Drug Rehabilitation

Drug Rehabilitation

Case 1

With regard to Rebecca's drug problem who also has behavioral problems the treatment and medications are critically important. A client is able to function using a self-directed plan, which includes minimal interaction with a counselor. Counselor interaction takes on a monitoring function. Aftercare can occur in a variety of settings, such as periodic outpatient aftercare, relapse/recovery groups, a step by step and self-help groups, and halfway houses. Whether individuals completed primary treatment in a residential or outpatient program, they have at least some of the skills to maintain sobriety and begin work on remediating various areas of their lives.

Heroin Recovery is similar to the recovery of most addictive drugs, except that heroin withdrawal can last several weeks. Attempting heroin detoxification without professional assistance is not only dangerous, but sometimes deadly. Heroin withdrawal can cause serious physical and emotional trauma including: stroke, heart attack and even death. Methadone treatment is often used to ease heroin withdrawal, though this typically ends with the individual acquiring an addiction to another drug. Recovery from heroin addiction involves detoxification as the initial step. Secondly, the individual needs to be willing to participate in a treatment program and continually exert themselves daily throughout their heroin addiction treatment program. Heroin also produces profound degrees of tolerance and physical dependence, which are also powerful motivating factors for compulsive use and abuse. As with abusers of any addictive drug, heroin abusers gradually spend more and more time and energy obtaining and using the drug. Once they are addicted, the heroin abusers' primary purpose in life becomes seeking and using drugs. The drugs literally change their brains and their behavior.

While treatment has been shown to be very beneficial to people in the short run, many begin using alcohol and/or drugs again within 2 years of finishing their programs. Much of this recidivism can be attributed to the unchanged conditions (e.g., unemployment, lack of skills, low self-perception) of the per son's daily life following treatment. (Abadinsky H. 2008)

In order to provide a complete, supportive continuum of care, there must be a support systems providing weekly aftercare for program graduates. Clients participating in aftercare have usually completed residential, day, or outpatient treatment programs. Although they have completed a more intensive level of care generally referred to as primary treatment, clients are more likely to be successful in maintaining abstinence if they are involved in recovery activities on a long term basis. The aftercare program sometimes consists of a weekly group facilitated by an experienced counselor who helps guide clients in their recovery efforts, assisting them in meeting the goals contained in their continuing care plans. Aftercare is considered a forum in which clients may explore successes, obstacles, and day to day issues that confront them, receiving feedback and support from the group facilitator and other participants. (Abadinsky H. 2008)

Lapses to drug use can occur during treatment. The objective monitoring of a patient's drug and alcohol use during treatment, such as through urinalysis or other tests, can help the patient ...