Treatment

Once believed an untreatable addiction, treatment professionals will attest that it is indeed treatable and that people addicted to methamphetamine can recover and become responsible and productive citizens and caring parents and family members.

Recognizing the value of treatment, Washington State developed an effective model out of a collaboration effort among law enforcement, social service agencies, treatment providers, and community organizations. Since, many counties within the state have successfully used the Family Services Treatment Program, a successful 15-month program, which grew out of that model—a program that reports a more than 60 percent reunification rate among families and former meth users who have graduated from the 15-month program.

Those developing the model clearly understood that meth addiction must be treated differently than other illicit drug addictions. While an effective meth treatment program will use many of the traditional methods for other drug addictions, treatment experts have found that those addicted to meth need more outpatient treatment sessions per week—often four to five sessions a week as opposed to one or two times a week for people addicted to other illicit drugs. And they need to continue treatment about six months beyond the typical 12 months for other drug addictions.

To keep people motivated, effective methamphetamine treatment also prescribes sanctions or consequences for those failing to meet the conditions of treatment. Through the Family Service Treatment program, the courts supervise recovering addicts found guilty of meth-related crimes and uses a system of penalties and rewards to give people compelling incentives to succeed. Participants who fail to comply with treatment face potential severe penalties including loss of custody of children and the threat of jail or prison time. Participants must also attend treatment sessions and undergo urine drug tests to prove that they are compliant.

A vital component of the program is dedicated to helping people get their lives back together as they complete treatment. When addicted, many of the participants became totally focused on finding and using the drug and in the process lost their jobs, their homes, and their ability to provide for their families. The program works to connect participants with housing and job training programs so that they can return to living productive and self-reliant lives.

One of the obstacles for people addicted to meth is the inability to feel normal pleasure. As such, they can often have an overwhelming craving for the drug to fill that pleasure void, putting them at risk for relapse. Therefore, effective treatment must include intensive instruction on relapse skills and reassurance that normal human pleasure will return.

Perhaps the real obstacle is the fact that the need for treatment exceeds capacity. And Washington State, like other states afflicted with the methamphetamine, is continually faced with the challenge of finding the resources to meet the demand created by this serious addiction.