Substance-Related Addictions
What are Substance-Related Addictive Disorders?
Substance-related addictions refer to forms of psychological dependencies or compulsions that are linked to the consumption of substances such as alcohol, drugs, or medications.
Therapy
The outpatient day-clinic therapy program of the 8-week program includes:
- On average, 6 therapeutic hours per week (group and individual psychotherapy, occupational therapy)
- Physio and sports therapy, both individually and in groups, 4 hours per week
- Relaxation training according to Jacobson
- Assertiveness training according to Ullrich (saying no, building social contacts) 1 hour per week
- Computer training methods 1 hour per week
We place particular emphasis on:
- Attention to and the development of appropriate social behavior in the group
- Reduction of substance abuse
- Strengthening frustration tolerance and self-confidence
- Building compensatory strategies
- Initiating social-medical measures (career counseling, assistance with career, educational, financial, and housing matters, etc.)
If indicated, pharmacological treatments such as Seropram may also be used. This is done in consultation with the treating physicians before and after the program.
Sample Timetable for Addiction Treatment
Individual Therapy Offer
Outpatient Detoxifications
Patients of MZG
As a patient in the partial hospitalization or outpatient program, you are entitled to interdisciplinary counseling in your personal problem area.
You can receive the following information:
- Psychological problems caused by addiction
- Physiological effects of addictive substances on the body
- Effectiveness and prognosis
- Addresses of addiction counseling centers
If you are interested in such additional counseling, please contact your therapist. They will arrange an appointment with one of the specialists for you.
Therapy Goals
- Permanent reduction of substance abuse
- Building a social network
- Strengthening personal resources
- Learning relaxation exercises and coping strategies
- Preventing consequences such as social isolation, physical effects, suicidality, etc.
For this, we first work with the patient in an initial phase of the process:
- On therapy motivation
- On compliance
- On a deeper understanding of the problem and disease relationships
- On accessing physical experience through sports and physiotherapy
This initial phase of the process can last for a longer period, often even the entire 8 weeks. This means that symptom-free status may not be achieved, but awareness of further therapeutic steps is created.
Depending on the personality structure and cognitive abilities, further work may focus on confrontation, introspective abilities, and conflict resolution skills.
Scientifically Expected Success Rate
- After inpatient treatment, 50% of patients remain alcohol-free after 4 years (Lindenmeyer, 1999). The improvement rate for outpatient treatment is 37%.
- Antabuse works as well as a placebo for older patients with good motivation and adequate social stability. However, within contractual agreements, Antabuse can be effective (O’Brian & McKay, 1998).
- Nemexin can reduce drinking behavior in alcoholics (O’Brian & McKay, 1998), especially in patients with strong alcohol cravings, limited learning abilities, and many somatic symptoms.
- Cocaine addiction can only be minimally affected by medication (O’Brian & McKay, 1998).
- Effective and cost-efficient treatments include assertiveness training, couples therapy, stress management; ineffective are aversion therapies, confrontation, or alcohol counseling (Finney & Moos, 1998). AA is no more effective than other methods.
- Day-clinic settings are just as effective as inpatient treatments 6 or 12 months after treatment (O’Brian & McKay, 1998, Süss, 1995).
- For opiate addiction, methadone remains effective (less sleep disorders, depression, menstrual disorders, and neonatal illnesses compared to heroin). Short treatment times include 180 days (extended detox) (O’Brian & McKay, 1998).
- Short-term therapies with assertiveness training, cognitive therapy, exposure treatments, relapse prevention, and behavioral couples therapy are the most effective (Miller et al., 1995).
- Behavioral therapy is effective for gambling addiction (Oakley-Browne, Adams & Mobberley, 2000).
- Only 8% of gamblers remain free of gambling for 1 year when attending Gamblers Anonymous (Petry & Armentano, 1999). Behavioral therapy is the most effective treatment.
