5 Facts About Drug Abuse And Treatment

Drug abuse and addictions should not be taken lightly. We will discuss 5 facts about drug abuse and some treatment protocols. Drug abuse is a rather complex illness and is characterized by intense drug cravings which eventually become uncontrollable and inevitable leads to devastating consequences.

Prolonged drug abuse has a severe effect on brain function and addiction becomes a brain disease whereby the drugs affect the brains circuits which include those involved in motivation and reward. Learning and memory are also affected as well as inhibitory control over behavior and the treatment protocol is not simple due to the many disruptions drug abuse has on a person’s life.

Drug abuse costs the state around $500 billion for illicit drugs, tobacco and alcohol annually and these alarming figures do not include public health, safety, implications, loss of employment, domestic violence, child abuse and other crimes.

Drug abuse and treatment is seen as a chronic disease and a person suffering from a drug addiction is not able to simple stop using drugs for a while and then considered cured. These people require long term treatment as well as counseling helping them achieve and maintain recovery as well as get their lives back on tract. The treatment has to be effective in that it helps the individual stop drug abuse and maintain a drug free lifestyle and re-adapt themselves back into family life, work and society.

Drug abuse and treatment is based on research done and which should form the basis of an effective treatment protocol:

· Treatment and rehabilitations centers should be readily available

· A single treatment isn’t appropriate for all drug abuse cases

· Affective treatment should meet all the needs of the person not only drug abuse

· It is critical that the person should have treatment for an adequate period of time

· Medications combined with counseling as well as behavioral therapies is a crucial part of their recovery protocol

The treatment starts off with detoxification in conjunction with medications and behavioral therapy and then follows onto relapse prevention. The withdrawal symptoms need to be treated effectively in order to prevent relapse although there is still a chance of relapse. A family support system is crucial to a drug abusers success and this will help them maintain a drug free lifestyle.

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