Treatment FAQ

how psychology is used in drug abuse treatment

by Dr. Viva Feil Jr. Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Substance abuse psychologists use information gathered through research to identify, treat, and support those suffering from addiction and substance abuse issues. The substance abuse psychologist must implement effective treatment programs to help clients rebuild and rejoin all spheres of their life, including family, work, and community.

Psychology plays an essential role in recovery because it addresses the emotional and mental health factors that contribute to substance abuse. The treatment recognizes that drugs or alcohol change the way a loved one thinks and behaves, so it specifically addresses the root cause of an addiction.Sep 10, 2015

Full Answer

What are the psychological approaches to drug addiction?

Psychological Approaches to Drug and Alcohol Addictions. Psychological approaches that can successfully you achieve and maintain sobriety include: cognitive-behavior approach, relapse prevention therapy, matrix model therapy, motivational therapy, multidimensional family therapy and the 12-Step Facilitation Approach.

What is abusive use of drugs in psychological patients?

Abusive use of drugs in psychological patients is a prevalent issue that affects social and occupational performance of the individual [ 7 ]. Studies on abusive use of drug have shown that there is a direct relationship between abusive use of drugs and mental health [ 7, 8 ].

What does a substance abuse psychologist do?

Substance abuse psychology and, by extension, addictions psychology are disciplines that encompass both abnormal and clinical psychology. Substance abuse psychologists use information gathered through research to identify, treat, and support those suffering from addiction and substance abuse issues.

What are the applications of positive psychology to substance use disorder?

Applications of Positive Psychology to Substance Use Disorder. Research shows that alcohol-dependent persons have an increased responsiveness to the affectivity of stress and alcohol craving. Positive affect (i.e., positive emotional state) shows an association with lower stress and reduced alcohol craving, while negative affect (i.e.,...

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What are the psychological responses to drugs?

In the brain, drugs may either intensify or dull your senses, alter your sense of alertness, and sometimes decrease physical pain. Explore the variety of effects of different types of psychoactive drugs - from stimulants to depressants - on the brain's chemistry and function.

What is the best psychological treatment for addiction?

Behavioral therapy is perhaps the most commonly utilized types of treatment for addiction that is frequently used during substance rehabilitation. A general behavioral therapeutic approach has been adapted into a variety of effective techniques.

What are the steps usually involved in the treatment of drug abuse?

medication. medical devices and applications used to treat withdrawal symptoms or deliver skills training. evaluation and treatment for co-occurring mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. long-term follow-up to prevent relapse.

What is behavioral therapy psychology?

Behavioral therapy is an umbrella term for types of therapy that treat mental health disorders. This form of therapy looks to identify and help change potentially self-destructive or unhealthy behaviors. It's based on the idea that all behaviors are learned and that behaviors can be changed.

What are examples of psychosocial interventions?

Psychosocial treatments (interventions) include structured counseling, motivational enhancement, case management, care-coordination, psychotherapy and relapse prevention.

What is drug therapy psychology?

Drug therapy, or psychopharmacotherapy, aims to treat psychological disorders with medications. Drug therapy is usually combined with other kinds of psychotherapy. The main categories of drugs used to treat psychological disorders are antianxiety drugs, antidepressants, and antipsychotics.

What is a good treatment plan for substance abuse?

Planning Long-Term Care Attending regular 12-step meetings or support groups. Continuing therapy sessions with a counselor. Taking prescription medications, including medication-assisted treatment for opioid and alcohol use disorders.

What is the first step in treating a drug abuse problem?

Detoxification is normally the first step in treatment. This involves clearing a substance from the body and limiting withdrawal reactions. In 80 percent of cases, a treatment clinic will use medications to reduce withdrawal symptoms, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

What does a positive psychologist do after a drug addict?

After encouraging the addict by suggesting that recovery is possible not just for a select few, the positive psychologist then begins to work with the addict to re-envision life and begin a process of self-discovery in which the addict comes to know what activities and relationships are most important to him/her.

How does positive psychology help people?

Positive psychology can help people, even people with terrible childhoods , learn to look at the world with hope and optimism. For me and for many others, creating these new neuropathways of positive expectations can help look beyond depression, anxiety, addiction and other symptoms of childhood trauma. I hope that helps.

What is meaningful recovery?

Meaningful recovery is achieved when the pain of the past is worked through and goals for the future are set and worked toward. Part of the problem of addiction is an inability to envision a different future, a future in which happiness, good work, and strong relationships are the fabric of daily life. Using positive psychology, therapists are able ...

Why is positive psychology important?

In my experience, it is essential for positive psychology to provide a realistic path forward -- rather than promising unicorns and world peace, it's important to present patients with optimistic, hopeful, believable scenarios that can guide their choices.

What is positive psychology?

The University of Pennsylvania describes positive psychology in this way: “Positive psychology is the scientific study of the strengths and virtues that enable individuals and communities to thrive. The field is founded on the belief ...

Do addicts die from their illness?

Traditionally, addicts are told that they have a disease; that they will have to manage it for the rest of their lives; to expect relapse and that from a statistical perspective, most will die from their illness. This is a tremendously demoralizing prognosis to provide to someone.

Is addiction a behavioral disorder?

A positive psychologist would reframe the situation, suggesting that addiction is a behavioral disorder and even the most entrenched behaviors can be changed.

What are the psychological approaches to drug addiction?

There are a variety of psychological approaches that can help you recover from your drug and/or alcohol addiction and maintain your sobriety. The one thing that all of these approaches share in common is the concept that you achieve abstinence if you acknowledge your addiction, ...

What is the purpose of a psychotherapist?

The main purpose of the psychotherapist is to monitor your behavioral change, introduce you to strategies that can help you stop the drug and/or alcohol abuse and encourage you to make a lifelong commitment to changing destructive behaviors and maintaining your sobriety.

What is relapse prevention therapy?

The main goal of relapse prevention therapy is to teach you how to cope with stressful situations and develop effective coping strategies. The relapse prevention approach to drug and/or alcohol treatment consists of a variety of CBT strategies aimed at promoting self-control. Specific techniques include: exploring the positive ...

What is the 12-step approach to addiction?

The 12-Step facilitation approach originates from the concept of 12-Step programs, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA). These programs follow the psychological principal that alcoholism and drug abuse is primarily a progressive disease that involves a combination of spiritual, genetic and psychological elements. This approach helps you understand AA and/or NA principles, successfully work through the 12 Steps, achieve sobriety and play an active role in community-based 12-Step programs such as AA and NA. These programs encourage you to view your drug and/or alcohol addiction as the inability to control what happens in your life. The goals of the 12-step facilitation approach are to accept the disease, assume answerability for the recovery process, acknowledge your role in the addiction, look towards the future, establish trust with the facilitators and others in your group, change your self-destructive behaviors, practice self-disclosure, understand your own behaviors and apologize to the people you have hurt and disappointed.

What are the best ways to maintain sobriety?

Psychological approaches that can successfully you achieve and maintain sobriety include: cognitive-behavior approach, relapse prevention therapy, matrix model therapy, motivational therapy, multidimensional family therapy and the 12-Step Facilitation Approach.

How does motivational therapy help with addiction?

Motivational therapy is designed to change your addictive behavior and help you develop an aftercare plan that you can follow indefinitely.

How does motivational therapy work?

This approach uses a variety of strategies to motivate change within, instead of guiding you step-by-step through the rehabilitation process. Motivational therapy consists of a preliminary assessment of your mental health and thought process, followed by three or four treatment sessions with a psychotherapist. During your initial treatment session, you and your psychotherapist discuss the results of your initial assessment and how it relates to your substance abuse. Your psychotherapist then teaches you how to motivate yourself with positive statements when you feel the urge to use or abuse drugs and/or alcohol.

What is positive psychology?

Positive psychology is a young field marked by exponential growth and widespread attention in the popular media, including cover stories in Time magazine ( Wallis, 2005) and popular books for lay audiences (e.g., Lyubomirsky, 2008; Seligman, 2002 ).

What is evidence for recovery?

Evidence for the effectiveness of the recovery movement takes three forms: evidence for its core ideas, evidence of the impact of new recovery institutions, and outcome research on interventions that follow a continuity-of-care, versus an acute-care, model.

What are the topics addressed in the nine studies?

Adolescents, college drinking, smoking, work addiction, and recovery have been addressed in these nine studies. The range of populations and applications suggests a wide application for future integration of positive psychology and addictions research.

What is recovery movement?

Within the field of addiction, the recovery movement is a multi-faceted grassroots effort led by individuals who are themselves in recovery from substance use disorders. The movement is built on a recovery-oriented, rather than a pathology-oriented, framework from which addiction and its resolution are understood.

Is positive psychology a substance use research?

As the current review will show, positive psychology is in the earliest stages of its influence on substance use research. Therefore it is an opportune time to take account of criticism so that new work building on positive psychology may heed the cautions raised in the scholarly discourse.

Is positive psychology a social movement?

While the recovery movement has grass roots, positive psychology was sprouted in academic soil. Positive psychology quickly gained appeal among individuals in the general public who are eager to improve their lives, giving positive psychology the feeling of a social movement spreading beyond academia.

Does positive psychology supplant psychology?

Positive psychology does not intend to supplant psychology as usual but to become an important adjunct to it: “positive psychology is intended as a supplement, another arrow in the quiver, and not a replacement for this endeavor” ( Seligman & Pawelski, 2003, p. 159).

What is substance abuse psychology?

Substance abuse psychologists use information gathered through research to identify, treat, and support those suffering from addiction and substance abuse issues. The substance abuse psychologist must implement effective treatment programs to help clients rebuild and rejoin all spheres of their life, including family, work, and community.

What is the role of substance abuse counselor?

Substance abuse counselors may work alongside law enforcement and public officials to create programs, legislation, and other initiatives to tackle issues of addiction in communities.

How much will the number of substance abuse psychologists increase in 2029?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics has projected that between 2019 and 2029, substance abuse psychology jobs will increase by 25% . Here are just a few career sectors available to substance abuse psychologists and counselors:

How long does it take to become a substance abuse psychologist?

Some states only require an associate degree to practice substance abuse psychology. The duration to acquire this degree is two years. Before enrolling for this degree, however, it is crucial to consider the regulations in the state in which you wish to practice. 2. Bachelor’s degree.

What is the best degree for substance abuse?

Achieving a master’s degree and other high-level certifications will open the door for a variety of career opportunities and equip you with the in-depth knowledge it takes to excel in the field of substance abuse psychology.

How to become a licensed psychologist?

To work as a licensed professional in the field, you must earn an accredited degree in substance abuse psychology, substance abuse counseling, or another related field. Additionally, candidates must gain work experience, get a background check, and pass a state certification exam.

How does long term treatment help with addiction?

Benefits Of Long-term Treatment. Drug addiction can change the structure of the brain and leave an individual with lasting physical and psychological effects. In some cases, changes in the brain are a sign that the brain is healing post-addiction. In other cases, the scars remaining from years of abuse may require additional psychological support.

Why is long term treatment more effective?

The lasting psychological effects of drug or alcohol abuse are one reason long-term drug and alcohol treatment is more effective in the prevention of relapse. Long-term residential and outpatient care provides a level of support that recognizes the ongoing struggles an individual will face during the post-withdrawal phase.

What are the side effects of a stimulant?

This is similar with other stimulant drugs, and the side-effects which include anxiety, depression, memory loss, lack of focus, mood changes or agitation, changes in weight or sleep patterns, and cognitive impairment are similar across the board. Cessation of depressant substances like alcohol, heroin, and benzodiazepines, ...

How to deal with withdrawal symptoms?

How to Reduce the Impact of Post-withdrawal Psychological Symptoms in Recovery: 1 Broaden your social network 2 Develop good coping strategies 3 Continue with professional and group support services 4 Create an action plan for dealing with symptoms as they arise 5 Exercise regularly

Can alcohol cause relapse?

Depression and mild anxiety following cessation of alcohol use is also quite common and the greatest factor in relapse. Other substances like benzodiazepines, used most often to treat anxiety, can also take many months before significant progress is made.

What is the law for buprenorphine?

In fact, federal law requires providers who prescribe buprenorphine on an outpatient basis to provide some kind of wraparound or behavioral treatment , such as training in life management skills, symptom reduction and other recovery-oriented topics.

Is Oregon Health Authority integrating addiction services into primary care?

The Oregon Health Authority, for instance, is now integrating addiction services into primary care in the 16 coordinated care organizations that serve its Medicaid population.

Is heroin more expensive than prescription drugs?

The manufacturer of OxyContin reformulated the drug to make it harder to inject or snort. Plus, heroin is much less expensive than prescription drugs.

What is a PPT in addiction?

The idea of formal Positive Psychotherapy (PPT) is new to the field of addiction and therefore is not always recognized when techniques are employed. The Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation implements principles of positive psychology throughout their services, noted on their mission statement "We are a force of healing and hope for individuals, families and communities affected by addiction to alcohol and other drugs." PPT includes instilling hope, building buffering strengths and changing perspectives of life narration. 11, 17 A small pilot study exploring positive psychology techniques in substance use disorder treatment found that addiction counselors were employing PPT themes in their sessions over half of the time without necessarily identifying their methods as explicitly PPT. 12

What is positive psychology?

Positive psychology (PP) is a science of positive subjective experience, positive individual traits and positive institutions. 1 It strives to improve the quality of life, and prevent mental and physical illness that can arise when life appears depleting and overwhelming. PP centers on individuals possessing qualities and characteristics ...

How do we know positive psychology is not just a trend, emerging in relation to the rise in self-help and

How do we know positive psychology is not just a trend, emerging in relation to the rise in self-help and happiness popularity? #N#Methods of positive psychology have been implemented and studied for decades. In the 1900s, scholars set in motion a foundation of better understanding constructs such as success, happiness and well-being. Seminal research included Lewis Terman's work with intellectual genius and giftedness, John B. Watson's identification of effective parenting styles, and Carl Jung analysis of spirituality and self-discovery. More recently, the selection of Martin Seligman as the American Psychological Association's president in 1996 and his desire to integrate happiness and well-being into the field of psychology brought positive psychology to mainstream awareness. Today, the field of positive psychology looks into topics like evolutionary perspectives of happiness, positive personality traits, implications for mental and physical health, and fostering excellence. 14

Does alcohol affect emotional state?

Research shows that alcohol-dependent persons have an increased responsiveness to the affectivity of stress and alcohol craving. Positive affect (i.e., positive emotional state) shows an association with lower stress and reduced alcohol craving, while negative affect (i.e., negative emotional state) is subsequently associated with higher alcohol ...

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