Therapy for Drug Addiction– Some Important Facts To Know

Drug addiction is something that affects many people’s lives and wellbeing in devastating ways. Also because of the combination of biological and psychological factors involved in drug addiction, recovering from addiction can be very difficult. Recovery from drug addiction is possible, but usually requires the help of medical and psychological professionals. If you are looking for therapists who treat drug addiction in Claremont, read this brief article to give you valuable information to have on your search.

First, according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, drug addiction is “a chronic disease characterized by compulsive, or uncontrollable, drug seeking and use despite harmful consequences and changes in the brain, which can be long lasting.” Examples of common drug addictions in America include alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, pain killers, prescription sedatives and stimulants, cocaine, ecstasy, heroine, and methamphetamines. Also important to know about drug addiction is that relapses (occurs when after a period sobriety, an individual starts using the drug again) are common to this disease. As stated above, it is possible to successfully treat drug addiction and the goals of most treatments are to help the individual cease the use of the drug of choice and maintain sobriety while also increasing their ability to function in the world.

Therapists work in a variety of settings helping people reach such goals. Furthermore, many mental health professionals work alongside medical professionals to treat the addiction both biologically and psychologically. Many times a client will go through a detox phase at the beginning of treatment, which may involve medication treatment to help stabilize the person as well as treat other disorders the person may have. The help of a qualified therapist is important in this stage, as the withdrawal symptoms may include psychological symptoms like anxiety or depression. Once the person is stabilized, therapists begin treatment to help the client gain more insight and develop skills to cope with their addiction.

A common treatment used to treat drug addiction is behavioral therapy. Even if behavioral therapy is not the only intervention used, it is likely to be among the treatment strategies if not the only one. The National Institute of Drug Addiction also cites the following as common forms of behavioral therapy used to treat drug addiction:

• cognitive behavioral therapy
• multi-dimensional family therapy
• motivational interviewing
• motivational incentives

When seeking a therapist to treat drug addiction, it is helpful to understand their approach to treatment. Furthermore, it is important to have the help of healthcare professionals when starting the detox process. For effective therapy for drug addiction in Claremont or for more information, contact (VOBH) - a group of collaborating psychologists located in South Pasadena.