How does an addiction treatment clinic work?

There are different ways of coping with the addiction disorder, proposing different forms of action according to the characteristics of the individual or the phase of intervention.

It is essential to carry out a good intervention for addicted patients, since this affectation can lead to other more serious physical and psychological disorders. There are 4 main phases of intervention in patients with some type of addiction: detoxification, which consists of stopping using the drug or carrying out the addictive behavior; dishabituation, decrease in bad habits; rehabilitation, training new or already possessed skills and social reintegration.

In this article We will talk about the different ways of intervening in patients with addictions and about how clinics work to treat these disorders.

• Related article: "The 14 most important types of addictions"

What is addiction treatment?

The addiction treatment clinic is a center where subjects with drug addiction problems go in order to detoxify and maintain abstinence, that is, non-consumption

. The patient can remain internal, day and night, in the center for a limited and determined period, to facilitate so it does not have contact with any type of substance and is kept without consuming or can be treated without the need for entry.

Likewise, the patient will be able to receive personalized attention and by professionals from different fields, since a multidisciplinary work is carried out, to ensure the well-being of the subject. In this way, the intervention that the individual receives is very complete, focusing not only on the level of physical and psychological health, but also assessing also other variables that can facilitate the social reintegration of the subject, such as the level of training and preparation for the field labor.

• You may be interested: "What is the relationship between schizophrenia and addictions?"

The adictions

Addiction is understood as a chronic disorder that tends to persist if no intervention is performed. That is to say, by itself the addiction does not disappear and we must act and apply a treatment if we want to end it. The serious consequences that substance use can entail makes it even more essential to treat the condition if we want to prevent more serious disorders.

These disorders can be both physical and psychological. The first group would be the case of heart, lung or cancer pathologies, as well as an increased risk contagion of diseases transmitted by blood contact, by sharing needles, such as HIV or hepatitis C; Regarding psychological alterations, it has been observed a stronger association between mood disorders such as depression, anxiety disorder, or psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia.

We must take into account that currently there are also other types of addictions apart from drug dependencies, such as gambling addiction, new technologies, shopping, addictions that are currently known as behavioral.

• Related article: "How to help an alcoholic person not to relapse?"

Operation of clinics to treat addictions

There will be different ways of intervening in subjects with addiction, through a more or less intensive treatment, requiring or not the admission of the patient. We will select the best way to intervene according to the characteristics of the individual, or what preferences they have.

Regardless of the method chosen, treatment aimed at overcoming addiction is mainly divided into four phases.

1. detoxification

The first phase to treat addictions is to stop using the drug, this process is called detoxification. The action must be total, that is, the subject must completely stop consuming the substance or stop performing the addictive behavior, for example, stop gambling. In this phase, it will be important to closely monitor and support the patient, through the intervention of a specialized doctor. in addiction treatment.

It is also usual to complement the therapy with pharmacological intervention that helps to reduce and better support: withdrawal syndrome, with the administration of benzodiazepines, which are a type of anxiolytics or anticonvulsants; craving, which refers to the feeling of needing the drug, can be treated with naltrexone, used especially in addiction to opiates, or serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which is a type of antidepressant

• You may be interested: "Detoxification: what it is and how it is carried out in the body"

2. detoxification

Once the phase of abandonment of the addictive behavior has been overcome, it is necessary to intervene in the patient to eliminate bad habits, bad customs that led him to consume. Change the routines linked to drug use or addictive behavior in order to establish some better life habits, healthier and away from environments that make it easier for the subject to satisfy the addiction.

• Related article: "Emotional intelligence in detoxification from addictions"

3. rehabituation

Reduced bad habits and bad behaviors, it is important to train with the subject skills that they already possessed but have lost and other new ones that allow them to reach a better integration. You can also work on ways of coping with states that the subject may feel with high probability, such as anxiety to consume, lack of impulse control, social, communication, assertiveness and problem solving skills problems.

Both individual and joint sessions can be held, in groups, to facilitate the relationship with other subjects.

4. reinsertion

The ultimate goal of any treatment focused on reducing addiction is ensure that the subject reintegrates into society and can live in a functional way. In this way, we will analyze and assess the subject's environment, their friends, their relatives... In order to intervene and improve any type of alteration or misconduct that is observed.

Once the detoxification treatment has been completed, the patient must continue to be linked to the clinic, from where a follow-up will be carried out, providing support whenever needed. In this phase it is also important to treat the fears and concerns that may arise in the subject before the new life that arises without the drug or addictive behavior.

• You may be interested: "The 10 benefits of going to psychological therapy"

Intervention modes

As we have seen, there are different areas to be treated, making it necessary to apply different types of intervention. We will see how they can be more or less intensive, intervene or not other subjects, focus specifically on addiction or also introduce other affectations.

1. Outpatient intervention

outpatient treatment allows intervention without the need to admit the patient to a center; in this way it is less intensive, but it also allows therapy to be applied and patient control to be maintained.

This is a good option for subjects who are in the initial phases of addiction, subjects with a high willpower and good self-control or for individuals who have come out of detoxification centers and require follow-up later. We see how it can work as a step before or after admission.

2. Income intervention

As we already mentioned, this is the most intensive mode of intervention, which consists of completely separating the subject from his environment and thus reducing any risk of consumption. A scheduled and multidisciplinary treatment will be carried out with the purpose of detoxifying the patient.

In this case, the entire life of the subject is altered, since he must leave it completely for a while to live day and night in the center, but with a much more complete attention, being able to receive support at all times and surrounded by a safe environment, with all the necessary material and professionals at your disposal. provision.

3. individual intervention

The intervention carried out individually with the patient will be fundamental and very important, since it is the subject himself who must take responsibility for facing the situation and leaving the addiction.

Different areas will be worked on using different techniques such as: behavioral, linked to the modification of drug-related behaviors and engaging in pleasurable activities without the need for the substance or behavior addictive; cognitive, where maladaptive and irrational beliefs related to drugs will be intervened, as well as possible fears; and pharmacological, we have already seen that the use of medication is helpful, especially during the early stages.

4. group intervention

Group intervention, with other subjects who are or have gone through similar situations, It is a good treatment option to carry out in addition to individual therapy.. Thus, the patient will be able to feel supported, see that they are not the only one with this problem and will be able to share how they feel, as well as advice that has been useful to them.

Group therapy also allows working on social and communication skills, seeing how the subject responds to other individuals, thus facilitating the transition to social reintegration.

5. Family and couple intervention

One factor to take into account when we carry out the intervention in subjects with some type of addiction is the social environment, both family and friends. In this way, it will be important to work on the problems that may exist in the different social relationships of the patient, to reduce the risk of a possible relapse.

We will also try to involve the closest environment in the rehabilitation so that they cooperate and help in the recovery of the individual. It is important to inform them of the different phases and steps to follow, especially the people who live with the patient. Likewise, when the subject breaks with the environment linked to the addiction, it is also necessary that stay away from the subjects who are bad influences, subjects who continue to carry out the behavior addictive

6. dual intervention

It is common to observe that patients with addictions also show other types of mental disorders, the most common being personality disorders, mood disorders and psychotic disorders. In these circumstances we must intervene both affectations. One of the therapies that has been shown to be most effective is the integrated one, which consists of combining both treatments in a unified program.