I just finished watching the heartbreaking interview on Compass with the woman whose husband died by suicide shortly after being released from Mt. Herbert. And just last week we heard from a young woman whose father died by suicide after leaving the treatment centre. Clearly, we have to change how we do things. It starts with shattering the out-dated beliefs and myths about treatment, including the one that says that people have to “want it” in order for treatment to work. The problem with that belief is that it is based on anecdotal evidence, not research. NIDA is the world leader in addictions research. They gather research from around the world and use the findings to advance our knowledge of addiction and to develop effective strategies to treat it so that people have the best chance possible to get well. Anything they recommend or suggest is based on studies involving thousands of people struggling with addiction. In their “Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment: A Research-Based Guide”, they list the “Principles of Effective Treatment”, one of which states “treatment does not need to be voluntary to be effective”. Their studies have shown that whether a person goes into treatment voluntarily or is forced, the outcomes are about the same for both groups. Involuntary treatment will give people a chance to get the fog cleared from their heads so that they can decide what is best for them. We also have to give them good options for treatment. There are many pathways to recovery. The more we have to offer, the greater the chance that people will find what works for them so that they will be motivated to stay in treatment and work their program when they leave. As I always say, no option/treatment has a 100% success rate so involuntary stays in treatment will not work for everyone, but they will work for some! That makes it worth our while. If you are interested in reading more about NIDA’s “Principles of Effective Treatment”, here is the link: drugabuse.gov/publications/principles-drug-addiction-treatment-research-based-guide-third-edition/principles-effective-treatment
Posted on: Tue, 25 Nov 2014 01:51:43 +0000
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