Behavioral Treatment Programs for Methamphetamine Addiction Essay

Methamphetamine is a powerful and dangerous drug. It has the reputation as being a delightful and sneaky drug that robs your body of life. Although it has been around for over sixty years, it is only in the last 30 years that people have realized what a significant problem it has caused. Treatment for Methamphetamine remains mainly in the experimental stages and needs more research to find the exact treatment protocol. Methamphetamine addiction is extremely hard to treat (Lee& Rawson, 2009). The main reasons are due to the length of time it takes for the drug to pass through the body. Depending how much and how long the drug has been used determines the best course of treatment for a client(Inaba & Cohen, 2011). A person may need inpatient care in order to handle the withdrawal symptoms. Drug protocols are being researched, but none has been proven effective at this time. Pharmaceuticals have been combined with other treatments to lessen the symptoms that are the result of stopping Methamphertmine use. Most of the treatment consists of behavioral treatment programs. Trends Critique Cognitive Behavior Therapy is a form of talk therapy that is used to reframe and recondition the way an addict thinks about drug use (Baker & Lee, 2009). Cognitive Behavior Therapy teaches a meth addict ways to process information or stimuli similar to the 12 steps program, but the program is a more structured approach for the client(Masters, 2009). The therapy sessions usually consist of at least sixteen sessions. It assists the client in developing alternative thought patterns that replace the craving for the drug. This treatment protocol is easily adaptable to meet different cultural needs or bias. Methamphetamine addicts often experi... ...havior. References California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs (2007). Methamphetamine Treatment: Practitioners Reference. University of California. Drug Enforcement Administration Office of Diversion Control (2011). Controlled Substances Schedules. U. S. Department of Justice. Fee, E. (2011). Charles E. Terry (1878-1945): Early campaigner against drug addiction. American Journal of Public Health 101(3). Ghatak, S. (2012). The Opoumvois: The Biopolitics of Narcotic Control in the United States 1914-1935. [Critical Criminology]. 18(1). Accessed from SocIndex with full text on February 8, 2012. Glover-Kekvliet, J. (2009). The Methamphetamine Crisis in American Indian and Native Alaskan Communities: Towards a New Research Agenda. Addictions. 1(12). Hunt, D., Kuck, S. & Truitt, L. (2006). Methamphetamine Use: Lessons Learned. ABT