Intervention Treatment and Relapse Prevention

[Writer's Name]

[Institution Name]

Intervention Treatment and Relapse Prevention

Introduction

This article offers an approach to treatment and rehabilitation with emphasis on the early stages of the process of patients on chemical dependency treatment, "the motivation to change," the use of adjunctive pharmacotherapy maintenance methods and achievements in the long term, as "relapse prevention".

Discussion

Only some of the patients dependent on psychoactive substances spontaneously stop using drugs. Patients who achieve long-term commitment to a structured treatment have a higher success rate than those who do not join this type of therapy. The addiction treatment is to have a diagnosis of either abuse or substance dependence.

In the case of substance abuse, the implementation of strategies of "minimal intervention" such as education about reducing or stopping the use, techniques for self and family support may be sufficient to achieve an improvement. In the case of alcohol, it should help the patient achieve a moderate consumption, which generates no deleterious effects physical, psychological or family (Naranjo and Sellers, 1992). When this goal is not achievable with various educational or therapeutic interventions, the goal should be abstinence. In the case of illegal drugs (marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines, etc.) indicating abstinence should always be present.

If the patient's diagnosis is that of substance dependence (alcohol or drugs), the therapeutic approach depends on clinical findings, namely:

Treatment of poisoning. 

Treatment of withdrawal syndrome. 

Treatment of the complications of the drug. 

Treatment of dependence itself. 

Long-term monitoring

Basis of Treatment

Stages

The process of treatment and rehabilitation should be designed in phases, which together take years to establish an overall recovery of the individual and this particular process of each individual (Marlatt and Gordon, 1985). To achieve this goal we must emphasize that only through prolonged abstinence from all psychoactive substances (drugs and alcohol), with a psychotherapeutic process and "personal growth," the subject will be able to resume responsibility for their lives and hence, improve their personal, family, work, social and spiritual. It is important to recognize the existence of the phases of recovery, raising various responsibilities for the clinician (Kominars, 1997). Table 1 outlines these phases, which are measured from which the patient has left the last time consuming. 

TABLE 1 Stages of recovery and clinical tasks

Phase

Period

Clinical Tasks

Phase I: Initial or deprivation 

Phase II: Intermediate extension or withdrawal 

Phase III: Delayed recovery or search

Lasts 1 to 14 days (depending on the substance) 

First 6 months of abstinence. 

From 6 months onwards for years, the former being the hardest.

-Evaluation -Stabilization -Keep the patient in treatment -Enhance motivation 

-Continue evaluation -Reduce risk of relapse -Maintaining Motivation -Support function of the "I" 

-Improve autocotrol -Keep the same tasks Long-term follow-vital Personal growth or psychotherapy-

Treatment Centers 

To make a timely and appropriate referral is necessary to know the different types of treatment centers that focus on different stages: 

Information Centers: are sites that give information to patients on where to go for therapy.

Shelters: are centers of first contact for drug dependent contemplative or action phase, in which the patient is received and prepared to enter a therapeutic community. 

Detoxification units: generally located in hospitals and provide detoxification for patients who request it. 

Outpatient treatment centers: these centers offer comprehensive therapy, either individual or group mode. They attend patients in various stages ...