5 Top Options For Young Adult Drug TreatmentDrug abuse among teenagers is on the rise these days. This is why institutions are continuously developing new ways to approach the problem. Advances in young adult drug treatments can now be found in most rehabilitation centers that cater to teenagers. Of course, recovery from substance abuse is always a hard and complicated process. It is a long-term journey through uncontrollable relapses which may be painful and disappointing. You should always bear this mind when considering the choices for drug treatment in young addicts. Several of them are as follows: 1. Behavioral therapies are commonly administered in drug treatments for adolescents because they have resulted in initial and long-term abstinence among abusers. Under this is a popular treatment called cognitive behavioral relapse prevention in which adolescents are trained to develop new skills to help them act and think away from drugs. They learn to avoid conditions and situations that expose or lead them to drug use. They also practice drug refusal skills. They learn that relapses are not a sign of failure but rather a “slip” that can be corrected successfully. 2. Another well-developed behavioral therapy being used today is contingency management. It is a system of rewards and punishments administered to the patient that makes him look at abstinence in a more positive way and drug use in a negative and unattractive way. This facilitates a more socially active lifestyle as compared to a drug abusive lifestyle. Reinforcement is mainly rewarded by the community which is very helpful in discouraging drug substance abuse. 3. Together with behavioral therapies, medications are also seen as effective ways to maintain withdrawal and abstinence in patients. Withdrawal medications help in initially suppressing the urge to take drugs but this must be closely monitored and implemented with an appropriate treatment program to avoid relapses. Medications also help to normalize brain function during the treatment process. There are medical treatments for opioid, stimulant and nicotine addictions. An example of an apt medical treatment is the Methadone Treatment which is used to treat opioid addiction. It acts on the same areas of the brain (as morphine and heroin do) by blocking the effects of the drugs, thereby suppressing drug cravings. Once cravings are diminished, there is a higher potential for the patient to be more receptive to behavioral therapies and eventually lead to a more successful recovery. Administering these treatments however does need some training which is why it is important to make sure that your physician has undergone training for use of these medications. 4. There are also out patient behavior treatments available for patients who go to treatment facilities on a regular basis. This usually involves individual and group drug counseling. Therapies include:
5. For those with more severe problems, residential treatment is a good option for them. Under this program, the patient is enrolled in a highly structured program initiated in therapeutic communities. The patient will reside in the community for 8-12 months. This is recommended for those who have long histories of drug abuse, those who have extremely impaired social and brain functioning and for those with criminal histories. This program focuses on the re-socialization of patients to a drug-free community. The young adults will re-learn the necessary skills to cope with the real world while maintaining a drug-free lifestyle. |