Four Different Treatment Options for Addiction

Addiction is a complex condition that requires a comprehensive approach to treatment. Medications, behavioral therapies, and other forms of treatment can help people in recovery to manage their addiction and achieve long-term sobriety. Inpatient and outpatient programs offer different levels of care, depending on the severity of the addiction. Detoxification is usually the first step in treatment, followed by formal evaluation and referral to drug addiction treatment.

Therapies used in addiction treatment are based on a person's health and substance abuse patterns. Through therapy, counseling, rehabilitation and other treatment modalities, the central reasoning for the development of addiction can be discussed and the coping mechanism and healing can be started. Medications are not an independent treatment for addiction and should accompany other management methods, such as psychotherapy. Inpatient rehabilitation centers offer structured treatment programs designed to address all facets of an individual's addiction. During inpatient rehabilitation, patients reside in a substance-free facility and receive 24-hour medical care and therapeutic support.

Inpatient rehabilitation centers are a great option for people struggling with chronic addiction, as well as those suffering from a co-occurring mental or behavioral disorder. Outpatient rehabilitations are another form of comprehensive addiction care. These programs offer many of the same types of effective treatments and therapies as inpatient rehabilitation centers. However, outpatient rehabilitations allow patients to live at home during the recovery process. Patients can continue to work and care for their families while attending scheduled treatment sessions throughout the week. Sober living homes function as a residential bridge between an inpatient treatment center and a return to normal life.

These are an excellent option for people in recovery who need extra time to reinforce what they have learned in rehabilitation. Sober living homes help people in recovery strengthen their new healthy habits while still residing in the comfort of a structured environment. The most effective types of treatment programs ensure that people in recovery are actively involved every step of the way. Treatment plans are usually designed to address physical, psychological, emotional, and social problems, as well as substance use. Treatment programs are different for each person and can be customized based on unique needs and situations. For people with a physical dependence on certain substances, mainly heroin and other opioids, medications are provided in a specialized outpatient setting in combination with counseling and other treatment services.

The FDA recently approved lofexidine to help reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms in patients receiving treatment for opioid addiction. Residential treatment programs should incorporate all these services into a multi-angle treatment approach. Addiction requires individualized treatments and modalities that address the symptoms and underlying causes of the disease, as well as the consequences that substance use has on different areas of a person's life.