Addiction Treatment
Addiction treatment is, in no uncertain terms, the treatment of addiction. Of course, of course: that much should be obvious, right? A no-brainer. A foregone conclusion. But look at the statement again. Think about it, mull it over, let it take root in your head. Addiction treatment is the treatment of addiction. What does it mean, exactly? What’s the buried truth—the deeper truth—there between the words? Pay special attention to the last part of the sentence: the treatment of addiction. Not of addicts—of addiction. Small as it may seem, that distinction—of addiction versus of addicts—is of critical importance to the recovery process.
Addiction is a disease. Period. It’s not “like” a disease; it’s not “almost” a disease. It is a disease, same as AIDS or cancer or any other more “conventional” ailment for which millions of American patients receive treatment. An addict is not an addict because he or she has some gross personal flaw—not anymore than a diabetic is a diabetic because of his or her lack of ethical character. Addicts, like diabetics, are sick. Clinically sick. Scientifically sick. Sick in a way that needs healing. Sick in a way, most importantly, that can and must be treated.
And so we’re back to square one: Addiction treatment is the treatment of addiction. Not addicts. Addiction. Addiction treatment aims to cure the patient, to combat the disease—addiction—which has made him or her sick in the first place. Addiction treatment does not pass judgment. It does not stigmatize, does not cast blame upon the individuals who receive it. Addiction treatment, simply put, aims to fix what’s wrong. Beyond that, all other considerations—moral, social, spiritual—are irrelevant.
But how, then, is that fixing accomplished? How does addiction treatment actually work? Individuals weighing the merits of recovery programs—either for themselves or for someone they love—often have questions about the most essential elements of the treatment process: conceptual methodology, structural organization, practical effectiveness. In order to make an informed, intelligent treatment decision, the potential patient—or his or her caretaker—must address each one of these areas in turn.
From a methodological standpoint, addiction treatment seeks to meet the specific needs of every individual patient; just as no two addicts are exactly alike, so should no two treatment programs be exactly the same. With that in mind, addiction treatment is geared towards treating the whole patient, not just his or her addiction. In practical terms, this means addressing a wide range of problems: medical, emotional, psychological, social, vocational, and legal. Addiction treatment is also defined by its inherently responsive, adaptable nature; as the needs of the patient change, the parameters of his or her treatment program must adapt in kind.
Broadly speaking, those parameters include two primary modes of treatment: behavioral and medical. Behavioral treatment aims to resolve the psychological underpinnings of an addict’s disease, both by exploring the roots of the addiction itself and by identifying the behaviors and thought processes that help sustain it. Behavioral treatment can include psychotherapy, cognitive therapy, and individual and group counseling. Medical treatment, by comparison, helps patients stabilize their lives—and stay off of illicit drugs—by providing chemical substitutes for addictive substances. Medical treatment techniques—like methadone maintenance programs for recovering heroin users, or nicotine patches for cigarette smokers—are effective insofar as they can ease the cravings associated with repetitive long-term drug use. In general, addiction treatment incorporates both behavioral and medical therapies in the healing process.
With respect to structural organization, addiction treatment is conventionally divided into a number of distinct phases, all of which function as complements to and outgrowths of one another. Addiction treatment typically begins with a one- or two-week detox program, which cleanses a patient’s system of all remaining drug residuals. From there, treatment transitions into primary care, wherein an individual continues to fight the physical ailments of post-addiction while developing the emotional and social skills necessary for functional sobriety. That process, which usually lasts for at least a month, often continues in extended care programs, which build on the gains made during primary care in a more advanced environment. For many patients, the recovery process continues in halfway houses, 3/4-way houses, and sober living houses, all of which build towards the ultimate goal of self-supervised independent living. Studies have indicated that addiction treatment is most effective when patients spend at least three months in their recovery programs, though longer stays—of six months or a year, for example—have been shown to demonstrably enhance an individual’s chances for long-term success.
And, finally, a word on that success. For most potential patients, this is the most important consideration: Will addiction treatment work? Will it fix what’s wrong with me? The short answer is a resounding yes. Though no program is perfect, addiction treatment is generally every bit as effective as treatment of other chronic diseases, like diabetes or asthma. A number of studies have shown that drug treatment reduces drug use by up to 60 percent, and leads to a significant decline in criminal activity both during and after a patient’s time in a recovery program. Treatment has also been shown to reduce the rate of HIV infection for intravenous drug users and increase an individual’s prospects for employment by as much as 40 percent. Granted, specific treatment outcomes depend on the particular circumstances of individual patients, and there is no guarantee that any one treatment program will be successful. That said, though, addiction treatment very certainly does give a patient reason to hope—which, when weighed against the alternative, would seem at the very least to be a chance worth taking.
