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PSYCHOSOCIAL TREATMENT IN COLLABORATION WITH PHARMACOLOGICAL TREATMENT FOR OPIOID USE DISORDER

To cope up with the social and emotional challenges, accompanying the substance use disorder, psychosocial treatments can be very helpful. It is very useful in managing the cravings and reducing the possibilities of relapse in the patient. Psychosocial treatment is accessible in various outpatient and inpatient treatments. However, the majority of studies have appreciated outpatient treatments over others. Depending on the severity of the case, the treatment individualizes each patient. The treatment includes individual or group counseling, cognitive-behavioral or family therapy, and motivational speeches. According to the ASAM policy, psychosocial treatments are not part of professional treatments, but the mutual help-programs complement the professional treatments. (a Joint Statement of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry, 1997)


Benefits of the Psychosocial Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder:


To our surprise, this treatment can do magic to opioid use disorder. Usually, the advantages of this treatment are as follows:

1. Adjusts the basic steps of maintaining or reinforcing use behavior.

2.Supports the commitment to pharmacotherapy. For example medication compliances etc.

3. Treatment of any associated psychiatric disorder that may lead to the complication of substance use disorder or trigger the relapse.


Constituents of Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder.


So far, we know that the psychosocial treatment for opioid use disorder comes in collaboration with all pharmacological treatments. The following are the steps to treat OUD in terms of psychological treatment:

1. Analysis of psychosocial requirements

2. Concerned separate or group counseling

3. Linking the family support system

4. Community services

5. Cognitive-behavioral counseling

6. Motivational incentives and enhancements

7. Community reinforcement approach

Emergency management combined with CM and CBT treatments has proved to be more efficient than other medications.(Dutra et al., 2008)


Mutual Help-Programs


Although according to ASAM policy, mutual help-programs are not included in psychosocial treatment it helps a lot in OUD treatments. It includes twelve steps divided into groups as follows:

1. Alcoholic Anonymous

2. Narcotics Anonymous

3. Methadone Anonymous


Devotion to the Psychosocial Treatment for OUD


Clinicians' collaboration with qualified behavioral health providers is one of the best ways to detect suitable psychosocial treatment for that specific patient. When the patient does not finish his psychosocial treatment plan, and no progress occurs, the renegotiated treatment places should be set up.

Let us have a look at its interaction with the following drugs.


Psychosocial Treatment in Collaboration with Methadone


This combination enhances the effectiveness of treatment. Studies have shown that psychosocial treatment added with the methadone treatment improved withdrawal management results. (Amato L, Minozzi S, Davoli M, n.d.)

However, the exact therapies are yet to be discovered but the meta-analysis gives a good result on adding psychosocial treatments.


Psychosocial Treatment in Collaboration with Buprenorphine


The devotion and retention of treatment with Buprenorphine enhance to a significant amount by recommending the community based psychosocial treatments. Therefore, the clinicians should consider the recommendation of psychosocial treatment when prescribing buprenorphine. (Katz et al., 2011), (Ruetsch et al., 2012), (Brigham et al., 2014)

Efficient therapies may include:

1. Prescribed behavioral therapies

2. Emergency management

3. Prevention of re-occurrence

4. Motivational speeches


Psychosocial Treatment in Collaboration with Naltrexone


Pharmacological therapy including naltrexone always recommends psychosocial treatments as a part of it. The efficiency of injectable naltrexone is only effective when combined with psychosocial treatments.




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