Like any industry in the world, things always change over time. In most cases, they change for the better. The same can be said for the world of addiction treatment methods. Today, the team at Hope Centers of Central Florida, want to explain how the future is looking for outpatient alcohol treatment,

The Future Is Near

Addiction treatment has changed dramatically over the decades, but one thing has remained constant—there are no easy answers, either for those struggling with substance use disorders or those attempting to help them. Still, science gives us much to hope for, and accumulated experience is teaching us better each day what works and what doesn’t.

The Future of Addiction Treatment Methods

Here are four predictions for what’s just over the horizon in addiction treatment:

• We will broaden our definition of success.
  • By moving away from our current focus on continuous abstinence as the only or best measure of success, we can build upon and celebrate every reduction in drug or alcohol use. The treatment process is then a journey, not a one-time shot at sobriety that the addicted person either passes or fails. It recognizes that people often relapse during the recovery process and that improvement most commonly comes over the long term. With this more inclusive mindset must come a commitment to providing addiction treatment that follows the individual with a substance use problem through each stage of their journey.
• Vaccines will supplement current treatments.
  • Medical advances promise a brave new world of addiction treatment that includes vaccines that can block or dampen the high from drugs. Already, clinical trials of a cocaine vaccine have indicated promise for creating “immunity” to cocaine. A heroin vaccine shows potential as well. There are concerns: the protection may last only a limited time in some cases, and some fear coercive use of vaccines. Still, for those struggling to put substance use behind them, vaccines could be a powerful tool.
• We will stop treating every addiction in the same way.
  • Drugs of abuse either directly or indirectly affect the reward circuitry of the brain, and for that reason, they have been lumped in the same category. As a result, one-size-fits-all treatment has become the norm. It’s an overly simplistic view that ignores the vast differences in the properties of various substances and their effects on those who use them. The reality is all substances are not the same, and treatment shouldn’t be either.
• Treatment of co-occurring disorders will be paramount.
  • It’s not always clear which came first, but it’s now well-understood that addiction tends to go hand in hand with other disorders, such as depression, anxiety and trauma. Treating one demands a commitment to treating the other; otherwise, a negative outcome is all but certain. Studies have found, for example, that depression quadruples the risk of relapse in alcoholics in the first year of recovery, and an 11-year study of heroin addicts found that mood disorders adversely affected every outcome in both the short and long term.

Call Us For Outpatient Alcohol Treatment

We are the best drug treatment center for addiction treatment methods! With our trusted and experienced clinical team and state-of-the-art treatment facility, we can help you get started on the road to lasting recovery. Let our team of caring professionals partner with you on your journey to recovery. Our trained professional’s ultimate goal is to get our patients on the track to the cure. Alcohol dependence is a disease that needs to be treated seriously. Hope Centers of Central Florida is the best Orlando treatment center that features the best outpatient alcohol treatment. Call or visit us today to schedule an appointment or ask us about our services. We are drug treatment centers specializing in suboxone treatment.