With a growing drug problem many people are searching for a one size fits all approach to treatment, but according to a study from the University of Cambridge showed that using prescription medications for treating addiction are only effective in specific phases of addiction. In current practice almost all drug addicts are prescribed something to help them with certain symptoms and problems related to their addiction, regardless of their personal histories or the severity of their addiction. The study also mentions that addiction isn’t just a biological or chemical problem but more of a “convergence” of a number of factors that ultimately lead to addiction.
The same study involved 40 male rats to test the effects of pharmaceuticals on addicts in various stages of addiction. First of all the rats were trained to attain their own food as well as cocaine-laced water that would be dispensed when a rat pressed on a lever. Each rat was then given a shot of a dopamine blocker right into their brains, and from there it was noted in the study that the drug seeking behavior had dropped substantially and only remained present in the more impulsive rats. In the beginning phase of their addiction the rats did not seem to benefit very much from the medications given to them, but seemed to benefit more from therapy. The addicts with the longest history of drug abuse seemed to benefit most from the experiment, which leads the researchers at Cambridge to believe that addiction is both biochemical as well as psychological.
While there was a lot of science talk previously, what the study has shown is that no one addict is quite the same, and should not be treated in the same fashion as another addict. Yes there are very obvious similarities amongst addicts, and that is how many treatment plans were established and that’s why many of them are largely successful when it comes to treating a number of people at once. But is a universal style approach to rehab as effective as we think? People turn to drugs for a variety of reasons, they use a variety of different drugs and their levels of addiction are often different, so is there some solution out there that exists primarily for deal
ing with the specifics of an addiction rather than a broad understanding of the illness? Well, maybe not quite yet but many treatment facilities that offer both group therapy as well as one on one sessions might be the closest we have. Group therapy works because it allows an addict to look both at themselves as well as others who have maybe not the exact same problem but are in similar circumstances. One on one therapy can truly delve into the mind of an addict and ascertain the specific nature of their addiction and find ways to cope with their illness. In addition to therapy we have to remind ourselves of the pharmaceutical options for addicts. These days, a larger number of addicts are being medicated to deal with the nastier parts of their rehabilitation, and even though they may be effective it is important to first establish at what stage the addiction is in and establish whether or not the addict would benefit from such a treatment approach. Again, no addict is quite the same so every method of recovery or treatment should first be scrutinized, and then later be applied to an addict if it’s what’s in their best interest.
VIA:MEDICALNEWSTODAY