Simon Pure

How Effective is Drug Addiction Treatment?

Many years of research has shown that drug and alcohol addictions are clearly treatable. Drug addiction treatment has been shown to be effective in reducing drug use and STD infection, diminishing the health and social costs that result from addiction, and decreasing criminal behavior. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), which supports more than 85 percent of the world’s research on drug abuse and addiction, has found that behavioral approaches can be very effective in treating cocaine and other drug addictions.

Is there Support for Professionals in Drug Addiction Counseling?

To ensure that treatment providers apply the most current scientifically supported approaches to their patients, there are available manuals and websites for professional medical and therapeutic counselors involved in drug addiction counseling. The manuals are derived from those used efficaciously in many drug abuse treatment studies. They are intended for use by drug abuse treatment practitioners, mental health professionals, and all others concerned with the treatment of drug addiction.

How can a Manual help in Drug Alcohol Treatment?

Drug treatment manuals present clear, helpful information to aid drug alcohol treatment practitioners in providing the best possible care that science has to offer. They describe scientifically supported therapies for addiction and give guidance on session content and how to implement specific techniques. Of course, there is no substitute for training and supervision, and these manuals may not be applicable to all types of patients nor compatible with all clinical programs or treatment approaches. Any addiction support manuals should be viewed as a supplement to, but not a replacement for, careful assessment of each patient, appropriate case formulation, ongoing monitoring of clinical status, and clinical judgment.