Treatment Approaches For Alcohol And Drug Dependence

The first edition of this book was based upon the recommendations of the Quality Assurance in the Treatment of Drug Dependence Project, and provided a step-by-step-guide for therapists working with clients with alcohol or other drug dependency or misuse. Since publication in 1995 it has become well known for its easy-to-read style and wealth of practical resource materials. However, the evidence in the field has moved forward in the last eight years, creating a need for an updated edition. Retaining the trademark easy-to-use, up-to-date style, the Second Edition offers new chapters on pharmacotherapies, case management, young people, and dual diagnosis. Other chapters have been updated to reflect the latest research findings and current practice, and the practice sheets and client handouts are made available online for downloading and customization by therapists.

All across the United States, individuals, families, communities, and health care systems are struggling to cope with substance use, misuse, and substance use disorders. Substance misuse and substance use disorders have devastating effects, disrupt the future plans of too many young people, and all too often, end lives prematurely and tragically. Substance misuse is a major public health challenge and a priority for our nation to address. The effects of substance use are cumulative and costly for our society, placing burdens on workplaces, the health care system, families, states, and communities. The Report discusses opportunities to bring substance use disorder treatment and mainstream health care systems into alignment so that they can address a person's overall health, rather than a substance misuse or a physical health condition alone or in isolation. It also provides suggestions and recommendations for action that everyone-individuals, families, community leaders, law enforcement, health care professionals, policymakers, and researchers-can take to prevent substance misuse and reduce its consequences.

The guideline focuses specifically on evidence-based pharmacological treatments for AUD in outpatient settings and includes additional information on assessment and treatment planning, which are an integral part of using pharmacotherapy to treat AUD.

Today, most substance abuse treatment is administered by community-based organizations. If providers could readily incorporate the most recent advances in understanding the mechanisms of addiction and treatment, the treatment would be much more effective and efficient. The gap between research findings and everyday treatment practice represents an enormous missed opportunity at this exciting time in this field. Informed by real-life experiences in addiction treatment including workshops and site visits, Bridging the Gap Between Practice and Research examines why research remains remote from treatment and makes specific recommendations to community providers, federal and state agencies, and other decision-makers. The book outlines concrete strategies for building and disseminating knowledge about addiction; for linking research, policy development, and everyday treatment implementation; and for helping drug treatment consumers become more informed advocates. In candid language, the committee discusses the policy barriers and the human attitudesâ€"the stigma, suspicion, and skepticismâ€"that often hinder progress in addiction treatment. The book identifies the obstacles to effective collaboration among the research, treatment, and policy sectors; evaluates models to address these barriers; and looks in detail at the issue from the perspective of the community-based provider and the researcher.

Evidence-Based Treatments for Alcohol and Drug Abuse encompasses the developments in the field over the last decade, blending theory, techniques and clinical flexibility. Research in the past decade has shown that substance abuse and substance dependence are treatable. The field has witnessed the introduction of evidence-based psychological and specific pharmacological treatments. Unfortunately, many of the empirical supported therapies for addictions are still not widely applied by practitioners. The third volume in the Practical Clinical Guidebooks Series (PCG), Evidence-Based Treatments for Alcohol and Drug Abuse, defines the characteristics, classification, and prevalence of substance use disorders, and provides the clinician with practical guidelines applicable across a variety of treatment settings and patient groups. Drawing on the recent research in the field, the authors provide the practicing clinician and student with an up-to-date understanding of the epidemiology, etiology, course and prognosis of substance abuse disorders that would be relevant to clinical practice. In addition to describing phenomenology and etiology, the book provides a comprehensive guide to the assessment and treatment of DSM-IV-TR substance abuse disorders (SUDs), including abuse and dependence of alcohol, stimulants, opiates, hallucinogens, cannabis/marijuana, sedative, and party drugs.

This second edition includes new material on individual psychotherapy and family therapy for clients with alcohol and other drug (AOD) problems.

This book is the first complete guide to implementing the Community Reinforcement Approach (CRA), an empirically based, highly effective cognitive-behavioral program for treating alcohol problems. CRA acknowledges the powerful role of environmental contingencies in encouraging or discouraging drinking, and attempts to rearrange these contingencies so that a non-drinking lifestyle is more rewarding than a drinking one. Unique in its breadth, the approach utilizes social, recreational, familial, and vocational strategies to aid clients in the recovery process. This authoritative manual is a hands-on guide to applying these therapeutic procedures. The authors present a step-by-step guide to each component of the treatment plan, many of which have been shown to be effective forms of treatment in themselves. Topics include behavioral skills training, social and recreational counseling, marital therapy, motivational enhancement, job counseling, and relapse prevention. Each chapter provides detailed instructions for conducting a procedure, describes what difficulties to expect, and presents strategies for overcoming them. Sample dialogues between clients and therapists, annotated by the authors, further illuminate the treatment process. The book concludes with a chapter that both addresses the common mistakes made when implementing CRA, and emphasizes the flexibility and benefits of this total treatment plan. This book is an invaluable resource for a wide range of practitioners including psychologists, psychiatrists, substance abuse counselors, and social workers.