Substance Abuse Programs Illicit Drug

Substance Abuse Programs Illicit drug abuse, prescription drug abuse and addiction, and alcoholism are all significant contemporary social problems. All of those problems involve aspects or combinations of behavioral, physiological, or psychological dependence (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2008). Some of the most effective interventions and treatments for drug and alcohol dependence involve organized programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), and other similar anonymous group-oriented program formats.

While various different types have proven successful, the most common and studied form is the Twelve Step Model first introduced shortly before the Second World War (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2008). Types of Substance Abuse Programs The modern treatment of substance abuse includes voluntary and mandatory in-patient facilities, so-called "halfway" houses, group therapy-type meeting-based programs, sponsor support networks, and various forms of individual counseling or psychological therapy (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2008; Hajema, Knobbed, & Drop, 1999).

In general, all of them have been implemented successfully; all of them have also failed in many instances as well. In that regard, the most significant predictor of success is the accuracy of the psychological assessment and assignment to the type of substance abuse programmatic approach that best corresponds to each individual patient's needs (Hajema, Knobbed, & Drop, 1999).

In the United States, substance abuse program participation is strictly voluntary with the exception of three situations: (1) Individuals determined by professional psychological evaluation to pose substantial risks of danger to themselves or to others may be confined to mental health facilities pursuant to applicable state and federal law; (2) Individuals already in the custody of the state in connection with criminal charges or convictions may be required to participate in mandatory substance abuse programs; (3) Individuals released from penal custody may be required to attend mandatory substance abuse counseling as conditions of their conditions of probation or parole (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2008).

Voluntary participation in substance abuse programs may consist of full service live-in rehabilitation centers or regular group meetings in a community center environment under anonymous pseudonyms. Naturally, the live-in programs offer much more comprehensive care and support. In this setting, as in others, the most effective results have been documented in connection with the Twelve-Step therapeutic approach (McCoy, Metsch, & Chitwood, 2001). Typically, they may include private psychological counseling, group therapy, fitness, wellness, and nutritional support.

Simpler Twelve Step Programs such as the traditional AA and NA models also emphasize the Twelve Step approach but on a much more flexible basis and voluntary attendance (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2008; Hajema, Knobbed, & Drop, 1999). Despite their fundamental differences, they share similar predictors of success: namely, attitude of patients toward and readiness for treatment, psychological acceptance of the need for treatment, seriousness of the problem, and the availability of social support networks outside of the program (Appel, Ellison, Jansky, et al., 2004; Hajema, Knobbed, & Drop, 1999; McCoy, Metsch, & Chitwood, 2001).

The Theoretical Bases of Substance Abuse Treatment Programs The traditional Twelve Step model of substance abuse treatment is the most common form of substance abuse programs that apply the disease model of substance abuse and dependence (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2008). Because it has always emphasized the spiritual requirement of acknowledging the role of a Supreme Being, contemporary programs based on the successful Twelve Step model have eliminated that element without reducing the program effectiveness rate in comparison with the traditional Twelve Step design (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2008).

In principle, the common philosophy of all Twelve Step-based programs emphasize the psychological acceptance of the problem, the extent of its detrimental effects on the lives of addicts and their families, acknowledgement of the inability of the addict to solve the problem without help, and the development of self responsibility and a social support network to help them overcome residual (or recurring) negative impulses or behaviors.

Much of that is achieved through the group discussion format that allows individuals with very similar problems and experiences to express their feelings and frustrations openly and in a confidential setting. While there are differences, those types of substance abuse programs are particular applications of the more general group therapy technique in combination with specific underlying therapeutic philosophies (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2008). Patient-centered substance abuse programs typically emphasize one-on-one counseling in behavioral, cognitive, or psychodynamic (psychoanalytical) psychological approaches.

In many respects, the goals of this approach are identical to those corresponding to group therapy models; the difference is in the manner in which they strive to reach those objectives (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2008). Barriers to Substance Abuse Treatment Program Effectiveness Barriers to the effectiveness of substance abuse treatment programs are substantially similar (Hajema, Knobbed, & Drop, 1999; McCoy, Metsch, & Chitwood, 2001).

In virtually all programs, the failure of the patient to overcome psychological denial, a natural and predictable impulse, is the primary independent predictor of success in the program, with success being defined as continued sobriety after the program concludes. Other significant factors that contribute to barriers to success include environmental elements conducive to relapse. Specifically, exposure to people social environments associated with substance abuse is a common barrier to.