How Effective Are Substance Abuse Treatments?
Question by scarlet j: How effective are substance abuse treatments?
I have recently convinced my husband to undergo a substance abuse treatment, and now I am searching for an addiction center that will fit him. But just a few days ago, a friend of mine called me, and said that his son went back to using drugs after two months of abstinence. Now, that gives me doubts if treatment programs can effectively help my husband. Is relapse a normal occurrence? Will I keep my trust on addiction treatment programs?
Best answer:
Answer by johnny c
Relapse does happen to a lot of recovering addicts, sometimes even earlier than they are expected (if they are at all). It is, however, not just to place doubt on the credibility of substance abuse treatments. In fact, addict patients in this generation should be gratified since they are luckier enough to be served with treatment programs that have a holistic approach to recovery, which older generations must have wished to have.
Though relapse can sometimes appear as a normal occurrence, it can be aptly avoided if a recovering addict pushes efforts to get away from the circumstances, people, or environment from which temptation may arise. This is why post-treatments such as counseling and group meetings are collaboratively helpful to support a recovering addict in his struggles with relapse attempts. The family and friends’ encouragement can’t also be discounted as a great help.
So now, I am hoping for your peace and your husband’s recovery!
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!
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4 Responses to How Effective Are Substance Abuse Treatments?
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my son has been in treatment 3 times it wont help unless they want it
Addiction is a chronic progressive disease. As with all chronic progressive diseases relapse is part of the illness.
A good predictor of ongoing recovery is:
1. Personal commitment to remaining clean and sober.
2. Working a daily program of recovery.
3. Time – length of abstinence
4. Gainful employment.
There are some medications that will help, especially in early recovery. Programs that understand and teach the elements of the neurobiology of addiction are more likely to be the most current.
it’s a complicated answer because some treatment programs are effective for some people. it’s really good that you and your husband are trying to find a facility that will best meet him and his needs. it’s also important that your husband is doing this willingly because treatment is most effective when the patient actually wants to get better. also, it is very common for relapses to occur after inpatient treatment. sometimes this happens because people think that treatment ends after they leave the hospital. that is only the beginning of treatment; after leaving inpatient, it’s so incredibly important to have continued outpatient support in order to most effectively prevent relapses.
First, I’d like to say that the following is / was true for myself and may have nothing to do with your husband’s situtation – take what you need and leave the rest.
Secondly, I’d like to say that I myself am a recovering addict of MANY different types of addictions. Some I have overcome, like drinking and drugs, but other addictions I am still fighting, like smoking. Some addictions I will probably die with, like eating, but at least I am happy now and do not need alcohol or drugs anymore to kill my inner pain.
Thirdly, I’d like to comment on johnny’s answer only because it reminds me so much of a “Just Say No” attitude. Some people WILL have a harder time than others winning victory over addiction. Some people, sadly enough, will never win the fight. However, If a person seems to continually fail in their recovery program, it may be sign that there are hidden issues that need to be dealt with. I do agree, however, with something I read on one of Johnny’s links: that a person needs a program “tailored to his or her needs”.
Lastly, I’d like to say that in all the treatment programs and groups I have attended in my life, it seems that the people who lived in extremely dysfunctional families seemed to have the most incidence of relapse. I believe this is because they have little foundation and support (people who understand) to work with, self-esteem being a big part of the puzzle. I worked on my recovery for over twenty years, and it was only four years ago that I finally managed to stop the drinking and drugging. A big reason for this is that most programs were not equipped to deal with all the other problems I had growing up in a drug addicted / alcoholic family that contained hidden incest issues and tons of codependence, which of course, I learned growing up. I also had PTSD issues that had to be dealt with. Other families are scarred by workaholism, perfectionism, etc. – the list goes on and on. One of the most important things I learned in my recovery is that if you have issues from your past (or present) that have not been dealt with and someone says, “Get over it already”, they are totally wrong. You CAN’T just “get over it”. It has to be worked through and worked out, otherwise, all other treatment will be a waste of time. And if someone says, “my / your past (present) wasn’t (isn’t) as bad as all that”, they too are wrong, because it all has to do with how one experiences it – how each day, each event, each feeling is perceived and experienced amid all the others. Sometimes medication is needed to help with depression issues. Working on codependence issues, I think, is a must. Anyone who puts down the idea of codependency does not really understand it. Good luck and may God bless your family and your husband’s recovery