Treating Substance Abuse

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A one-time substance abuse treatment will not suffice for a patient to achieve long-term abstinence from their abuse or addiction. There are various matching interventions, settings and services that are used to cater to an individual's particular problems and needs. A substance abuse treatment will include counseling that will help patients avoid high-risk behavior, psychotherapy, medication, family therapy, parenting instructions, vocational rehabilitation and the assistance of medical, social and legal services.

The duration of a substance abuse treatment or therapy will also vary according to individual needs. The short-term methods that usually last less than six months will include medication, residential therapy and drug-free outpatient therapy. Medical detoxification may also be employed.

A long term substance abuse treatment will include residential therapeutic community treatment and methadone maintenance, outpatient treatment. Effective forms of behavioral therapies include cognitive behavioral relapse prevention and contingency management.

There is no particular substance abuse treatment that will surely work for all individuals. A combination of different therapies and other services to meet the needs of individual patients can also work. Programs that consider various factors, such as age, gender, culture, race, sexual orientation, housing, employment and parenting, as well as physical and sexual abuse, have been proven to be the best substance abuse treatment.

With strong support from their friends and family, coupled with the right approach to substance abuse treatment, the patient's total and lasting abstinence from substance abuse can be achieved.