Scientific evidence shows that anyone can be vulnerable to addiction from the sheer exposure and repeat use of drugs. Nothing echoes this more than those who use prescription painkillers for a few days only to find themselves taking more than prescribed, more often, and soon, dependent in a manner that worsens into chronic and uncontrollable use, despite the negative consequences.

According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine, “Recovery from addiction is best achieved through a combination of self-management, mutual support, and professional care provided by trained and certified professionals.” Finding the right addiction treatment improves overall physical, mental, emotional, and social health including family relationships and self-acceptance while refraining from drug abuse and planning a more positive future.

Perceiving the Need for Addiction Treatment and Pushing Past the Obstacles

According to the World Health Organization,” drug dependence has been considered, depending on the different beliefs or ideological points of view: only a social problem, only an educational or spiritual issue, only a guilty behavior to be punished, only a pharmacological problem.” Putting aside any preconceived notions about willpower to change, physiological conditions that limit or prevent change, and stigma that creates a barrier to change, too many addicts go through years of suffering in a negative state that permeates every aspect and limits the value they perceive of their life.

In truth, addiction is a chronic and relapsing brain disease that is treatable with a shift away from these types of “labeling”. With more than 1 in 5 Americans being addicted or knowing someone who is, an estimated 47,055 drug overdoses in 2014 (the highest on record with rates expected to rise), and nearly 80% of individuals with illicit drug dependence or abuse not perceiving a need for treatment, it’s time to push past the traditional perspectives of addiction and encourage addiction treatment participations.

Patient Variables

Addiction is a battle of “highs” and “lows” that progress in complexity as circuits of the brain involving rewards, stress, pain, emotions, habits, and decision-making become damaged or compromised. Regardless of genetics and biological indicators, social, or environmental risk or protection factors, with every intoxication and withdrawal there is a cascading effect that takes the person from using the drugs to feel better to using them to avoid the negativity of cravings, withdrawals, depression, anxiety, or the inability to deal with some of the most common stressors in daily routines without the use of drugs.

According to the Institute of Medicine (US)“ drug-reinforced behaviors are influenced by multiple factors including the pharmacological properties of a drug and its specific neuronal receptors and effecter systems, the learned behaviors and cognitions established during repeated episodes of drug use, and the environmental cues that accompany drug-seeking and drug-taking.” Since people progress in their course of addiction with variable influences and patterns of thoughts, behaviors, values, beliefs, poly-substance abuse, and routes of administration, the precision of addiction care makes a difference.

Precision in Addiction Care Makes a Difference

From safety, compassion, and possibly medication assistance in detox to optimizing treatment retentions in the rehabilitation and maintenance phases, and thereby, success; integrated services tailored to the unique needs of the individual and their goals has been a welcomed renewal in the concepts of addiction treatment. According to the NIDA, “Treatment outcomes depend on the:

• extent and nature of the person’s problems;
• appropriateness of treatment;
• availability of additional services; and
• quality of interaction between the person and his or her treatment providers.”

No one is immune to relapse without having the appropriate counseling, education, behavioral therapies, and support they need to tackle the ongoing aspects of their addiction once they return to their home environments and the associations that are often difficult to avoid.

Treatment Variables

Inpatient treatments are generally preferred over outpatient programs for the more severely addicted, those with longer histories of relapse, co-existing health issues, or in need of round the clock services such as medical or monitoring for effectiveness, and for those who have attempted previous outpatient treatments without success. Inpatient services may offer more one-on-one counseling, longer durations, a separation from external “triggers” to use, and specialized services and staffing that an outpatient provider may have limited access to.

Common treatment variables associated with better outcomes typically include:

• Staying in longer with compliancy to recommendations
• Having an individual counselor who is effective and knowledgeable while preserving mutual respect, trust, motivational enhancement, and providing referrals or access to outreach and agency resources as needed for health, domestic, legal, vocational, and other psychosocial support services
• Receiving proper medications
• Participating in cognitive behavioral therapies and motivational incentive therapies
• Participating in AA or NA during and after treatment to prevent relapse and work through long term recovery issues while (re) building positive relationships and a network of support
• Having sufficient and timely access to specialized services for medical, psychiatric, or family problems