Author: James Anderson

Drug addiction substance use disorder Diagnosis and treatment

Blaming, accusing, causing guilt, threatening, or arguing isn’t helpful. An intervention is an organized effort to intervene in a person’s addiction by discussing how their drinking, drug use, or addiction-related behavior has affected everyone around them. Triggers can be any person, place, or thing that sparks the craving for using.

A 2009 study compared people who underwent interventions to people who had four other types of treatment referrals. The intervention group was more likely than any other group to go to treatment. Interventions and one other type of coercive referral had links with a higher chance of completing treatment.

Who Should Be Included at an Intervention?

The program involves teachers, parents, and elementary school children. The Strengthening Families Program (SFP) is a drug use intervention that provides evidence-based family skills training for the general population and high-risk families. Project Star is a community-based drug use prevention initiative for parents, schools, the media, community-based organizations, and health policymakers. SFA is a universal commercial life skills education program for middle school students. The Caring School community initiative works to address risk and protective factors among elementary school children.

1. BetterHelp can connect you to an addiction and mental health counselor.
2. Outpatient programs provide treatment while allowing adolescents to live at home and attend school.
3. Withdrawing from drugs should be done under the guidance of a medical professional to ensure safety.
4. However, completing treatment does not equal long-term recovery and sobriety.
5. A person will want to consider actions they can take such as committing to change, seeking support, and eliminating triggers.

As they encounter new social and academic situations, they often face more significant peer pressure and the availability of prescription drugs. These interactions increase the likelihood of using tobacco, alcohol, and other substances. While interventions are popular, there is little scientific research assessing how well they work or compare to other interventions. For example, a 1996 study found that people whose loved ones staged interventions were more likely to enter treatment than those who just received referrals for treatment. The goal of detoxification, also called “detox” or withdrawal therapy, is to enable you to stop taking the addicting drug as quickly and safely as possible.

Products and Services

Behavioral therapies help people in drug addiction treatment modify their attitudes and behaviors related to drug use. As a result, patients are able to handle stressful situations and various triggers that might cause another relapse. Behavioral therapies can also enhance the effectiveness of medications and help people remain in treatment longer.

Depending on the addiction, medications may also be available to help. Formerly known as Preparing for the Drug-Free Years, this evidence-based prevention program equips parents with the knowledge and skills to reduce risk factors and strengthen family bonds. When choosing a prevention program for adolescents, it’s imperative to consider their specific needs, circumstances, and treatment goals. The goal is to coerce someone who may be resistant to treatment for their addiction into accepting treatment. In the ideal scenario, they recognize the consequences of their addiction and freely choose treatment following an intervention. However, different sources, such as internal medical staff, also felt the coercion.

The severity of addiction and drug or drugs being used will play a role in which treatment plan is likely to work the best. Treatment that addresses the specific situation and any co-occurring medical, psychiatric, and social problems is optimal for leading to long-term recovery and preventing relapse. Medication can be an effective part of a larger treatment plan for people who have nicotine use disorder, alcohol use disorder, or opioid use disorder. They can be used to help control drug cravings, relieve symptoms of withdrawal, and to help prevent relapses. For example, if a drug prevention program is family-based, parents can receive drug education and information that builds on what the children learn in their school programs.

In an opioid overdose, a medicine called naloxone can be given by emergency responders, or in some states, by anyone who witnesses an overdose. Bear in mind that setting boundaries such as “I can no longer give you money if you continue to use drugs,” is not the same as threatening a person with punishment. Whatever is said during an intervention should be done so with the intention of helping the person accept help. Withdrawing from drugs should be done under the guidance of a medical professional to ensure safety.

Detox Is Not Stand-Alone Treatment

Lofexidine was the first medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat opioid withdrawals. Compared to a placebo (a pill with no therapeutic value), it significantly reduces symptoms of withdrawal and may cause less of a drop in blood pressure than similar agents. Over 20 million people aged 12 or older had a substance use disorder in 2018. An intervention gives your loved one a chance to make changes before things get even worse. The program reinforces students’ sense of community or attachment to school. Residential or inpatient programs involve the adolescent residing in a treatment facility for a specified period, usually from several weeks to several months.

Your treatment depends on the drug used and any related medical or mental health disorders you may have. An intervention includes trained professionals like a drug and alcohol counselor, therapist, and/or interventionist who can help guide a family through the preparation and execution. It occurs in a controlled setting (not in the person’s home or family home).

Common triggers include places you’ve done drugs, friends you’ve used with, and anything else that brings up memories of your drug use. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, these groups that were often out of reach to many are now available online around the clock through video meetings. Such groups are not considered part of a formal treatment plan, but they are considered as useful in conjunction with professional treatment.