SOC217 Alcohol and Drugs Unit 6.1: Effective Treatment Interventions, Post University, 2024

SOC217 Alcohol and Drugs Unit 6.1: Effective Treatment Interventions

 

Please discuss what key components are necessary for the effective treatment of substance use. What is the evidence for these components? Please provide examples of specific social/ecological factors that increase the likelihood of successful treatment. Are these social/ecological factors incorporated enough into treatment? Why or why not? 

“Table 4.2 Principles of Effective Treatment for Substance Use Disorders 

Principles of Effective Treatment for Adults 

1. Addiction is a complex but treatable disease that affects brain function and behavior. 
2. No single treatment is appropriate for everyone. 
3. Treatment needs to be readily available. 
4. Effective treatment attends to multiple needs of the individual, not just his or her drug abuse. 
5. Remaining in treatment for an adequate period of time is critical. 
6. Behavioral therapies—including individual, family, or group counseling-- are the most commonly used forms of drug abuse treatment. 
7. Medications are an important element of treatment for many patients, especially when combined with counseling and other behavioral therapies. 
8. An individual's treatment and services plan must be assessed continually and modified as necessary to ensure that it meets his or her changing needs. 
9. Many drug-addicted individuals also have other mental disorders. 
10. Medically assisted detoxification is only the first stage of addiction treatment and by itself does little to change long-term drug abuse.” (No Author Given, 2014) 

 

 

“Addiction is different for every single person experiencing it. Factors like co-occurring mental illnesses, trauma, and the severity of substance use mean that each patient requires a tailored treatment plan. To further this goal, professionals utilize a variety of evidence-based approaches when treating drug and alcohol addiction. This non-exhaustive list covers the most common methods used by rehabilitation centers and private practices nationwide. 

1. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) 
2. Counseling: Individual and Group 
3. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) 
4. Experiential Therapy 
5. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) (No author given, 2025) 

 

 

“Though it’s difficult to measure, it’s clear that people do recover from addiction with specialized treatment. But treatment looks different for every individual, so there’s no standardized way to measure the success of addiction centers. Many addiction treatment facilities base success rates on factors, such as: 

1. The number of individuals who complete the program. 
2. The percentage of individuals who remain sober immediately following treatment. 
3. Alumni interviews. 
4. Internal studies. 

A better approach, however, involves judging the actual quality of care a facility provides—during and after the formal treatment period.” (Generes, W., 2025) 

 

 

 

References: 

Generes, W., 2025, American Addiction Centers, Addiction Recovery Statistics: Does Drug Rehab Work? https://americanaddictioncenters.org/rehab-guide/success-rates-and-statistics 

No Author Given, 2014, National Library of Medicine, Facing Addiction in America: The Surgeon General's Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK424859/table/ch4.t2/ 

No author given, 2025, National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers, Treatment Methods & Evidence-Based Practices, https://www.naatp.org/addiction-treatment-resources/treatment-methods