Substance abuse treatment question from a nonabuser?

I'm considering a career in substance abuse education, treatment, and prevention. I have just recently seen an episode on meth addicts and it basically painted a bleak picture for them. Some that are recovering or "rehabilitated" still fight the urges to go back to their habits on a daily basis and my question is this: even in this day and age with drug rehab clinics and focused attention on drug addiction is there really an effective program for those suffering? I don't know anyone personally who has suffered just curious about this.

12 step programs like AA & NA work for anybody who truly wants to be free of drugs, there is hope without dope!
there are some addicts who will initially have no respect for you specifically because you have not been where they have-------this is a bs defense mechenism, don't let it get to you!

addiction is insideous! thousands of humans follow drugs to the gates of insanity or death! any program that hopes to be effective has to have key components,...they must deal with physical addiction, psychological/emotional addiction & damage, the spiritual void/triggers of addictive behavior.

feel free to email me with any questions,...

There are effective treatment programs, but the person needs to be ready to get help & want to stop using the substances. As they say, "you have to take it one day at a time".

Sometimes the person has to "hit rock bottom" to be ready to take the step toward treatment, IE: Spouse leaving or throwing person out; getting arrested; losing job; DUI; being evicted; etc.

I believe there is still not enough attention paid to drug addiction. ALL those recovering fight urges to go back to their habits, that's why substance abusers need to seek treatment for what initially caused them to use once they are abstinent. Danger times are anniversaries: 30 days; 90 days; 1 year; etc.

The field can be frustrating but very rewarding.

Good luck to you.

Man, it's hard for people to quit whether its meth, crack, pills, alcohol. Some people get addicted harder and some of the substances are more difficult to quit. The statistics on how many addicts relapse during sobriety are staggering, but the good news is many of them return to treatment. Some go back many times until they get it right, or until they die of abusing their bodies. I think it's a hard field, but it's one that needs patient, caring and tough-loving individuals to support alcoholics/addicts both at times of greatest need and also on a normal daily basis.

A lot of addicts in my area KY choose to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and use our program to keep their habit at bay one day at a time because NA is based on the 12 step program created by AA; but they find it to easy to connect at NA meetings because some people; especially court ordered people might not buy into the program and since they are there by force; see no problem with pushing drugs at those meetings. Since it is so tempting, they come to AA where there is more and stronger sobriety.
I know several with several years of continuous sobriety and several sponsees

You don't need personal experience to help other who chose to drink and drug you will have an education so you will be knowledgeable to help treat these people better yet you can also inspire addicts to change there lifestyle to also educate other addicts

There are lots of programs for addiction but only few of them are effective.