Treatment FAQ

how to integrate technology in addiction treatment

by Pearlie Koch Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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As technology evolves, those who treat addiction will be able to use it to reach their patients in new ways through education and real-time interventions. But computer programs have their limitations. They still must be distributed to patients who have to be educated on their use.

Full Answer

How will technology impact addiction treatment?

There’s no question technology will be used to facilitate processes and ease the transition into treatment for many people. With its help, treatment centers and the risks of addiction can gain more exposure online, and people can help themselves to a healthier future. I'm a geek with a love for all things tech.

How are treatment centers and addicts using Tech for a cure?

Here are some of the ways that treatment centers and addicts are using tech for a cure. A big portion of the process of treatment in a facility entails the use of various therapies and management of patient outcomes.

Is digital intervention the future of addiction treatment?

Digital intervention in addiction has arrived and is going to increase further. From the use of simple smartphones to digital sensors and even to machine learning that predicts responses and helps the person choose an intervention, the choices will increase with time. The FDA approval of reSET for prevention of long term relapse is one example.

Can technological modalities be used in addiction research?

For the purpose of addiction related research, patients facing technological modalities are directed towards a set of psychosocial interventions, personalised for changing participants' drug-use behaviour.

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What techniques are used to treat addiction?

Some of the most common forms of modern addiction treatment include behavioral therapies delivered as individual therapy, group therapy, and family therapy.

What are 3 strategies often used to treat addiction?

There are many options that have been successful in treating drug addiction, including:behavioral counseling.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.More items...•

How does technology affect addiction?

Damage to brain systems connecting emotional processing, attention, and decision-making are affected in both substance addicts and technology addicts. This discovery shows that being hooked on a tech behavior can, in some ways, be as physically damaging as an addiction to alcohol and other drug use.

What is the most effective way to deal with addiction?

5 action steps for quitting an addictionSet a quit date. ... Change your environment. ... Distract yourself. ... Review your past attempts at quitting. ... Create a support network. ... For more information on finding an effective path to recovery, check out Overcoming Addiction, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School.

How do you develop a treatment plan for substance abuse?

Treatment plans should consider how substance abuse impacts all aspects of your life, including your mental, physical, social, and financial health....Here are the main elements of a treatment plan.Diagnostic Summary. ... Problem List. ... Goals. ... Objectives. ... Interventions. ... Tracking and Evaluating Progress. ... Planning Long-Term Care.

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).

How will you promote the proper use of technology?

Using technology responsiblyHave a frank conversation. Technology is a part of life. ... Encourage them to think about the future. ... Remind them to be kind. ... Teach them to respect people's privacy. ... Familiarise yourself with technology. ... Interacting safely online. ... Did you find what you needed?

Is technology designed to be addictive?

Even though the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) doesn't list technology addiction as a mental health disorder, people addicted to technology demonstrate an inability to control, regulate, or limit their use of the internet and technology, which is characteristic of behavioral addiction.

What are the 10 advantages of technology?

Advantages of Technology on Our LivesEase of Access to Information. The World Wide Web, abbreviated as www has made the world a social village. ... Saves Time. ... Ease of Mobility. ... Better Communication Means. ... Cost Efficiency. ... Innovation In Many Fields. ... Improved Banking. ... Better Learning Techniques.More items...

What are the five ways of preventing drug abuse?

Here are the top five ways to prevent substance abuse:Understand how substance abuse develops. ... Avoid Temptation and Peer Pressure. ... Seek help for mental illness. ... Examine the risk factors. ... Keep a well-balanced life.More items...•

How can the community solve drug abuse?

Consult with community leaders, RWA's, Panchayat and other organisations working in drug abuse prevention, treatment, law enforcement, mental health, and related areas; Assess community awareness of the problem; and. Identify existing prevention efforts already under way to address the problem.

How can we prevent drug use?

5 ways to prevent drug addiction. Share on facebook. ... Communicate. Before seeking therapy, it's important to help someone on the verge of becoming an addict realize the type of behavior being displayed is dangerous. ... Seek therapy. ... Maintain a happy, healthy lifestyle. ... Deal with pressure. ... Look into the past.

Sensory Integration Therapy

One of the newer therapies implemented in addiction treatment is Sensory Integration Therapy. This therapy uses specially designed sensory rooms known as Snoelezen rooms.

Virtual Outpatient Treatment

Technology is virtually at the fingertips of every person now. Using Telehealth and virtual Intensive Outpatient Treatment is another new way that taps into that technology. Telehealth uses telecommunication equipment to link mental health and substance abuse treatment to consumers in different areas.

Social Media

After treatment, those in recovery can feel isolated or like they are lacking support. After treatment many people are still in contact with their therapist and are encouraged to make new sober friends or friends who support their new lifestyle. There are many ways for them to meet these friends but it is still easier said than done.

How does technology help with substance abuse?

Technology has the power to improve substance abuse prevention and treatment in a way that reaches a new target audience and is cost-effective. The more technology evolves, the more clinicians and other health providers will be able to employ it to reach their clients in novel ways through real-time intervention and education. Now is the time in which searching “ recovery centers near me ” on Google generates a wide range of treatment programs identifying a solution to an individual’s dilemma in order to accomplish long-term sobriety and recovery from substance abuse addiction.

How does cognitive behavioral therapy work?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is concerned with introducing clients to important concepts such as understanding and changing patterns of substance use, managing cravings, refusing the offer of alcohol and drugs, and improving decision making and problem-solving skills. Therapists are now accomplishing these goals through the use of computers. One such system, tested by Kathleen Carrol and her colleague at Yale, uses a six-game module which is designed on a previously proven CBT model. In the end, 36 percent of clients for the computer training group was able to remain abstinent from cocaine for a significant period of time as compared to 17 percent for the group which didn’t have any such computer assistance.

What happens to a client who leaves rehab?

It is known that the majority of clients who leave in-client rehabilitation centers end up relapsing during their first year of sobriety . Despite this shocking revelation, there are not many pieces of technology that continue to connect the client to their Treatment Provider during their first year in recovery. The Soberlink system offers a discreet, portable breathalyzer that sends scheduled test results wirelessly and in real-time to the client’s Recovery Circle. The device is also connected to a cloud-based portal that automates everything and organizes the testing information into easily digestible, comprehensive reports.

What is EMDR therapy?

The EMDR is a therapy originally developed for treating trauma. It is a very prevalent and effective therapeutic approach, as studies have shown that it can quickly produce positive changes in clients. This way, people who have the root cause of their addiction as self-medicating for trauma can receive appropriate treatment.

Who is Yamini from Addiction Recovery Center?

Yamini is a content strategist at Addiction Recovery Center who enjoys learning about the Addiction Recovery field. She specializes in guest blogging, blog publishing, and social media. She is an avid reader and loves writing content that pertains to Addiction Recovery. She holds a bachelor degree in commerce.

Is 12-Step a one track approach?

For many years, addiction treatment has been more of a one-track approach, majorly focusing on the building of the individual’s moral strength and assisting them to be able to say, “No ” to the substance they are abusing. Although the 12-Step Program has been highly successful at helping millions of people achieve and maintain sobriety through age-old concepts such as personal accountability and fellowship, other approaches can also be included to this addiction treatment program which can further improve outcomes.

Does music help with mood?

For countless years music has been used as a tool for healing. You actually do not have to suffer from any clinical symptoms to know that listening to good songs can improve your mood and possibly even add a smile to your face. However, the music does not just affect a person’s emotional state but also a person’s physical state, and this is the rationale behind vibroacoustic therapy.

Why is technology so effective in rehab?

Part of the reason that technology has been so effective in rehab is the fact that teenagers and citizens in their twenties make up the highest percentage of drug abusers. More than half of all drug abusers (54.1%) are below the age of 18, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

What is technology assisted care?

The use of technology-assisted care in drug treatment cases is growing, and it’s varied. Here are some of the ways that treatment centers and addicts are using tech for a cure.

Why are apps important for teens?

First and foremost, there are apps that can lead to the prevention of drug use because they act as education centers.

What percentage of teens have a smartphone?

This is a result of the number of devices teenagers own. Nearly 75 percent of all teens have a smartphone and 94 percent use their smartphone to go online daily. Laptops and tablets are also very popular for a variety of apps and online activities.

What is CBT training?

There’s also computer-based training (CBT), which uses learning modules and games to conduct cognitive behavioral therapy and other psychotherapies that can retrain the brain to overcome addiction.

What is the Twelve Steps Companion?

There’s the Twelve Steps Companion, which follows the Alcoholics Anonymous’s well-known approach for relieving addiction. This can be adapted to any type of addiction and can help you track your progress. Other apps that aid in meditation and positive thinking can also be used to avoid a relapse.

Is technology the future of drug treatment?

It’s hard to say whether technology is the future of drug treatment or not, but it will definitely have a powerful impact on our future. You can’t excise the physical treatment that is often necessary for drug abusers. The detox process and medical analysis are essential to healing for many people.

What is the best treatment for technology addiction?

For people who use technology to escape from crippling thoughts like lack of social or family support, cognitive behavioral therapy is an excellent treatment option for technology addiction. Patients can learn to positively restructure the way they use and view technology while in therapy. CBT is proven to be an effective treatment ...

What is technology addiction?

Technology addiction is a disorder that involves compulsive internet, smart device, or gaming console use. The condition can be caused by a genetic predisposition, psychological problems, and social issues. According to a recent survey, the prevalence of technology addiction in the United States and Europe is between 1.5% and 8.2%.

Why do mental health professionals use motivational interviewing?

During therapy, mental health professionals practice motivational interviewing to help patients identify their feelings during and right before technology use. Through this technique, individuals can discover how they rationalize or justify their compulsive technology use.

Why is technology addiction difficult to treat?

Since the disorder is caused by various concerns like learning issues, reward deficiencies, and impulsivity, it can be challenging to treat. The lack of official recognition by the DSM-5 means there is no golden standard for technology addiction treatment.

How does exposure therapy help with fear?

During treatment, individuals avoid using technology for increasing amounts of time in a safe environment. After several exposure sessions, patients slowly break the pattern of fear triggering their compulsive technology use. Exposure therapy is proven to help: Decrease fear and avoidance.

What is motivational enhancement therapy?

Motivational enhancement therapy (MET) is a form of counseling therapy created to help patients battling substance use or behavioral disorders. The focus of MET is to overcome any ambivalence blocking the achievement of goals and rapidly motivating internal change.

What is CBT therapy?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of structured psychotherapy also known as talk therapy. The short-term treatment helps patients learn how to spot inaccurate or negative thinking.

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What Problem Does This Study address?

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However, community treatment programs have not widely adopted these evidence-based telemedicine applications due to several barriers including the prevailing insurance reimbursement model that typically does not cover these services. The current study sought to examine facilitators of and barriers to integrating telemed
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How Was This Study conducted?

  • In the current study, each state/county was represented by groups of payers who oversee federal and state funding for substance use disorder treatment programs. In addition to selecting telemedicine applications and developing a proposal to implement these applications, payers identified facilitators and barriers to implementation. Researchers used Eisenhardt’s iterative Pr…
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What Did This Study find?

  • Apart from South Carolina and San Mateo county (California), states had already been using telemedicine applications in clinical practice, including telephone-based services, videoconferencing, and a web application called Recoverationwhich facilitates online communication between therapists and patients between sessions. Anticipated benefits of tele…
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Why Is This Study Important

  • The study highlighted the challenges of adoption of evidence-based telemedicine applications in real-world health care systems that operate in a third-party payer model (e.g., billing insurance companies for individual services rendered). LIMITATIONS 1. 1.1. It is unclear whether benefits of telemedicine applications, as well as facilitators and barriers identified by policy makers in thes…
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Next Steps

  • The next steps include evaluating the extent to which real-world clinical settings adopt these services, patient satisfaction and engagement with these services, and measuring the effect of their implementation on patient outcomes over time.
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Citations

  • Molfenter, T., Boyle, M., Holloway, D., & Zwick, J. (2015). Trends in telemedicine use in addiction treatment. Addict Sci Clin Pract, 10, 14. doi:10.1186/s13722-015-0035-4
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