TEN YEAR STUDY OF ADDICTION TREATMENT SUCCESSES AND FAILURES (FROM CRITICAL CONCERNS IN THE FIELD OF DRUG ABUSE - PROCEEDINGS OF THE THIRD NATIONAL DRUG ABUSE CONFERENCE, INC, 1978)

• NCJ Number: 54341
• Author(s): A V MILIMAN
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 5 pages
• Corporate Author: Marcel Dekker, Inc
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: CONFERENCE HELD IN NEW YORK (NY), 1976

Annotation

SUMMARY RESULTS ARE REPORTED FOR EVALUATIONS OF A NUMBER OF DETOXIFICATION, METHADONE MAINTENANCE, THERAPEUTIC COUNSELING, AND COMBINATION PROGRAMS DONE OVER A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS.

Abstract

STUDY OF A DETOXIFICATION PROGRAM CONDUCTED AT A PRIVATE PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL SHOWED THAT, ALTHOUGH DETOXIFICATION OCCURRED WITHIN A TREATMENT PERIOD OF 15 WEEKS, ONLY 1 OF 25 PATIENTS REMAINED DRUG FREE FOR 1 YEAR OR MORE FOLLOWING DISCHARGE. RESUMPTION OF PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS OF 'WITHDRAWAL' WERE NOTED FOLLOWING THE PERIOD OF HOSPITALIZATION AND FORCED DRUG ABSTINENCE. A STUDY OF 53 ADDICTS ON A LARGE METHADONE PROGRAM (900 CLIENTS) DURING A 1-YEAR PERIOD SHOWED THE WORTH OF REGULAR COUNSELING THERAPY. ONE GROUP WAS SEEN ON A REGULAR BASIS FOR 1- TO 2-HOUR SESSIONS OF EDUCATIVE, SUPPORTIVE, DIRECTIVE REALITY THERAPY, WHILE A SECOND GROUP WAS ISSUED METHADONE WITHOUT COUNSELING. USING RESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOR AS THE CRITERION, THE COUNSELED GROUP WAS 50 PERCENT MORE SUCCESSFUL. THE MAJOR STUDY FROM 1967 TO THE DATE OF THIS REPORT IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE EVALUATION OF 411 ADDICTS ON 16 OUTPATIENT METHADONE PROGRAMS. METHADONE USE APPEARED TO BENEFIT MOST PATIENTS FOR A PERIOD OF SEVERAL MONTHS UP TO ABOUT 1 OR 2 YEARS AFTER ADMISSION. EFFECTIVE TREATMENT WAS DEEMED TO RESULT FROM INTENSIVE THERAPY INVOLVING THE INTELLECT, RATHER THAN THE FEELINGS. A PRINCIPAL CONCLUSION IS THAT THE CONCEPT OF ADDICTION AS A SYMPTOM OF SOME DEEPER, UNDERLYING DISORDER IS INVALID AND SELF-DEFEATING. IT IS ADVISED THAT ADDICTION SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A SPECIFIC ILLNESS ENTITY TO WHICH ANYONE IS SUSCEPTIBLE. CANNABIS IS CONSIDERED A DANGEROUS DRUG IN TERMS OF ITS DEBILITATING EFFECTS UPON THE MIND AND FUNCTIONING. THE PROMARIHUANA BIAS AMONG PROFESSIONALS IN THE DRUG ABUSE FIELD IS CONSIDERED ALARMING. PERSONAL DRUG ABUSE BY MANY DRUG AUTHORITIES AND PROGRAM BUREAUCRATS IS CHARGED, AND IT IS BELIEVED THIS HAS CLOUDED THEIR VIEW OF THE DAMAGING EFFECTS OF THE PARTICULAR DRUGS THEY ARE USING. NO DETAILED STUDY DATA ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)