Substance abuse refers to the excessive use of any psychoactive drug like pain treatment pills, illegal drugs, or alcohol for any reason. It can also be termed as the use of substances such as over-the-counter pills for reasons other than the intended purposes; alcohol in excessive amounts, or illegal drugs. Substance abuse often leads to psychological, emotional, social, and physical harm to the user.
One of the worst effects of substance abuse is developing dependence on drugs, known as addiction. An addicted person has to use substances regularly, which affects their work, social life, and interaction with others.
What is Substance Abuse Treatment?
Addiction is a disorder that leads to both psychological and physical damage to the abuser. Therefore, the addict needs to receive treatment to break the addiction cycle. However, treating addiction is a tough process, and it requires a combination of behavioral counseling, detoxification, medication, and other rehabilitation processes.
Typically, substance abuse requires treatment in in-patient rehabilitation centers. The patients go to rehabilitation centers for some time, ranging from a month to a few months, where they receive a combination of different treatment types to help them get substance abuse under control. These rehabilitation centers allow them to stay off drugs while managing withdrawal symptoms using specific medication.
Substance abuse treatment begins when the victim recognizes that they have a problem that is disrupting their life. For that recognition, the victim can begin seeking methods to control the substance addiction to regain control of their life. With that realization in mind, they can begin looking for treatment plans to help them control their substance abuse behaviors.
What are the Different Types of Substance Abuse Treatment?
There are different affordable substance abuse treatment methods such as detoxification, medication, behavioral therapy and counseling, and later support groups.
Detoxification
Most substance abuse treatment processes begin with detoxification. Detoxification refers to the process of clearing the substance from the system while managing the withdrawal symptoms. Most treatment centers use some medication to manage withdrawal symptoms. If someone is an addict to more than one drug or substance, they might require several medical types to manage the withdrawal symptoms for each drug or substance.
Another method of managing the withdrawal symptoms is using an electronic device known as NSS-2 Bridge. The device, which is set behind the ear, delivers electric pulses triggering certain nerves. These electric pulses provide some relief from the withdrawal symptoms, allowing the patient to manage the withdrawal symptoms without using medication.
Behavioral Therapy and Counselling
Detoxification and other types of treatment methods are combined with behavioral therapy and counseling. Counseling can be done on a personal, family-based, or group basis, depending on the individual’s needs and requirements. Behavioral therapy and counseling are often intense during the initial phases of treatment and reduced gradually throughout the treatment process.
The Most Common Types of Therapy
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy, which aims at altering the way of thinking.
- Multidimensional family therapy allows a family to understand ways of helping the victim control drug and substance abuse behaviors.
- Motivational interviews and incentives encourage a person to stay away from substance abuse.
Final Thoughts
Substance abuse treatment is a process that entails a combination of different methods of treatment to help a victim overcome chronic addiction to a substance. It allows the victim to regain control of their lives and live a drug-free life.
