Medication-based treatments, as you might expect, use certain medications to help people cope with some or all of the stages of recovering from their addictions. Addicts may, for example, be given medications to help reduce the severity of withdrawal symptoms during the detox process, and/or they may be given medications throughout the treatment process to reduce cravings and to increase the likelihood of staying sober.

In most cases, though, medication is not enough to treat an addiction; instead, the medication is used in conjunction with other therapeutic options. It is also important to note that many people do not believe that medication during and/or after treatment is a good idea; they argue that, when that is the case, addicts are simply switching one addiction for another. In the end, only you can decide whether or not medication-based treatment is a smart choice for your situation. Those who do take advantage of medication-based treatment may be given one or more of the following drugs:

• Methadone (used to help treat opioid dependence)
• Buprenorphine (used to help treat opioid dependence)
• Naltrexone (most commonly used to help treat alcohol and/or opioid dependence)
• Acamprostate (used to help treat alcohol dependence)
• Disulfiram (used to help treat alcohol dependence)

Cognitive behavioral therapy is perhaps one of the most commonly used methods for treating drug dependence. In fact, no matter what type of treatment program you choose, it’s likely that cognitive behavioral therapy will be part of the therapeutic schedule. This type of therapy is focused on helping the patient to become more self-aware. Through cognitive behavioral therapy, the patient can, over time, come to recognize triggers that often lead to drug abuse, avoid triggers that lead to drug abuse or that are likely to lead to drug abuse, and cope with the emotions and situations that the drug of choice will usually allow the person to put aside. Cognitive behavioral therapy is incredibly effective at helping people to make smart choices related to drug use during and after treatment and is an integral part of any treatment plan.

Multidimensional family therapy is most often utilized for teenagers who are struggling with drug addictions or substance abuse, but this type of therapy can prove effective for anyone hoping to improve relationships at home. This group therapy option focuses on fixing issues within the family unit as a whole, understanding how family dynamics play into the drug addiction, and helping every member of the family to play a role in the addict or abuser’s recovery.

As with cognitive behavioral therapy and medication-based treatment, multidimensional family therapy is usually used in conjunction with other addiction treatment methods.

Motivational therapy is typically made up of motivational interviewing and motivational incentives. Motivational interviewing comes first; it is the part of the therapeutic program during which the patient is encouraged to foster and develop a deep, sincere desire to change his or her behavior and to overcome the addiction or substance abuse. Once treatment begins and the person is working to change, positive behaviors are often rewarded or reinforced, a process known as motivational incentive.

Regardless of what types of therapy or treatment are chosen, individuals will have the choice of attending inpatient treatment, in which they actually live on site at the treatment center, or outpatient therapy, in which they live at an off-site location and attend treatment on a schedule that works for them.

Both options have their pros and cons, and it’s all about choosing the right one for your specific needs. You can rest assure, however, that whether you receive inpatient or outpatient care, if you receive it in California, you’ll have access to some of the best, most advanced care provided by top addictions specialists.