Addiction Treatment Approaches

Treatment Approaches Used Within Residential Programs

There are several approaches used in treatment today. Here is a list of different types:

Relapse Prevention Therapy
In relapse therapy, patients learn to enhance self-control skills by recognizing and correcting problem behavior. Specific techniques include weighing the positive and negative consequences of continued drug use, self-monitoring in order to identify high-risk situations for use and developing methods used for coping with or avoiding those situations.

Motivational Enhancement Therapy
For individuals ambivalent towards treatment, this approach aims to quickly motivate patients into discontinuing drug use. The therapy consists of an initial assessment battery session, followed by two to four individual treatment sessions with a therapist. The first session attempts to elicit self-motivational statements and a plan for change that includes suggested strategies for coping with high-risk situations. In subsequent meetings, the therapist monitors change, reviews cessation strategies being used and continues to encourage commitment to change or sustained abstinence. Patients are sometimes also encouraged to bring a significant other to sessions.

Supportive Expressive Therapy
Designed to help patients feel comfortable in relating their personal experiences and to identify/work through their interpersonal relationship issues, it allows participants to explore ways in which to solve these problem feelings and behaviors without falling back on previous addictive behaviors.

Individualized Drug Counseling
Helps patients develop coping skills and other strategies, in order to stop drug use and achieve total abstinence. Twelve-step participation is encouraged, along with other services that address other problem issues, such as employment status, illegal activity and family/social relationships. Counseling sessions are usually scheduled one to two times a week.

Matrix Model
Serving mostly stimulant abusers, the Matrix Model incorporates several treatment methods, including relapse prevention, family and group therapies, drug education and self- help participation. It also offers education for family members affected by the addiction. However, this treatment method relies most heavily on relationships forged between patient and therapist. Acting as a teacher and coach, therapists educate patients about issues critical to addiction and relapse, and attempt to raise the patient's self-esteem, dignity and self- worth through continual encouragement and positive reinforcement of desired behavioral changes. Maintaining a positive relationship is crucial for patient retention.

Behavioral Therapy for Adolescents
Behavioral therapy attempts to help young patients exert control by avoiding situations associated with drug use, recognizing and changing thoughts, feelings or plans that lead to drug use and enlisting family/friends to help them stay away from drugs. Therapeutic activities may include fulfilling specific assignments, rehearsing desired behaviors and recording and reviewing progress. Praises and privileges are consistently given for meeting assigned goals and demonstrating desired behaviors as positive reinforcement.

Multidimensional Family Therapy (MDFT) for Adolescents
Outpatient drug abuse treatment positively utilizes the network of influences on youth behavior by incorporating family as an active part of therapy. During individual and family sessions, therapists he lp develop crucial skills that enable teenagers to cope with life stressors and allow parents to improve their parenting. Young patients attempt to better their decision- making, negotiation, problem-solving and communication skills, while parents work to positively influence their children.

[Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse]