Rehab 101, Article 1: Introduction

This is the first article in a series of ten articles, that will discuss and present the current state of drug rehabilitation. In each article, I will review a specific issue. The first article, this one, will present an overview and list the articles. The final article will be conclusions, summing up the series.
This series will outline substance abuse and includes the following articles:

• 1. Introduction and Definitions
  2. Detoxification
  3. Rehabilitation
  4. Treatment
  5. Criminal Justice
  6. Recovery
  7. Counselling
  8. History of Substance Abuse
  9. Religion and Narcotics
  10. Choosing the right rehab center

Definitions

Drug Addiction
Drug addiction is defined as a chronic disease that is characterized by compulsive, or uncontrollable, drug seeking and use. Usually, the path to drug addiction begins with the voluntary act of taking drugs, on rare occasions it can become a dependency due to illness or injury. In some cases, it is due to psychological disorders, such as clinical depression. The addict will use drugs despite harmful consequences and changes in the brain. The addict will eventually become a habitual user, compulsively acting to supply the demand. In some cases, the addict can become violent, in every case, the addict’s actions become irrational after use.

Rehabilitation
Rehab is a term used to define the process of Drug Rehabilitation, where a person, termed an addict, develops a psychological dependency on a chemical substance that alters the brain chemistry and produces various feelings to which the drug addict is attracted to. Some addicts can become addicted to drugs during the course of medical treatment, while others are attracted to it in their youth and others revert to it out of despair or a need to escape or experience feelings that cannot be experienced without drug assistance. You can check out drug rehab centers for more information.

Psychological dependency (PD)
Addiction is a disease that affects both the brain and behavior.
Modern science no longer accepts the separation of behaviors into components such as mental, physical, environmental, and psychological aspects. Emotional and psychological processes are physiologically based and include a lifetime of exposure to the environment, this starts in the womb and is genetically based as well as womb based too.

PD is described as the emotional and mental processes associated with the development of, and recovery from, a substance use disorder or process addiction. This means that PD is both physical and psychological and has to be determined and treated with both aspects. Recovering the mind without he body will not be favorable, the same way that it is impossible, since the two are directly linked.
This is seen when defining cravings or addiction:

• An addict will have issued with anxiety when someone tries to stop their addiction.
• Some abusers will fall into depression and use new substances to combat that.
• Addicts become irritable, irrational, and restless when not under the influence of their substance.
• Most addictions lead to changes in appetite
• Most addictions lead to differences in sleep
• Denial is a major issue with abusers
• Financial destruction comes with the need to obtain substances
• Many substances lead to mental changes and destruction in brain chemistry
• Many substances lead to physical abuse of internal organs and the nervous system
• All substance abuse leads to withdrawal symptoms that can range from mild issue, severe issues and even to death.

Treatment
There are four types of treatment for addiction, these are:

• 1. Medication
  2. Behavioral
  3. Experimental
  4. Residential

Treatment plans must help the addict do the following:

• Stop drug use
• Remain drug-free
• Bbecome productive in society, the home and at work

Based on continuous scientific research, the following key principles are the basis of effective treatment programs:

• Addiction is a complex but treatable disease that affects brain function and behavior.
• Treatments are personally designed
• Addicts must have quick access to treatment.
• Effective treatment covers all aspects of the patient’s needs, not just the addiction.
• Remaining for the entire program is critical.
• Counseling and other behavioral therapies are the preferred methods.
• Medications are sometimes an important part of treatment, and are best combined with behavioral therapies.
• Effective treatment plans are reviewed often and adapted to meet the addicts changing needs.
• Treatment should be comprehensive, dealing with all psychological issues.
• Detoxification is only the first stage of treatment.
• Effective treatment is not always need to be voluntary.
• The use of substances during treatment must be constantly monitored.

Certain treatment programs should test addicts for HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B and C, tuberculosis, as well as other infectious diseases and teach addicts about actions to reduce risk of contamination.
Successful rehab plans have several steps:

• Detoxification
• Behavioral counseling
• Medication
• Evaluation and treatment (including other mental health issues such as depression and anxiety)
• Long-term follow-up

Effective rehabilitation integrates a personalized treatment plan with long term follow-up. This is the only proven methods for a successful substance abuse free life. Personalized treatment will include the use of a rehabilitation center, a medical team, a counsellor, a sponsor, family, and friends.

Criminal justice
The criminal justice system in many countries includes dealing with criminal’s drug dependencies. In most case, convicted felons are forced into a drug rehabilitation program before incarceration. IN some instances, going into rehab is considered a step in the right direction and judges are inclined to reduce sentences dependent on the convicted felon’s crimes and desire to recover.

Recovery
Recovery is relative, just like time. There are arguments for the definition of recovery since there are no set standards that gauge recovery or define it. Recovery is substance base, where true recovery is full abstinence from re-use, others might consider this hard for the majority and consider partial abstinence as a form of recovery. Again, this is a substance based issue, where some are more lethal than others.

Counseling
Counselors come into the lives of addicts and their families through many ways, for the young, it can be through school, for adults it can be self-requested or through a court order, in many occasions family members expressing concern for the future of their addicted members contact counselors.
Traditional treatment of addiction is mainly based on counseling.
They include:

• Twelve-step programs
• Client-centered approaches
• Psychoanalysis
• Relapse prevention
• Cognitive therapy
• Emotion regulation and mindfulness
• Behavioral models

History
In this article I will present a brief discourse on the history of substances and their use and abuse throughout human history, recorded and analyzed.

Religion
In this article will present a few cases showing the relation between certain substances and religions that promote their use. I will discuss each case, and show arguments for and against societies outlook on these practices.