Principles of Effective Treatment: An Overview

There are several steps that addiction treatment experts should take when a patient is in a rehab treatment facility. Here is an overview of some of the key elements of successful treatment.

While there are many different types of treatments available for patients at drug and alcohol rehab centers across the country, there are certain principles that should be a part of any effective treatment program. Recently, the National Institutes of Health published 13 “Principles of Effective Treatment” — research-based guidelines that they recommend for any drug treatment program.

One of the most important guidelines that a drug addiction center should follow is that while complex, addiction is a treatable disease that impacts the brain. Even after drug use is stopped, the impact of drug use on the brain of a user can be substantial. Addiction specialists need to take this into account when developing treatment plans for people with serious drug and alcohol addictions which have lasted for years.

Specialists at drug rehab centers also have to understand that there is no such thing as one “fix-all” treatment that will work for every person. Each individual is unique, and so is their addiction; not only do different types of addictions require different methods of treatment, but the reasons that people become addicted to drugs and alcohol in the first place are also varied. Treatment needs to be driven by each individual’s needs in order to have maximum effectiveness.

Along with each individual needing unique attention, it’s also true that individuals entering a rehab center need to have their entire mental and physical state evaluated and treated in order for any rehab therapy to work. There is a strong correlation between drug abuse and mental illness; in addition, many addicts came from households where family members also abused drugs or alcohol. Treating these underlying causes is a critical step in creating effective drug and alcohol treatment.

The best time for a person to get clean and sober is immediately after they decide that they need help. This is when their motivation to go through the long and arduous process of drug rehabilitation is at its highest level, giving them the best chance to stick with it and see results. For this reason, treatment options need to be readily available to people. If a person can get checked into a rehab clinic immediately or as soon as possible, they will have a higher likelihood of a positive final result.