Although it has a significant drug and alcohol problem, California has put considerable resources into the treatment of its citizens, and is also one of the most progressive states in the U.S. in terms of addiction treatment.
Few states have as diverse a population, and as such, the programs that serve them must be forward-thinking as well. This is true in terms of drug and alcohol detox. California alcohol and drug detox programs that are a part of alcohol and drug rehab employ the latest methods of treatment -and are constantly finding new ways to help individuals overcome their physical addiction issues.
Question:
What is Drug
Addiction
Treatment?
Answer:
There are
many
addictive
drugs, and
treatments
for specific
drugs can
differ.
Treatment
also varies
depending on
the
characteristics
of the
patient.
Problems
associated
with an
individual's
drug
addiction
can vary
significantly.
People who
are addicted
to drugs
come from
all walks of
life. Many
suffer from
mental
health,
occupational,
health, or
social
problems
that make
their
addictive
disorders
much more
difficult to
treat. Even
if there are
few
associated
problems,
the severity
of addiction
itself
ranges
widely among
people.
A variety of
scientifically
based
approaches
to drug
addiction
treatment
exists. Drug
addiction
treatment
can include
behavioral
therapy
(such as
counseling,
cognitive
therapy, or
psychotherapy),
medications,
or their
combination.
Behavioral
therapies
offer people
strategies
for coping
with their
drug
cravings,
teach them
ways to
avoid drugs
and prevent
relapse, and
help them
deal with
relapse if
it occurs.
When a
person's
drug-related
behavior
places him
or her at
higher risk
for AIDS or
other
infectious
diseases,
behavioral
therapies
can help to
reduce the
risk of
disease
transmission.
Case
management
and referral
to other
medical,
psychological,
and social
services are
crucial
components
of treatment
for many
patients.
(See
Treatment
Section for
more detail
on types of
treatment
and
treatment
components.)
The best
programs
provide a
combination
of therapies
and other
services to
meet the
needs of the
individual
patient,
which are
shaped by
such issues
as age,
race,
culture,
sexual
orientation,
gender,
pregnancy,
parenting,
housing, and
employment,
as well as
physical and
sexual
abuse.
Treatment
medications,
such as
methadone,
LAAM, and
naltrexone,
are
available
for
individuals
addicted to
opiates.
Nicotine
preparations
(patches,
gum, nasal
spray) and
bupropion
are
available
for
individuals
addicted to
nicotine.
Medications,
such as
antidepressants,
mood
stabilizers,
or
neuroleptics,
may be
critical for
treatment
success when
patients
have
co-occurring
mental
disorders,
such as
depression,
anxiety
disorder,
bipolar
disorder, or
psychosis.
Treatment
can occur in
a variety of
settings, in
many
different
forms, and
for
different
lengths of
time.
Because drug
addiction is
typically a
chronic
disorder
characterized
by
occasional
relapses, a
short-term,
one-time
treatment
often is not
sufficient.
For many,
treatment is
a long-term
process that
involves
multiple
interventions
and attempts
at
abstinence.
