The history of drug treatment programs has been particularly barbaric. We are fortunate that contemporary drug treatment programs are much improved and that they consider the condition and welfare of the substance abuser instead of simply putting them in a straight jacket in a padded cell. (At least they don’t drill holes in people’s heads any more!) Now the latest technologies enable researchers to actually view the workings of people’s brains and understand specifics of chemical dependency.
Drug treatment programs deal with pathological substance abuse disorders. This is serious stuff. There are extensive treatments available, but no matter how expensive or fancy or professional they are, none of them will work until the user has decided once and for all to quit. Programs are, in fact, geared to helping guide the substance abuser to just such a revelation, providing activities and therapies that lead to personal insights. It all comes down to the point where a decision must be made, where the user must look at himself in a mirror and make the ultimate commitment to sobriety.
It is a hard truth to come to. It takes a significant degree of courage for the substance abuser to be able to trust a facility during the detoxification process. It is one reason that choosing the right facility is so crucial. The drug treatment program must provide a safe environment for detox, with complete medical supervision by qualified and caring professionals at a time when the substance abuser is at his most fragile.
But in addition to the detox process, the program should consider each individuals unique history and develop a specific special course of treatment leading to recovery.
