Drug addiction treatment is a medical or psychotherapeutical approach to rehabilitation for dependence on psychoactive substances like alcohol, prescription medications, and other illegal substances like cocaine, heroin, or methamphetamine. Rehabilitation involves a series of treatments in which the patient seeks to overcome an addiction. Many people are unaware of this fact that some people suffer from addictions for years before getting to a point where they are free of them. This does not mean that someone cannot recover from addictions; in fact it is the reverse. The person with an addiction is at a higher risk of becoming addicted again, so the earlier he or she is treated, the better. People who do not have a chance to treat their addictions in time will have problems later on and may be hospitalized.
The first step in drug addiction treatment is detoxification. A person undergoing detoxification needs to be given a detox diet that includes a strict avoidance of alcohol and nicotine in the person’s diet. Alcohol and smoking should be avoided completely for at least 72 hours. It is also necessary to start taking medication prescribed by your doctor. Depending on the type of drug used, there will be specific medication prescribed to the person. After detoxification, a person who has been through drug addiction treatment will go through various activities designed to break the psychological hold that the drug held over the addict.
During this period, a person must stay away from the drugs if possible so as to avoid having the various psychological processes repeated. He or she should also try to maintain a stable work schedule. Other treatment services will also include counseling and therapy. Counseling will involve talking to the patient about the problem and how to solve it. Therapy will involve group sessions or individual sessions where the patient can speak to another person about his or her drug addiction. Another important part of the drug addiction treatment is that the patient be taught self-help skills that will help the person to stop using drugs. This can include hypnotherapy, counseling, or hypnosis.
