Home  |   Ask Dr. NIDA  |   Brain & Addiction

Are There Effective Treatments for Drug Addiction?

Drug addiction can be effectively treated with behavioral-based therapies and, for addiction to some drugs such as heroin or nicotine, medications. Treatment may vary for each person depending on the type of drug(s) being used and the individual's specific circumstances. In many cases, multiple courses of treatment may be needed to achieve success. Research has revealed 13 basic principles that underlie effective drug addiction treatment. These are discussed in NIDA's Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment: A Research-Based Guide.

Isn't Drug Addiction a Voluntary Behavior?

A person may start out taking drugs voluntarily. But as times passes, and drug use continues something happens that makes a person go from being a voluntary drug user to a compulsive drug user. Why? Because the continued use of addictive drugs changes your brain - at times in dramatic, toxic ways, at others in more subtle ways, but often in ways that result in compulsive and even uncontrollable drug use.

Isn't Becoming Addicted to a Drug Just a Character Flaw?

Drug addiction is a brain disease. Every type of drug of abuse has its own individual mechanism for changing how the brain functions. But regardless of which drug a person is addicted to, many of the effects it has on the brain are similar: they range from changes in the molecules and cells that make up the brain, to mood changes, to changes in memory processes and thinking, and sometimes changes in motor skills such as walking and talking. And these changes have a huge influence on all aspects of a person's behavior. A drug can become the single most powerful motivator in a drug abuser's existence. He or she will do almost anything for the drug. This comes about because drug use has changed the individual's brain, their behavior, their social and other functioning in critical ways.

For Drug Treatment to Work, Doesn't the Person Have to Really Want It?

Two of the primary reasons people seek drug treatment are because the court ordered them to do so, or because loved ones urged them to seek treatment. Many scientific studies have shown convincingly that those who enter drug treatment programs in which they face "high pressure" to confront and attempt to surmount their addiction can benefit from treatment, regardless of the reason they sought treatment in the first place.

Shouldn't Treatment for Drug Addiction be a One-shot Deal?

Like many other illnesses, drug addiction typically is a chronic disorder. To be sure, some people can quit drug use "cold turkey," or they can quit after receiving treatment just one time at a rehabilitation facility. But most of those who abuse drugs require longer-term treatment and, in many instances, repeated treatments.

Shouldn't NIDA Strive to Find a "Magic Bullet" to Treat All Forms of Drug Abuse?

There is no "one size fits all" form of drug treatment, much less a magic bullet that suddenly will cure addiction. Different people have different drug abuse-related problems. And they respond very differently to similar forms of treatment, even when they're abusing the same drug. As a result, drug addicts need an array of treatments and services tailored to address their unique needs.

[Back to top]

<< Previous Page

Are you in crisis?
Call 1-800-662-HELP or
visit findtreatment.samhsa.gov

Don't know what something means?
Look it up. 

Think you know what drugs do to
the brain and body?
Play. 

Make your own iron-ons, stickers,
buddy icons and other cool stuff!
Check it out. 

Explore the brain's response to drugs
with Sara Bellum.
Explore.