What are the Different Types of Drug Addiction Treatments?

Now that you understand how prolific drug addiction is in the U.S. and the common causes, let’s look at the different types of drug addiction treatments available to people in Saint Albans, WV, and surrounding areas.

Start With Recognition

No matter the treatment, there has to be an open and realistic recognition that the person addicted is suffering first. They need to openly understand that their drug addiction leads to problems in their lives and is not a healthy way forward. Once that fundamental goal is achieved, they can move on to other treatments, including:

1 – Detoxification

This is usually the first step in any treatment of drug addiction. It involves removing the illicit drug from the body’s system. This is a stressful and dangerous step because some withdrawal symptoms can pop up during detoxification. That is why it is imperative that you, or the person going through detoxification, work with an experienced and trained team like those at our drug addiction center in Saint Albans. We can provide guidance, medication, and assistance during this process.

2 – Counseling & Behavioral Therapies

Many types of therapies are available to people suffering from a drug addiction with a high instance of success. This can be conducted through a one-to-one situation or group therapy session that helps people deal with the symptoms of no longer relying on a drug.

Common therapies include:

• CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) – a highly effective treatment of drug addiction that changes how you think based on your behaviors and introduces methods to change both attributes.
• Multi-Dimensional Family Therapy treats the person in the situation (like a teenager) and the entire family unit to create a more welcoming and inviting home atmosphere.
• Motivational Interviewing – a way of viewing your personal willingness to change through the lens of adjusting behaviors.
• Positive Reinforcement – associating motivational incentives that encourage abstinence.

There are many more options, from hypnotherapy to in-depth psychiatric sessions, depending on the length of time and type of drug used during your addiction.

3 – Rehabilitation Programs

This is a popular option because it removes the drug of choice in your addiction from your life entirely by relocating you to a facility where you cannot get access. You are put into an environment where you are essentially learning how to live without reliance on drugs. This can include:

• Short-term Residential Treatment – anything from 24 hours to a few days where intense counseling and detoxification occur.
• Therapeutic Communities – long-term drug addiction treatment over a 6-12 month period with on-site staff designed to change behaviors and attitudes.
• Recovery Housing – a safe, supervised space where you stay short-term and relearn essential skills for an independent life free from substance addiction.

4 – Self-help Groups

You have probably heard of AA (Alcoholics Anonymous), but there is also NA (Narcotics Anonymous) that acts in much the same way. This is usually a weekly meeting where you can go and share your personal experience with other human beings that understand the challenges and daily battle of dealing with different types of drug addiction treatment.


5 – Medication
Some treatment for drug addiction includes using medications during and after detoxification to manage withdrawal symptoms. This reduces cravings and helps prevent a relapse into the same drug abuse.