Drug treatment centers are they effective

Drug treatment centers- are they effective?

Abstaining from mind altering substances is one of the many aims of individuals entering drug treatment centres. This goal requires not just the absence of the drug of choice that the service user admitted on but also the avoidance of transferring the dependence onto alternative substances.

Drug treatment centres; will approach this by trying to address all areas of an individual lifestyle which are related to dependence, and also possible relapse. This includes aiming for healthy relationships, teaching effecting coping strategies in relation to relapse triggers, addressing underlying issues and ensuring the individual works towards a future free from substances and the associated problems (Boyd, 2010).

It is perhaps this approach of tackling not only the physical side of dependence but also the psychological, social and financial effects it can have on an individual's lifestyle, which leads to the higher success rates of residential treatment than other forms of treatment.

Another factor that may contribute to the increased outcome of success following residential stays is their efforts to get service users engaged and participating in fellowship meetings and self help support groups (Best et al, 2008). Similarly Predictors of 4-year outcome of community residential treatment for patients with substance use disorders, published in 2008 found that higher engagement with 12 step philosophy and coping strategies predicted higher success rates following treatment.

These factors may be the reason behind the findings from the National Treatment outcome Research Study (2001) that showed residential rehabilitation significantly reduces the usage of illicit drugs, and lead CSCI inspector David Finney to state that 'Residential rehabs outstrip other sectors in every outcome group we measure'. There is also a clear trend that longer residential programmes predict better outcomes of success than other forms of treatment (Gossop et al., 1999).

With recent policy changes which include more graded approaches of residential care based on the intensity of the dependence, it suggests these results regarding the effectiveness of residential treatment have not gone unnoticed.

Source

http://www.addictiontoday.org/addictiontoday/2011/01/look-to-the-future-drug-strategy-and-related-consultation-papers.html

Breaking the Cycle: Effective Punishment, Rehabilitation and Sentencing of Offenders

Presented to Parliament by the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice by Command of Her Majesty December 2010

Best, Loaring and Ghufran (2008) Does Treating People increase their chance for absteinace? addcitiontoday.org

Boyd, D. (2010) REHABILITATION WORKS: THE EVIDENCE at http://www.addictiontoday.org/addictiontoday/2010/11/rehabilitation-evidence.html

www.addictiontoday.org/addictiontoday/2010/10/rehabs-work-researchon-success.html

The UK National Treatment Outcome Research Study – NTORS London 2001

Gossop M, Marsden J, Stewart D and Rolfe A. (1999) Treatment retention and 1 year outcomes for residential programmes in England, Drug Alcohol Dependence, 57(2): 89-98.

Published by PCUG Addiction Treatment on 14/07/2020.