Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Paths To Correction - Drug Treatment Centers

Drug treatment program is a relatively new field. It only started sometime within the last 50 years. It must be understood that many of the areas of studies in drug treatment are yet to be perfected. However, there are institutions that are gaining much progress at fast rates.

But the reason for this rise is basically attributed to the dramatic rise of the addicted sections of the society. Add to this the presence of the funding institutions that may provide for the payments incurred during treatment. Most of these are private health insurance companies, which made the inclusion for such causes in most of their health insurance plans.

Prior to the development of the drug treatment centers, drug patients are only treated through psychotherapy. But there were already established drug treatment centers even before the existence of a science that would provide sound clinical technologies. This technology is devised precisely to handle drug addiction on a progressive, gradual way. These early attempts had created the bad reputation drug treatment centers held for quite a time.

Drug treatment centers such are these are generally basing their procedures on the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. This method was rather successful for alcoholics but didn't exactly produce desirable results for drug addicted individuals. This affair went on for some twenty years and seemed not to matter at all since such drug treatment centers are roosting clients and money.

Simply put, drug treatment centers are institutions that offer safe places for drug addicted individuals to recover from a seemingly despairing state of existence. Once a person is faced with the dilemma of drug addiction, the best option for him is to seek treatment from a credible drug treatment center. In some parts of the world, drug treatment centers and drug rehabilitation centers have adverse conditions. Luckily in the United States, we are equipped with centers that are using advance technologies and equipments in treating and eventually curing the patients.

Most drug treatment centers in the country have scientifically based chemical dependency programs that don't only focus on the "disease" itself but also the personal responsibility of each patient to address all aspects of the condition. These aspects may include psychological, physical, physiological, family, social and spiritual factors.

Treatments often cover

* Education both for the patient and the family since drug addiction is considered as a family disease. Research points out that most marital conflicts and devastation root from drug addiction and other forms of addiction by a partner. Chemical dependence also leads to divorce along with abuse of loved ones and neglect.

* Individual counseling to further focus the treatment on the patient.

* Group therapy and multi-family groups

* Required 12-step programs (e.g. Cocaine Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous)

Drug treatment centers usually address addiction problems such as the following:

* heroin addiction

* cocaine addiction

* crack addiction

* methane addiction

* oxycontin addiction

* hydrocodone addiction

* lortab addiction

* alcohol addiction

* codeine addiction

* demerol addiction

* dilaudid addiction

* opium addiction

* opiate addiction

* percocet addiction

* ultram addiction

* morphine addiction

* and other prescription medication addiction

Drug treatment centers that use several forms of drug addiction programs either employed separately or combined. Others specialize on the use of a specific method. There are basically four major treatment methods.

* Rehab programs that use the 12-step recovery model

* Behavioral modification

* Bio-physical method

* Methadone clinics

* Detox rehabilitation

Drug addiction is never permanent. It is curable and can be mastered out. Patient and their families only need to work towards that same common goal. Treatment centers are only instruments to achieving that.

Canada Drug Treatment Centers

National Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program (NNADAP) - an initiative of Health Canada (a federal department responsible for the health care system in Canada) - supports the largest number of residential drug treatment centers in the country. There are approximately 54 treatment centers, with 700 in-patient treatment beds. These centers aim to reduce the level of drug use among the on-reserve population.

More than 1,000 addiction treatment centers are available in the country. These include outpatient treatment centers, solvent abuse treatment centers, inpatient treatment centers, family treatment centers, and drug treatment centers serving the youth. These centers offer treatments on a day-patient, out-patient and in-patient basis. Both short-term and long-term residential care services are offered.

The services offered by the treatment centers are targeted in three key areas - prevention, intervention, and aftercare. As part of prevention, the treatment centers conduct public awareness campaigns, meetings, cultural, and spiritual events. School-based drug rehabilitation programs are also organized. Intervention activities are excellent tools to deal with the existing drug abuse problems in the society. These include recreation activities for the youth, native cultural and social programs, and discussion groups.

Aftercare is very essential for relapse prevention. For this, the drug treatment centers in Canada provide counseling, case management, and crisis intervention. They also provide treatment referrals, detox referrals, social service referrals, and medical referrals. Outreach visits are also conducted.

Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission (AADAC) - an agency of the government of Alberta - offers prevention and treatment services to help drug addicts and their families. The AADAC Business and Industry Clinic is committed to provide residential treatment programs for employees at the workplace. It provides 24 hour detoxification services, family programs, and follow-up programs.

Aventa is the only agency in Western Canada providing addiction treatment for women. Located in Calgary, it provides treatment on both outpatient and residential basis. Other popular Canadian drug treatment centers are Harvest House, Homewood Health Centre, Edgewood, Clear Haven Substance Abuse Treatment Center, and Lake Simcoe Manor.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Drug Rehabilitation Statistics On Health

Drug abuse is defined as the compulsive and habitual misuse of any drug for various purposes, such as achieving calming or euphoric effects, an escape from reality, dulling anxiety, and fighting depression. Drug abuse victims need a support system to help them overcome this negative habit. The rehabilitation of such drug abuse victims is conducted through special drug rehab programs that are designed to make the victim independent from the drug. Drug rehab statistics are an indication of the number of drug abuse victims and the common drug abuse methods.

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, it is estimated that almost 22.8 million Americans need treatment for either alcohol or drug addiction. Out of these 22.8 million people, only a small percentage received help from rehabilitation, and the rest were not exposed to any rehab programs. Around 1.2 million drug abusers who did not receive any treatment admitted to having felt the need for treatment at some point in time. A small percentage of these people disclosed that they made attempts to get some kind of help, but were unable to contact any rehab support group.

The percentage of teenagers reported to be victims of drug abuse is alarming. There were 2.3 million youth between the ages of 12 to 17 who were found to need treatment for alcohol or any other illicit drug abuse. Only 8.2 percent of these youths received any rehab help. An increased use of illegal substances such as cocaine, heroin, and other drugs among the youth is also observed.

It is possible to curb this menace if drug abuse is detected in its early stages. Behavioral change is the most reliable indicator of drug abuse in an individual. Drug rehab can help such people to overcome their addiction.

Drug Addiction Rehabilitation And Process

Rehabilitation from drug addiction is a complex process. It involves commitment from the individual addict to abstain from further drug use. The physical dependence on the drug needs to be overcome through medical intervention. Medical supervision is essential to safely detoxify an addicted individual. Safety is an issue since sudden withdrawal of a drug will lead to very profound physiological changes that can be very uncomfortable and can sometimes be life threatening. The range of drugs abused is wide but general principles apply to drug and alcohol rehabilitation.

After the medical detoxification process, which is often in an inpatient setting, a program to continue the rehab process as an outpatient is essential. Sometimes replacement drugs are needed such as methadone maintenance programs where patients are given methadone to replace the heroin that is abused. The methadone helps prevent the euphoria and at the same time decreases the craving that is central to addiction. A typical dose that may work is 30-60 milligrams of methadone daily but this is variable and depends on the intensity of addiction among other factors. Alcohol rehab often involves an acute hospital based detoxification where a thorough medical assessment is done and then drugs belonging to the class called benzodiazepines are given to prevent withdrawal. Medical issues are often the main reason an addict enters a treatment entry point.

After this acute phase an outpatient 12 step program such as Alcoholics Anonymous is critical to maintain abstinence. Many patients who are addicted to drugs have co-morbid psychiatric conditions like depression that need to be addressed. Others have HIV/AIDS, which also need to be managed if a lasting solution is needed. Many rehab programs are covered by insurance and charity. They also have social workers who will help with the practical aspects of getting back to a productive life.

Above all, the commitment of the individuals working in the program helps sustain and develop faith and trust in the system since addicts are often marginalized members of society.