Navigating Treatment Options for Addiction

If you know someone struggling to overcome drug abuse or addiction, a new easy-to-read booklet from NIH might help. Seeking Drug Abuse Treatment: Know What to Ask can guide you in making informed choices about drug treatment programs—for yourself or a family member.

Treatment aims to help people stop drug use and function well with their family, workplace and community. But it can be difficult to keep patients in treatment long enough to meet that goal. Finding the right treatment for each person is critical.

“Treatment options can vary considerably, and families often don’t know where to begin,” says Dr. Nora D. Volkow, director of NIH’s National Institute on Drug Abuse. “This booklet highlights the treatment components that research has shown are critical for success, to help people make an informed choice during a very stressful time.”

The booklet lists key questions to ask when searching for a drug treatment program. It describes available medications and evidence-based behavioral therapies, as well as the need for comprehensive, tailored and sustained treatment.

Seeking Drug Abuse Treatment is available online at www.drugabuse.gov/publications/seeking-drug-abuse-treatment. Free printed copies can be ordered at drugpubs.drugabuse.gov/ or call 1-877-NIDA-NIH (1-877-643-2644).