strategy

Treating drug addiction

Synonyms:
Treating drug addicts
Rehabilitating drug victims
Applying psychopharmacology
Implementation:
In November 1997, the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) convened a Consensus Panel on Effective Medical Treatment of Heroin Addiction. The panel of national experts concluded that opiate drug addictions are diseases of the brain and medical disorders that indeed can be treated effectively. The panel strongly recommended (1) broader access to methadone maintenance treatment programs for people who are addicted to heroin or other opiate drugs; and (2) the Federal and State regulations and other barriers impeding this access be eliminated. This panel also stressed the importance of providing substance abuse counseling, psychosocial therapies, and other supportive services to enhance retention and successful outcomes in methadone maintenance treatment programs.

There are many effective behavioral treatments available for heroin addiction. These can include residential and outpatient approaches. Several new behavioral therapies are showing particular promise for heroin addiction. Con tingency management therapy uses a voucher- based system, where patients earn "points" based on negative drug tests, which they can exchange for items that encourage healthful living. Cognitive-behavioral interventions are designed to help modify the patient's thinking, expectancies, and behaviors and to increase skills in coping with various life stressors.

Claim:
Brain-imaging studies of other disorders show behaviour therapy, not just medications, can actually change brain patterns to ease illness.
Values:
Addiction
Subjects:
Action Application
Societal Problems Victims
Societal Problems Addiction, drug abuse
Health Care Pharmacy
Health Care Psychiatry
Health Care Rehabilitation
Type Classification:
E: Emanations of other strategies
Related UN Sustainable Development Goals:
GOAL 16: Peace and Justice Strong Institutions