Drug Abuse Treatment Outcome Study: Drug Abuse Recovery – 4 Common Myths Debunked and Destroyed

Most people who have no direct connection with using drugs find it very difficult to understand the illness of addiction.

And, to make matters worse, there are some common generalized myths about drug addiction and drug use that have become firmly rooted in society. In this article we will take a look at some common myths with the object of dispelling them.

1. The person using the drugs is bad and makes a choice for that lifestyle.

The choice to initially experiment with the drugs is definitely within the user. But then certain factors assert themselves that are beyond the control of the drug addicted person, such as genetic factors. At some point in using drugs they “crossed the line” into addiction. At that point they have lost the ability to control their use of drugs, and the phenomenon of obsession and compulsion to use take over their entire life. They prioritize drug use above all else, even family and work. Ironically, it does not mean they do not love their family, they are mesmerized by the drug.

2. Stopping drug use means just saying no.

While ultimately the goal is to never use drugs, being in complete abstinence, is not as easy as simply saying no. In order to be successful, the person must be physically detoxed from the drug. They need to address triggers and situations which led them to use drugs to begin with. Next they need to find a new way of life, living skills, and communication skills to handle the ups and down of life without resorting to drug use. If drugs were providing relief to life situations, we need to work on skills to handle life situations. This takes time and education.

3. You can’t force people into treatment; it has to be their own choice.

Eventually the person has and must make the ultimate decision to become abstinent and stay sober, this is true. However, studies have shown that people entering treatment through interventions, the power of a court order, or other involuntary means have the same outcome rates as people who voluntarily entered treatment. Many people who are “forced” were backed into a corner to enter treatment come to the realization while they are there that their problem is significant. They may become agreeable about dealing with it. The fact is, treatment works.

4. Once a person completes treatment or rehab they are done.

Nothing could be further from the truth. The fact of the matter is that maintaining longtime abstinence and sobriety involves a lifelong process of maintaining awareness. A metaphor might be riding a bicycle uphill. As long as you apply force and effort you will continue to move forward uphill, but as soon as you stop peddling the pull of gravity is toward falling down or a slide toward the bottom. A drug addict’s natural pull is to use drugs. There must be a constant effort and awareness applied against that natural tendency.

Elizabeth Epstein – Cognitive Behavioral Treatments for Alcohol Dependent Women – Dr. Elizabeth Epstein discusses Cognitive Behavioral Treatments, which are designed to help people, primarily women, cope with their lives without using substances. Dr. Epstein has 20 years experience conducting treatment outcome studies with alcohol and drug use disordered persons. She has focused on clinical research in the addictions, particularly, randomized clinical trials and treatment development of several types of CBT approaches to treat heterogeneous addiction samples. She is a Licensed Psychologist. As Director of the Program for Addiction, Consultation, and Treatment (PACT) jointly run by CAS and GSAPP, directs a practicum there for psychology graduate students.

Study finds reformulated ER Oxycodone abuse rates are significantly lower than …

Filed under: drug abuse treatment outcome study

During the first 20 months following ORF introduction, it was abused significantly less than the original ER oxycodone when measured by 8 outcome measures, particularly through non-oral routes of administration that require tampering (such as injection …
Read more on Science Codex

Gibbons, Wagner cases winding their way through courts

Filed under: drug abuse treatment outcome study

Gibbons actually has two streams of cases on the go: the first is an appeal of a prior conviction for disobeying a court order by Justice Mara Beth Greene, on the grounds that there was an abuse of process, because the matter concerned a “temporary …
Read more on Lifesite

Antidepressants During Pregnancy Carry Risks, Study Says

Filed under: drug abuse treatment outcome study

"There needs to be greater awareness of the scientific evidence regarding use of these drugs," study author Dr. Adam Urato, chairman of obstetrics and gynecology at MetroWest Medical Center in Massachusetts, told HuffPost. He said the study was …
Read more on Huffington Post