Substance abuse Treatment or substance use disorder (SUD) is a mental health condition that affects your ability to function normally and is characterized by your uncontrolled use of drugs or alcohol. It can be difficult to admit that you have a problem with addiction and seek help, but once you recognize the signs of drug dependence or addiction it is important to get treatment as soon as possible.

Addiction is complex and has many causes, ranging from physiological to social factors. Many people with SUD also have another psychiatric disorder, such as depression or anxiety. Oftentimes the person with SUD will use drugs or alcohol to self medicate or to mask symptoms of their other disorders.

There are a number of different therapies and treatments available to individuals with SUD. The first step in the treatment process is often medically assisted detox, where a person with SUD is monitored and given medications to help ease the withdrawal symptoms. Once the withdrawal is over, there are a variety of different treatments that may include:

Psychotherapy. This is where a licensed counselor or therapist will work with the individual to talk about the underlying issues that may be contributing to their drug use. There are many different types of psychotherapy, including:

Family therapy. This type of treatment is designed to help families reestablish trust and improve communication in the family unit. There are a number of different family therapy techniques, including:

Motivational interviewing. This is a collaborative approach that helps the individual explore their ambivalence about changing their behavior in an environment of acceptance and empathy. There are a number of other behavioral therapies that can be used to treat SUD:

Residential treatment. This type of treatment is highly individualized and typically involves living at a treatment facility for an extended period of time, such as 6-12 months. These programs are sometimes called therapeutic communities and work to change the underlying values that may have contributed to drug abuse in the individual.

Intensive outpatient treatment (IOP). This is a lower level of care than residential treatment, where the patient meets with their therapist for two to four hours per weeknight and three or more days each week for treatment. During this phase of the program, the client will usually move from IOP to standard outpatient treatment once they are more stabilized.

Recovery housing. This is a supervised residence for short-term stays that can be used to support and transition individuals after the completion of longer term residential treatment programs. These programs often provide housing, job readiness skills and connections to other community services for support and recovery.

Addiction is a chronic disease that requires ongoing care and support to avoid relapse. There are a number of ways to obtain follow up care, from maintaining an ongoing relationship with a counselor or therapist to joining a self-help support group. Self-help support groups can decrease feelings of shame and isolation that can contribute to relapse and may be helpful in maintaining sobriety.