Whether inpatient or outpatient, most treatment programs have certain basic features. First, medical attention and support are provided around the initial crisis that brought you to treatment. Psychiatric consultation may also be requested.

Next, there is individual assessment and counseling. You will be expected to participate in classes about addiction and in groups where you learn to talk about your feelings with the aid of a trained counselor.

Groups are particularly valuable for people with addictions. In this kind of setting, you are able to see problems in other group members that you might not be able to see in yourself. You also experience support and come to see that you are not alone, which is helpful because addictions are very isolating.

Treatment centers usually have strict rules, and they are enforced. You will, of course, be expected not to use drugs or drink while you are there. You will be advised not to get into intimate relationships with other patients. You might be told that you cannot have novels or magazines to read, and there might be a dress code. Such rules help you maintain your focus on recovery and not get sidetracked. Denial and the cravings associated with early recovery can be subtle and easily undermine treatment.

Treatment programs should offer help for the family as well. Conferences with your family and the counselor are usually included, and the family is encouraged to come to educational meetings about addiction as well as to a support group. Family members are encouraged to begin attending Al-Anon or similar programs.

Most treatment programs provide an introduction to 12- step recovery, and include attendance at Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous meetings. Cognitive-behavioral therapy may also be offered. This technique teaches you to examine your thoughts and feelings and to make better choices. Relapse prevention strategies are taught as well.

Medications Used in Addiction Treatment
A variety of medications are used to treat addiction. Initially, you may be placed on a detoxification protocol. This will vary according to the drug you are using, the degree of withdrawal, and what your medical situation is. Since depression and anxiety often linger for several months after detoxification and may interfere with sobriety, you may be placed on a medication to help correct this problem. Some commonly used in treatment centers for this purpose are fluoxetine (Prozac), imipramine (Tofranil), and valproate (Depakote).

These medications have been shown to help stabilize mood in the early stages of recovery, and they are not addictive. After six months to a year, they can often be withdrawn.

Disulfiram (Antabuse) is used to prevent relapse in alcoholics. When disulfiram is in the system, it causes a violently ill reaction if someone drinks. It works best for alcoholics who drink in a binge fashion and who have trouble abstaining. It must be taken daily, and its use should be closely supervised by a physician. Since it can cause severe reactions when alcohol is ingested, certain over-the-counter drugs, mouthwashes containing alcohol, and foods containing alcohol must be avoided. Giving Antabuse to people without telling them (this has been done by some misguided family members) is highly dangerous and unethical.