The Principles of an Effective Treatment Program

Addiction is a complex but treatable disease that affects brain function and behavior. Drugs of abuse alter the brain's structure and function, resulting in changes that persist long after drug use has ceased. This may explain why drug abusers are at risk for relapse even after long periods of abstinence and despite the potentially devastating consequences.

Treatment needs to be readily available. Because drug-addicted individuals may be uncertain about entering treatment, taking advantage of available services the moment people are ready for treatment is critical. Potential patients can be lost if treatment is not immediately available or readily accessible. As with other chronic diseases, the earlier treatment is offered in the disease process, the greater the likelihood of positive outcomes.

Effective treatment attends to multiple needs of the individual, not just his or her drug abuse. To be effective, treatment must address the individual's drug abuse and any associated medical, psychological, social, vocational, and legal problems. It is also important that treatment be appropriate to the individual's age, gender, ethnicity, and culture.

Remaining in treatment for an adequate period of time is critical. The appropriate duration for an individual depends on the type and degree of his or her problems and needs. Research indicates that most addicted individuals need at least 3 months in treatment to significantly reduce or stop their drug use and that the best outcomes occur with longer durations of treatment. Recovery from drug addiction is a long-term process and frequently requires multiple episodes of treatment. As with other chronic illnesses, relapses to drug abuse can occur and should signal a need for treatment to be reinstated or adjusted. Because individuals often leave treatment prematurely, programs should include strategies to engage and keep patients in treatment.

Medically assisted detoxification is only the first stage of addiction treatment and by itself does little to change long-term drug abuse. Although medically assisted detoxification can safely manage the acute physical symptoms of withdrawal and, for some, can pave the way for effective long-term addiction treatment, detoxification alone is rarely sufficient to help addicted individuals achieve long-term abstinence. Thus, patients should be encouraged to continue drug treatment following detoxification. Motivational enhancement and incentive strategies, begun at initial patient intake, can improve treatment engagement.

Drug use during treatment must be monitored continuously, as lapses during treatment do occur. Knowing their drug use is being monitored can be a powerful incentive for patients and can help them withstand urges to use drugs. Monitoring also provides an early indication of a return to drug use, signaling a possible need to adjust an individual's treatment plan to better meet his or her needs.

Biophysical Treatment

A biophysical drug rehab center is a non-12-step rehabilitation program that has a very unique and successful method of eliminating the stored drug residues from a person's body. Drugs and other toxins leave deposits in the fatty tissues of a person's body, which have been known to cause many adverse reactions if not handled. These include physical cravings for the drugs, mental difficulties, impaired memory, depression, anxiety and a host of other symptoms, depending on the drugs.

One of the most successful and yet also interesting aspects of a biophysical treatment program is generally they are 100% natural, which basically means there are no other drugs or a substitution of drugs or medication to help the addict reach sobriety. Not only does the method of drug-free treatment help improve the well-being and health of the addict significantly, but it will also help increase the rate of success for recovery of alcohol and/ or drug addiction. Centers, which offer biophysical rehabilitation, have both long-term care programs and residential care, which will address all essential elements for complete alcohol or drug recovery.

This treatment philosophy is much different than traditional methods, and has become a very successful and popular method of treatment for alcohol and drug addiction. The methods of treatment aren’t based on religious models or even the disease model of treatment. The focus of this type of treatment is to empower the person to give them more abilities in their life. By using cognitive therapy and life skills, this method allows the person to make decisions, which are pro-survival and become attuned to their own personal awareness. During this process the addict gets to the root of why they began using alcohol or drugs in the first place, and to work through the issues so that they are no longer a problem. Without working through the issues, the addict could have a relapse. Control and communication are taught to the addicts along with life skills that will help them create associations with people who encourage and support their sobriety and not those who will bring them back to alcohol or drug use.

This approach does not use labels, but yet empowers the person by teaching them to recognize how to eliminate the problems associated with drug addiction and drug addiction itself from their lives once and for all. North American facilities which use these learning based programs have delivered high success rates, which some as well as over 60% success rate from their clients. Because the range of clientele varies, so many have been through other treatment programs only to find they are successful when using the biophysical rehabilitation program. The philosophy on the whole is about complete psychological and physical rehabilitation, which empowers and brings the person back to where they were before they began abusing alcohol and drugs.

Body Purification/Detox Process

The detoxification regiment that is used in biophysical treatment programs is different than any other regiment in the world. It has been described as one of the most pure forms of detoxification, which is available in the world today. The detoxification is based on cleansing the body of toxins and drug residuals, which not only cause drug cravings but also physical symptoms. This method is achieved by using a process where minerals, vitamins, and essential oil supplements are added to a dry heat sauna, which replenishes what has been destroyed during the alcohol or drug use. Essentially, drugs are poisons and will ultimately deplete the body of its vitamin and mineral resources. The essential oil, vitamin and mineral oils are key in replenishing not only the former addicts body needs, but also eliminates the physical craving for drugs.

While the body is ridding itself of the detrimental toxins by this unique detoxification methodology, the person may find that this process is both physically and mentally exhausting. Even though it can be mentally and physically draining, those who have gone through this detox method feel as though the end results of achieving a higher plane of personal health and a second chance at life are worth it. This detoxification method dates back thousands of years and used across various cultures throughout the world. It’s looking at the entire picture of achieving a healthy body and mind.