Substance abuse treatment is designed to help those that are addicted to drugs. Treatment can take many different forms and last for different periods of time. Drug addiction is a chronic disorder. It is characterized by periodic relapses. As such, one-time treatment or short-term treatment is not effective. For many people, treatment for dependency in Minneapolis is a long-term process, which usually requires intervention and consistent monitoring.
Numerous Approaches
There are a number of approaches to treating addiction. Behavioral therapy is effective, in some cases, a combination of therapy and medication is used. The treatment that is chosen by a therapist is that which complements the individual needs of the addict as well as the type of drugs involved.
Treatment Medications
Medications such as methadone are available for people addicted to opiates. Those wishing to cease smoking can use nicotine patches or gum. Those addicted to alcohol can turn to medication as well. Medications are used in conjunction with behavioral therapy that motivates people to become active in drug treatment programs. Therapy helps to control cravings and teach the recovering addict ways to avoid substances and prevent relapse.
Individual and Group Therapy
Many substance abuse treatment programs near Minneapolis use both individual and group therapies. Group therapy helps the individual by providing social reinforcement, helps to promote abstinence, and promotes the benefits of a drug-free lifestyle. Individual counseling and group counseling are often used in tandem. Individual counseling tends to focus on skill building, adherence to the recovery plan and social issues.
As medication and therapy work on different aspects of drug addiction, a combination of the two is often more effective than when either approach is used alone.
People that are dealing with substance abuse problems often suffer from other health problems. It’s not unusual for these individuals to suffer from depression, family problems, employment problems and social problems. The most effective approach to breaking substance abuse is to treat these issues at the same time.
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