Book Review: Addiction Treatment

Spanning across all socioeconomic statuses, races, cultures and ages, addiction is one of the largest and most insidious problems our society faces today. And yet, for the medical doctors who are often tasked with treating addiction, identifying and treating it is not always a straight forward process. In his new book, Addiction Treatment, Dr. Michael Weaver, a specialist in substance abuse disorders, provides a comprehensive review of addiction, dual diagnosis, pharmaceutical treatment and clinical advice about how to work with an addict. “People are embarrassed to admit to using drugs partly because they worry others will see it as a personal weakness or defect,” writes Weaver. But Weaver also writes that having the right screening tools can make a big difference. Asking non-invasive questions, such as “A lot of people have tried things like LSD or mushrooms or acid. What has been your experience?” and beginning with the more socially-accepted drugs such as caffeine and nicotine are two key steps every physician can take to more clearly diagnose a substance abuse problem. Another efficient way to assess for substance abuse is to ask open-ended questions about the consequences of use. Though controversial, drug screens can be helpful when patients have recurrent or remote substance abuse problems or are not responding to evidence-based treatment, or if a controlled substance medication has been prescribed. Weaver offers numerous helpful tips, including which dru...
Source: Psych Central - Category: Psychiatry Authors: Tags: Addictions Alcoholism Book Reviews Medications Psychiatry Substance Abuse Treatment Source Type: news