NIU

behavioral therapy

Posted by Stacy on Sunday, May 25, 2008 9:05 AM

There are many factors that will determine what type of drug abuse treatment is suitable for a certain individual. Methods will vary across different situations and the choice is usually dependent on the health care provider's call. Each rehab facility is ideally equipped to address different cases of addiction.

Two-fold

According to most experts, drug addiction has two main facets - the physiological affliction and the psychological issue that drives the substance abuse. An individual doesn't acquire the addiction overnight. It is developed over a long period of wanting to sidestep certain issues that he doesn't want to address.

With this in mind, it is important that a drug abuse treatment program manages to address both aspects of the problem in order to ensure sustainable recovery. There is a higher risk for a relapse to occur if any one of these areas is overlooked or insufficiently treated. This is the reason why treatment programs usually combine psychotherapeutic approaches and medications.

Behavioral therapy

Behavioral therapy can come in the form of counseling, cognitive therapy or psychotherapy or a little of everything. This area of drug abuse treatment is basically geared towards helping the individual overcome the mental stressors that drive him to resort to substance abuse. The facilitator also aims to pinpoint the underlying cause of the addiction - i.e. a family problem, social ineptitude, and mental issues - and from there, administer a specific action plan that will resolve it.

Detox

To address the physiological aspect of drug addiction, the individual also goes under detoxification - that is, the removal of toxic residue that has accumulated in the body over a long period of substance abuse. This entails a pretty complicated process that will merit the constant monitoring of a licensed health care provider. Because the patient is bound to suffer from withdrawal symptoms caused by the sudden cessation of drug intake, it is important to have the detoxification process administered by a professional.

Drug abuse treatment has never been an easy process - not even for those who are consciously willing to go through it. The body and the mind are two different aspects and it is entirely possible that one may react differently from the other.