Drug addiction is a complex neurobiological disease that leads to profound drug cravings and abnormal behavior. Drug addicts typically suffer from several effects of their disease: loss of employment, financial difficulties and the loss of healthy interpersonal relationships with family and friends. Drug addiction treatment commonly works to restore the mental well-being of an addict, allowing them to resist future drug use. There are a number of treatment solutions available to addicts and their families to help treat drug addiction.
12-Step Program
A common solution for drug addiction is a 12-step program to treat the addiction causing drug use. The program involves forging a meaningful relationship between the recovering addict and sponsor, who helps the addict deal with stress in her life and continue to resist drug use. Addicts begin the program by recognizing their powerlessness over their disease and go on to discuss the consequences of their drug addiction. Over time, recovering addicts learn to develop meaningful friendships to regulate their emotions, instead of turning to drugs. Twelve-step programs form an integral part of many drug addiction programs, and programs are often available for free for several types of drug addiction, including alcohol and cocaine addiction and narcotics abuse, according to Arcadia University.
Inpatient Treatment
Another solution for drug addiction is inpatient addiction treatment, also called rehab. During inpatient treatment, a recovering addict lives in a drug dependency hospital to help overcome his addiction. Inpatient treatment allows addicts to undergo drug withdrawal under the constant supervision of trained medical professionals, helping to ensure their continued safety as they go through detox. Patients in inpatient rehab follow a structured daily schedule, including 12-step meetings as well as individual and group therapy to discuss the underlying causes of their addiction. AddictionInfo.org indicates that this intensive drug addiction solution is most appropriate for patients with a disruptive home environment, a pre-existing medical condition or patients who have not responded to other drug addiction solutions.
Outpatient Therapy
Outpatient treatment allows recovering addicts to attend meetings to help support their sobriety, but allows for more flexibility and a smaller time commitment than inpatient treatment. Patients receiving outpatient therapy ideally attend 12-step meetings daily as well as individual therapy sessions with a licensed mental health professional. Patients may also attend group therapy sessions with other recovering addicts or attend classes at drug dependency hospitals. The Recovery Zone, a resource designed to help recovering addicts and their families, explains that the level of structure within outpatient therapy can vary from mandatory check-ins at drug dependency centers to a self-implemented plan carried out independently.
