How is drug dependency treated?
Treatment of drug dependency involves treating both the physical and psychological problems that result from drug use. Medical treatment may be necessary for health problems related to drug use, such as liver disease. If a person is physically dependent on a drug he or she will need to undergo detoxification. This involves replacing the drug with a prescription medicine and gradually reducing the dose to minimise the occurrence of withdrawal symptoms. The mainstay of most treatment for drug dependency is an intensive programme of group work and individual counselling aimed at helping the person to develop strategies to cope without the use of drugs and to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Various activities may be used to encourage the person to recognise the problems that led them to become drug dependent and to overcome these problems by developing self esteem and positive attitudes. Often therapists may themselves have been treated for drug dependency and so can empathise with their patien
