Treatment refers to the administration or application of remedies or therapies to a patient for a disease or injury. A good assessment is essential to determine appropriate treatment for a substance use disorder.
According to the American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR), a substance use disorder exists when an individual is experiencing at least one of the following four criteria:
- Continued use despite social or interpersonal problems
- Repeated use resulting in failure to fulfill obligations at work, school, or home
- Repeated use resulting in physically hazardous situations
- Use resulting in legal problems
Substance use disorder treatment may include:
- Case management
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Family interventions
- Individual or group counseling
- Motivational enhancement
- Psychopharmacology
- Skills training
- 12-Step recovery meetings
CO-OCCURRING DISORDERS
A co-occurring disorder is the combination of one or more mental health disorders and one or more substance use disorders. Co-occurring disorders are most effectively treated with integrated interventions.
Examples of integrated interventions include:
- Integrated screening and assessment processes
- Dual recovery mutual self-help meetings
- Dual recovery groups in which recovery skills for both disorders are discussed
- Motivational enhancement interventions that address issues related to mental health and substance abuse or dependence
- Group interventions for persons with a triple diagnosis of mental disorder, substance use disorder, and trauma, or which are designed to meet the needs of persons with co-occurring disorders and another shared problem such as homelessness or criminality
- Combined psychopharmacological interventions in which an individual receives medication designed to reduce cravings for substances as well as medication for a mental disorder
