Drug Addiction Programs - Doing What Nothing Else Can

No matter what means they employ, drug addictions programs all have the same end in mind: the safe arrival of their participants at an emotionally healthy and substance-abuse free life. It’s a noble goal, but not one easily achieved.

Substance abusers become addicted both mentally and physically to their drugs of choice; so their recovery requires not only that the physical cravings for the drug be eliminated, but that reasons for their emotional dependency on it are uncovered and eradicated as well. Treatment centers offering drug addicting programs must not only help the addicts withdraw from their drugs; they must offer behavioral therapy which will allow the addicts to choose for themselves sobriety as their preferred way of life.

Because drug addiction programs must be also prepared to deal with those who have been medically ravaged by their substance abuse, they need staff capable of performing medical examinations. Hepatitis and HIV tests are a given for anyone entering a drug addiction program.

Approaches To Withdrawal

Drug addiction programs must, of curse, have a way of monitoring their patients during the period of physical withdrawal from their drugs or alcohol. There are programs which require a complete cessation of the drug, and no use of non-addictive pain medication to help them through the withdrawal symptoms.

This approach is based on the philosophy that if the withdrawal is painful enough, it will serve as a deterrent when the addict had future cravings. It may also be necessary for those addicts whose systems have been so ravaged by their substance abuse that they simply cannot tolerate further chemical intervention of any kind.

Other drug addiction programs will allow those in withdrawal access to pain medication or sedatives until they can function n their own again. Many experts, however, take exception to this approach, feeling it does nothing but switch one dependency for another.

Learning New Behaviors

Another prerequisite of drug addiction programs is that they require their patients to participate in counseling. Without counseling, addicts will find it very difficult to pinpoint the reasons and deal with their addictions. Unless they understand why they became addicted, they will fid it very difficult not to return to substance abuse.

In drug addiction programs, addicts are able to discuss with others in their situations the depression, pressure to conform, sense of isolation, or any other reasons which have made them turn to substance abuse. They will be offered other healthier behaviors with which they manage negative feelings in the future.

Regardless of the details of various drug addiction programs, they are all intended to bring redemption and healing to those broken bodies and minds which can find them nowhere else.

You can also find more info on Drug Addiction Rehabilitation and Drug Addiction Statistics. Drugtreatmentinfo.org is a comprehensive resource to known more about drug addiction.