Pharmacological Approaches to Treatment

Substance abuse treatment providers commonly employ counseling interventions (i.e., individual therapy, group and family therapy, contingency management, motivational interviewing, relapse prevention) when helping patients achieve and maintain sobriety. For patients who abuse substances but who do not show signs of physiological dependence to a substance (i.e., tolerance, withdrawal), these treatment strategies are often employed independently. For patients who present with symptoms of physiological dependence, pharmacological approaches to treatment are commonly utilized in order to help these individuals go through detoxification, decrease drug use, improve the patient's ability to function, and achieve and maintain sobriety. These pharmacological [Page 685]approaches to treatment may be utilized independently or in conjunction with counseling techniques. The most successful treatment strategies typically begin with medical detoxification, followed by pharmacological maintenance treatment ...