Maintaining a belief that addiction is a disease of the brain and
understanding the other aspects associated with addiction and alcoholism speaks
to what needs to be provided in drug rehab programs. Above all else, we must
maintain remember we are here to treat the whole person, not just a behavior or
a way of thinking.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse recently published Principles of
Effective Drug Addiction and Alcoholism Treatment which provides a
detailed discussion on how we must treat all aspects of the individual, not just
the biological component or the behavioral component.

As with other brain diseases such as schizophrenia and depression, the data
show that the best drug addiction or drug rehab treatment approaches attend to
the entire individual, combining the use of medications, behavioral therapies,
social services, rehab and involvement in significant support groups. This does
not mean that all individuals need all components of addiction treatment and
rehab services.

Another principle of effective addiction treatment in rehab is that the array
of services included in an individual's treatment plan must be matched to his or
her particular set of needs.

Since those needs will surely change over the
course of recovery, the services provided will need to be continually reassessed
and adjusted. To make a well-informed decision when selecting an alcohol or drug
rehab program, learn about all href="http://www.recoveryconnection.org/addiction_treatment/"
>addiction treatment options available, and, of course, seek
professional help for the addict as early as possible.