Recovery Programs in Washington DC (877) 804-1531

Recovery programs are designed to support every aspect of drug treatment, with medication and psychotherapy programs helping addicts to break old destructive habits and refresh their lives. Recovery programs at Drug Treatment Centers Washington, DC treat various types of addictions, from alcohol and prescription medications to illicit drugs like heroin and methamphetamine.

The process of drug treatment is often split into two separate components, detox and treatment. Detox enables patients to stop using drugs in a safe medical setting, with medications often prescribed to alleviate withdrawal symptoms and enhance the detox process. Rehab treatment normally takes place after detox, with patients guided through a range of programs that treat the precedents of drug addiction.

Behavioral Therapy

Behavioral therapy is a form of psychotherapy and behavior analytical therapy often used to treat drug abuse and dependence problems. This method of therapy focuses on the intrinsic connection between thoughts, feelings and behaviors, with patients taught mindfulness techniques in order to avoid impulsive and compulsive responses. Common methods of behavioral therapy used in drug treatment include cognitive behavioral therapy, multidimensional family therapy, motivational incentives and motivational interviewing. Each of these therapies aims to help patients cope with unhealthy and potentially dangerous situations.

Medication Therapy

Medication therapy is used to treat drug dependence problems after detox has taken place. While prescription medications are often used during the detoxification process, some psychoactive substances also require an extensive long-term medication regime. Opiate replacement therapy is the most well-known example, with drugs like methadone and buprenorphine given to heroin addicts to reduce heroin cravings and associated risks. While this form of therapy has been criticized for enabling secondary opioid addictions, it does allow addicts to live a safer and more productive life.

Medium to long-term medication therapy may also be used to treat alcohol and benzodiazepine dependence. Acamprosate, disulfiram, topiramate, naltrexone and a range of benzodiazepines are used to treat alcohol addiction. Disulfiram, also called Antabuse, is also given to alcoholics to reduce relapse and promote recovery. Antabuse produces a very unpleasant reaction when combined with alcohol, with likely effects including flushing, nausea and palpitations. Benzodiazepine dependence sometimes requires a gradual dose reduction over a long time period, with drugs used to reduce relapse rates and avoid unwanted withdrawal complications.

Innovative Therapies

A number of exciting new therapies are available to treat drug and alcohol addiction, including restorative yoga, general spirituality, biofeedback, art therapy, music therapy and moral reconation therapy. Breaking the bonds of addiction often requires a multifaceted approach, with a range of therapies used to treat different elements of addiction.

Conventional 12-step programs have also expanded into new territory in recent years, with Crystal Meth Anonymous, Cocaine Anonymous and Marijuana Anonymous just some of the programs available. Recovery programs are essential to any comprehensive drug treatment regimen, with therapy and counseling treating the underlying causes of drug abuse and dependence. If you or anyone you know is suffering from drug dependence problems, call Alcohol Treatment Centers Washington today at (877) 804-1531.