Treatment is something that health care providers do for a patient to control or lessen the symptoms of a medical condition. Some treatments have the potential to cure the condition, such as the antibiotics that are used to treat athlete’s foot. The most effective treatment is a multicomponent approach, and it is important that people understand that the length of time they stay in treatment may help determine their outcome.
Behavioral treatments are often the most important part of any treatment plan. For example, a person with an addiction to alcohol or drugs can benefit from counseling that includes coping skills and techniques for dealing with problems such as relationship difficulties and money management. Counseling may include methods like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and motivational interviewing. Other behavioral approaches to treatment include group and individual therapy, family therapy and animal-assisted therapy.
Many of these behavioral therapies have proven to be effective in helping people with chemical dependence. For instance, the medications methadone and levo-alpha-acetylmethadone are very helpful in helping individuals overcome opiate dependence, and in combination with counseling, they can help people stop using illicit opiates altogether. Naltrexone, a medication that reduces cravings for alcoholic beverages, is also an important element of treatment for some people who have co-occurring alcoholic and drug use disorders.
Despite recent increases in research funding, the committee is concerned that too little attention has been paid to studies of treatment methods and services. It is critical that these studies be given the same level of priority as more glamorous, high-technology research endeavors.
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