Treatment

The range of medical, psychological, and social services designed to help individuals reduce or stop substance use and manage substance use disorders. Treatment may include assessment, counselling and behavioural therapies, medication-assisted treatment, withdrawal management, and support for co-occurring mental or physical health conditions. Effective treatment is typically person-centred and evidence-informed, and may be provided in outpatient, community, or residential settings. Treatment aims to improve health and functioning, reduce substance-related harms, and support individuals in moving toward recovery and long-term wellbeing. 

Prevention and Treatment for Drug Use in Rural Settings

Book
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The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has recently published what the organisation describes as ‘an awareness-raising tool’ aimed at policy-makers, public health officials, local authorities and other stakeholders. Its intent...

High-Risk Drug Use and New Psychoactive Substances

Book
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‘High-risk drug use and new psychoactive substances’, a new report from the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), takes a look at the emergence of more problematic forms of new psychoactive substance use among a...

Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder: What's There to Learn?

Scientific article
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This misuse of prescription opioids is a major public health challenge. Buprenorphine-naloxone (bup-nx) is typically used to treat opioid use disorders. However, the drug’s clinical trial primarily involved heroin users. It was therefore...

A Possible New Treatment for Alcohol Disorders?

Scientific article
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New research published in the journal Biological Psychiartry points to a novel way for the treatment of alcoholism. This would look to reduce motivation for drinking instead of altering the effects of alcohol, itself. Indeed, the study...

How Do We Tackle the Opioid Epidemic?

Scientific article
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The over-prescription of opioids is a significant public health issue in the United States. For example, opioids are often prescribed for minor injuries unnecessarily. This, in turn, increases the risk of addiction. New research presented...