There are about 10,000 drug rehabilitation and treatment centers in the country today. And each one may use varying programs to deal with addiction. But generally, drug addiction treatments are grouped into three categories.

Kinds of Treatments

Addicts of certain substances can be treated in outpatient settings. Patients are subjected to methadone, a medication taken orally. Methadone suppresses cravings and prevents withdrawal symptoms from surfacing. With sustained dosage, a person can be stabilized and can function normally.

This is the first step taken to prepare a patient for counseling and further treatments. With the medication, a patient can be more receptive to interventions such as physiotherapies and group counseling.

The second kind of treatment involves a medication called naltrexone. The medication is administered after detoxification of the patient in a residential setting. This is to prevent withdrawal syndrome in the patient. A patient takes this drug orally daily or thrice a week, depending on the prescription of his physician. The drug inhibits cravings for addictive drugs. But in order for this medication to work, sustained counseling is needed.

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Compared to several years ago, there are now more treatment options for drug abusers. Community health services and drug treatment centers can be found in most cities and towns today. Other outpatient services are also available to provide help.

There are also a number of self-help groups that provide assistance to drug users, and one of these is Narcotics Anonymous. This voluntary organization was created primarily to help drug abusers modify or break their habits. It shouldn’t be hard to find a chapter of Narcotics Anonymous in your area. You can check the community pages at the front of your local telephone directory.

It is a big relief that there are such organizations that may be able to help drug abusers live a fairly normal life during treatment. Narcotics Anonymous is a community-based support group patterned on Alcoholics Anonymous, the organization created to help in the quick recovery of alcohol abusers.

Many drug abusers fear the effects of withdrawal; they seek help only when they are ill or have had a brush with the law. Often, too, they seek help when they are unable to get their regular supplies of the drug. This makes them fall into relapse. While their cooperation is important in the success of treatment, adequate counseling and support and rehabilitation mechanisms should also be in place. This is exactly the reason for the creation of Narcotics Anonymous.

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Prescription drug abuse is a growing problem throughout the country. The basic reasons for abusing prescription drugs are much the same as abusing any type of drug. For example, some people abuse prescription drugs so they can “loosen up,” while others do so in hopes of losing weight, having fun, or simply fitting in. Another reason for the growing trend in prescription drug abuse is the fact that many people mistakenly think these drugs are “safe” because they are medically prescribed. In truth, prescription drugs can be just as dangerous as illegal drugs when used incorrectly or for the wrong reasons.

The Dangers of Prescription Drug Abuse

Frighteningly, a 2003 survey on drug use conducted in the United States found that nearly 25% of youth between the ages of 12 and 17 have used prescription drugs for recreational purposes. This statistic is truly scary when considering all of the potential dangers of prescription drug abuse.

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