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Drug/Alcohol Addiction Treatment

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Drug/alcohol addiction is classified as a chronic illness that is characterized by an uncontrollable craving for these substances along with associated unfavorable seeking habits and is often accompanied by devastating health consequences. Addiction is an illness with many dimensions and disrupts both the physical and psychological aspects of an addict's life. Thus, addiction treatment integrates many components related to specific aspects of the drug/alcohol addiction. Drug use is voluntary, but over a period of time, the individual's ability to say no to drugs becomes compromised after which it becomes compulsive. This is because prolonged exposure to the drugs affects the functioning of the brain. The main controls that are affected are …show more content…

The treatment also aims at helping them maintain a lifestyle, thereafter, that is drug-free. Drug/alcohol addiction is such that it cannot be cured by just stopping to use the drugs. The affected individuals need long-term care to ensure sustained abstinence of drugs/alcohol and physical and psychological …show more content…

Modern methods of treatment are directed towards excluding the patient from going through this painful process. For this, they are put on medications (benzodiazepine, methadone, etc.) that make them feel that they are on drugs even when they are not. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Cognitive behavioral therapy involves behavioral approaches that teach the patient to stay away from drugs or alcohol. Identification of risk behaviors, correction of these behaviors, learning the techniques of time management and improving social skills, learning to share personal experiences in like-minded groups, all form a part of this type of therapy. Relapse Prevention Drug use causes changes in the brain that are long lasting. This is seen to be one of the reasons for a relapse to occur in which the person starts using the drugs again. Medications are used to treat the drug cravings (methadone, disulfiram) that may arise and lead to a relapse. This treatment is generally completed before the cognitive behavioral therapy is started to make the latter more

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