Medication Assisted Treatment for Addiction: How Medical Care Improves Recovery Outcomes
Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for addiction is the use of FDA and SAHPRA-approved medications, alongside counselling and behavioural therapy, to treat substance use disorders. The medications manage withdrawal, reduce cravings, and stabilise co-occurring mental health conditions. Medication on its own does not treat addiction. Medication combined with proper clinical therapy and a structured rehab programme is […]
Inpatient Versus Outpatient Rehab: What’s the Difference?
When it comes to addiction treatment, inpatient versus outpatient rehab both have their pros and cons when it comes to treating addiction and alcoholism. Certain categories of client do better in inpatient and outpatient is more appropriate for others. This is blog number 16 in the series 20 things you should know about rehabilitative treatment: […]
The Longer The Treatment The Better The Results
Evidence shows that the longer a person stays in treatment, the higher the chances that they will achieve long-term sobriety. But even brief treatment is better than no treatment at all. Aftercare and outpatient programmes are a good idea for those unable to spend a lot of time in inpatient treatment and are ways to […]
Why Is It So Important to Complete Rehab Treatment and Engage Addicted Clients?
Addiction treatment works best when addicts or alcoholics successfully complete rehab treatment and don’t drop out before the process in finished. Client engagement has also been found to increase an addicted client’s chance of successful long-term sobriety. This is blog number 14 in the series 20 things you should know about rehabilitative treatment: What works. […]
Confrontational Treatment Approaches for Addiction Do Not Work: Here’s the Evidence
Confrontational treatment approaches have been used for addiction treatment for decades, despite the fact there is no evidence to show it is effective. Studies show that confrontational treatment actually does more harm than good. This is blog number 13 in the series 20 things you should know about rehabilitative treatment: What works. This list was […]
Co-Existing Psychiatric Disorders and Addiction or Alcoholism Need to Be Treated Simultaneously
Dealing with addiction is hard enough on its own, but it is even more difficult when you’re dealing with a co-occurring mental illness such as depression or bipolar disorder. The link between mental illness and addiction goes both ways. About 50% of people with a severe mental illness are also affected by a substance problem. […]
Addicts and Alcoholics Face Issues Other Than Addiction That Need to Be Addressed in Treatment
An addict or alcoholic going to treatment is likely to be facing myriad issues, and many of these are issues other than addiction. These issues include medical, social, vocational and legal problems that are associated and contributory factors to their addiction or alcoholism. In order for treatment to be successful, these other issues need to […]
Find Out Why These 10 Myths About Addiction & Sobriety Are Downright False
Sobriety is the state of living free from alcohol and drugs. But deciding to get sober is harder than it sounds, and it is not because the path is unclear. It is because myths about sobriety make people second-guess whether recovery is even for them. Could one of these myths be keeping you or someone […]
Wanting to Change and Believing Change Is Possible Is Important for Addicts and Alcoholics in Treatment
Although levels of motivation at the start of therapy have no effect on treatment outcomes, improving a person’s motivation to change during treatment improves the likelihood of treatment success, the key lies in them believing change is possible. Improving an individual’s self-efficacy, in other words, a person’s belief in their capacity to succeed in specific […]
The Power of a Personalised Programme Is What Makes Rehab a Success
Rehab succeeds when treatment fits the human being sitting in front of us. That statement sounds obvious, yet it cuts directly against how addiction treatment has often been delivered in South Africa and across the world. For decades, rehabs have leaned on fixed curriculums, pre-set schedules, identical groups, standardised worksheets, and step-based templates that assume […]