Seeking Drug Abuse Treatment: Know What To Ask

No single treatment is right for everyone. The best treatment addresses a person's various needs, not just his or her drug abuse.

Matching treatment settings, programs, and services to a person's unique problems and level of need is key to his or her ultimate success in returning to a productive life. It is important for the treatment approach to be broad in scope, taking into account a person's age, gender, ethnicity, and culture. The severity of addiction and previous efforts to stop using drugs can also influence a treatment approach.

The best programs provide a combination of therapies and other services to meet a patient's needs. In addition to drug abuse treatment, a patient may require other medical services, family therapy, parenting support, job training, and social and legal services.

Finally, because addictive disorders and other mental disorders often occur together, a person with one of these conditions should be assessed for the other. And when these problems co-occur, treatment should address both (or all conditions), including use of medications, as appropriate.

Medications Available To Treat Drug Addiction

Currently, medications are available to treat opioid, tobacco, and alcohol addictions:

• Methadone, buprenorphine (Subutex, Suboxone), and naltrexone (including the long-acting formulation Vivitrol) are used to treat people addicted to opiates (e.g., heroin, prescription pain relievers);
• Nicotine patches, gum, lozenges, nasal spray, and the medications varenicline (Chantix) and bupropion (Wellbutrin) are used to treat tobacco addiction; and
• Disulfiram, acamprosate (Campral), naltrexone, and topiramate (Topamax) are used for treating alcohol dependence.