 percent and significantly decreases criminal activity during and after treatment. For example, a study of therapeutic community treatment for drug offenders demonstrated that arrests for violent and nonviolent criminal acts were reduced by 40 percent or more. Treatment can improve the prospects for employment, with gains of up to 40 percent after treatment.

Treatment for drug addiction is on the increase as more and more individuals are becoming dependent on various types of drugs. Years of research have shown that addiction to any drug can be effectively treated. However, there is no one form of drug addiction treatment that is appropriate for everyone. When getting help for drug addiction, one must take into account the type of drug used and the needs of the individual.

Individuals progress through drug addiction treatment at various speeds, so there is no predetermined length of treatment. However, research has shown unequivocally that good outcomes are contingent on adequate lengths of drug addiction treatment. Generally, for residential or outpatient treatment, participation for less than 90 days is of limited or no effectiveness, and treatments lasting significantly longer often are indicated. For methadone maintenance, 12 months of treatment is the minimum.

Many people who enter treatment drop out before receiving all the benefits that drug addiction treatment can provide. Successful outcomes may require more than one treatment experience. Many addicted individuals have multiple episodes of treatment, often with a cumulative impact.

Some individuals may have a history of many prior attempts to end their addiction patterns and failed. For those who fall into this category, inpatient residential treatment may prove fruitful. Research studies show that inpatient treatment is the most successful modality for individuals with multiple unsuccessful attempts at sobriety through outpatient treatment.

On the other hand, an individual may only have a recent history of drug addiction and wishes to correct the situation, but may encounter difficulty in doing so on their own. For such an individual outpatient drug addiction treatment or counseling would most likely be the appropriate initial approach in addressing their situation.

Individuals with years of heavy drug addiction may have a more difficult time when it comes to ending their addiction patterns. The difficulty may lie in fact that their lifestyle has consisted of drug or alcohol use for such an extended period of time that it may be difficult to imagine themselves living without using drugs. This type of individual may greatly benefit from attending a long term inpatient drug addiction treatment program. This type of treatment generally involves a period of three to six months so as to provide the individual with an extensive change of environment as well as care twenty-four hours a day. Research has proven that this may be the most successful type of treatment for those who have a history of heavy drug addiction spanning over many years. On the other hand, the addict may only have a recent history of addiction and wishes to correct the situation, but may encounter difficulty in doing so on their own. For such an individual outpatient treatment or counseling would most likely be the appropriate initial approach in addressing their situation.

Matching drug addiction treatment settings and services to each individual's particular problems and needs is critical to his or her ultimate success in returning to productive functioning in the family, workplace, and society. If an incorrect match is made when selecting a treatment modality the individual's chances for failure increase significantly. If you or someone you care about is caught in the trap of drug addiction, then drug addiction treatment may be necessary in salvaging their life.

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