TREATMENT OF THE POLYDRUG ABUSER (FROM HANDBOOK ON DRUG ABUSE, 1979 BY ROBERT DUPONT AND AVRAM GOLDSTEIN - SEE NCJ-57805)

• NCJ Number: 57817
• Author(s): D R WESSON; D E SMITH
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 7 pages
• Corporate Author: US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THREE TREATMENT MODALITIES FOR POLYDRUG ABUSERS, INCLUDING PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC, PHARMACOLOGICAL, AND BIOFEEDBACK APPROACHES, ARE DISCUSSED.

Abstract

POLYDRUG ABUSE IS COMMONLY DEFINED AS SIMULTANEOUS OR SEQUENTIAL USE OF MORE THAN ONE PSYCHOACTIVE DRUG FOR NONMEDICAL PURPOSED. BECAUSE OF THE HETEROGENEITY OF THE POLYDRUG ABUSER POPULATION (IN TERMS OF AGE, SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AND REASON FOR USAGE) AND THE WIDE RANGE OF TREATMENT SETTINGS, TREATMENT IS BEST CONCEPTUALIZED AS A SERIES OF STRATEGIC INTERVENTIONS WHICH CAN BE ADAPTED TO VARIOUS INDIVIDUALS AND SETTINGS USING RATIONAL GUIDELINES. COMPREHENSIVE TREATMENT IS DIVIDED INTO CLINICALLY USEFUL PHASES, INCLUDING CRISIS SERVICE (INTERVENTION), SHORT-TERM STABILIZATION, LONG-TERM STABILIZATION, AND REHABILITATION. COMPLETION OF ALL FOUR PHASES USUALLY ENCOMPASSES 6 MONTHS TO 2 YEARS. TIMING OF TREATMENT MODALITY IS CRITICAL, AND A TREATMENT INTERVENTION WHICH MAY BE HIGHLY EFFECTIVE AT ONE TIME MAY BE CONTRAINDICATED DURING ANOTHER PHASE. PSYCHOTHERAPY, OR THE PROCESS OF MEETING WITH THE PATIENT FOR THE PURPOSE OF DISCUSSING PROBLEMS, OFFERING ADVICE, AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE REASONS FOR INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIOR, IS PERFORMED BY A PSYCHOLOGIST, PSYCHIATRIST, OR CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER. LIKE INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOTHERAPY, GROUP THERAPY CANNOT BE CONSIDERED A UNITARY MODALITY BECAUSE OF THE DIVERSITY OF THERAPIST STYLES. INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE PSYCHOTIC BENEFIT MOST FROM INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOTHERAPY OR SUPPORTIVE GROUPS, WHILE THOSE WITH PERSONALITY DISORDERS ARE BEST TREATED IN A CONFRONTIVE GROUP SETTING. ANOTHER TREATMENT MODALITY, PHARMACOTHERAPY INTERVENTION, IS GENERALLY MOST EFFECTIVE DURING REHABILITATION. IN PSYCHOTROPIC DRUG THERAPY, THE GOAL IS TREATMENT OF THE UNDERLYING PSYCHOPATHOLOGY. ANTAGONIST THERAPY INVOLVES TREATMENT WITH DRUGS WHICH BLOCK THE DESIRED EFFECTS, (E.G. CYCLAZOCINE BLOCKS NARCOTIC EFFECTS). FINALLY, THE BIOFEEDBACK MODALITY HAS BEEN USED SUCCESSFULLY, PARTICULARLY DURING PHASES 3 AND 4. WITH BIOFEEDBACK, PHYSIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS SUCH AS ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY OF MUSCLES OR BRAIN WAVES ARE ELECTRONICALLY MEASURED, AND THE MEASUREMENTS CONVEYED VISUALLY OR THROUGH AUDITORY SIGNALS TO THE PATIENT. REFERENCES AND 9 PHASE CHART ARE PROVIDED. (LWM)