Question by dianna ns: What factors must be present in an addiction treatment program before it can be considered effective?
I don’t really know how to scrutinize treatment programs and I want to make sure that my friend who’s about to get herself rehabilitated gets what she needs out of the program.

Best answer:

Answer by allegra f
There are key principles that must form the basis of any addiction treatment program and these are the following:

* A treatment that works for one person may not work for another. Treatment programs must vary because the needs of an individual differs from that of another individual.
* The availability of treatment is vital.
* For an addiction treatment program to be effective, the treatment must attend to the various needs of the individual, and not just his/her drug/alcohol addiction.
* The treatment must be molded to meet the person’s changing needs.
* The person must be able to remain in treatment for a sufficient amount of time for the treatment to be effective.
* There must be counseling and other behavioral therapies in a patient’s treatment program as these are needed for the program to be effective.
* For some kinds of disorders, medication is a must.
* For people with psychological illnesses as well as substance abuse disorder, both must be treated simultaneously.
* Treatment does not end with the managing of withdrawal symptoms. This is only the start.
* The patient must be monitored continuously in the duration of the treatment.
* The patient must be assessed for HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B and C, tuberculosis, and other infectious diseases, and must provide counseling to help patients modify or change behaviors that place themselves or others at risk of infection.
* Recovery can be a long term process and requires multiply episodes of treatment, including “booster” sessions and other forms of continuing care.

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