Treatments for Drug Addiction

Psychological Therapies for Drug Addiction

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT helps addicts understand and adjust their behavioural responses towards drugs. It equips them with coping skills, aids in risk management and relapse prevention.
Motivational Interviewing: This therapy aims to enhance a person’s motivation to change by resolving ambivalence about their addiction. The goal is to help the individual find their own intrinsic motivation to change.

Opioid Antagonists: Drugs like Naltrexone are used to reduce the rewarding effects of opioids like heroin by blocking opioid receptors in the brain.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy: This treatment includes the use of patches, gum, lozenges, and sprays to manage withdrawal symptoms and reduce addiction to nicotine.
Disulfiram: A medication commonly used for alcohol addiction treatment. It works by producing an adverse reaction when alcohol is consumed, thus deterring alcohol consumption.

Detoxification: A medically managed withdrawal from drugs, aiming to safely eliminate drugs from the system, often the first step of treatment.
Residential Rehabilitation: Inpatient programmes that provide therapeutic care for drug addiction, including medical support, counselling, life skills training, and aftercare planning.

12-Step Programs: Group Recovery programmes like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) that provide ongoing support and a shared platform to share experiences and coping strategies.
Family Therapy: Involves including the family in the process of recovery, to repair relationships and improve the home environment, incentivizing the recovering individual to maintain sobriety.