Although the treatment program in addiction varies depending on the type of addiction and the general condition of the patient, a personalized treatment plan is applied. The addiction treatment program is a brain disease that must be planned specifically for the individual, and a multidisciplinary approach is very important at this point.
Evidence-Based Addiction Treatment Program
Different treatment methods have been used in the medical world for centuries. In the struggle against diseases since ancient times, many methods and many drugs have been discovered and offered to the service of humanity.
At the latest turning point reached by modern medicine, "Evidence-Based Medicine" practices now come to the fore.
The situation meant by the term "Evidence-Based" is the demonstration of the therapeutic effects of treatment methods that emerge in many different centers around the world on patient groups, against inactive substances called "placebos," as a result of long-term studies and follow-ups with the contributions of the science of statistics. Rejecting treatments that emerge randomly, by word of mouth, or solely as a result of personal experiences, this evidence-based medicine plays an important role in making disease treatments standardized.
Evidence resulting from scientific methods is shared with the entire scientific world, and then the treatment method or discovered drug is offered to the service of humanity.
Psychometric Evaluation
Our NPAMATEM Treatment team applies structured individual interviews and various psychological tests in order to make an accurate diagnosis and create an effective treatment plan. The psychometric tests performed are scientifically based measurement and evaluation tools. No single test provides information by itself. A diagnosis is not made with psychometric tests alone; therefore, it is important for the person administering and reporting the test to have expertise in this field, test training, and clinical observation.
Psychometric tests applied in our hospital are;
Computerized tests: COG, SPM, DAUF, NVLT, TOVA, MOXO
Projective tests: Rorschach, Tat-Cat
Intelligence tests: Wisc-r, Wais, Cas
Other tests: MMPI, TCI, SCID 2, NPT, ASI
Ward Program
Our services to make the treatment of our patients more effective in the addiction clinic:
Good Morning Meetings
The purpose of good morning meetings is to ensure that individuals share how their previous day went, important events and problems experienced in the ward, their plans regarding today, and how they feel today.
In order to better understand our patients and walk together, a patient's day starts with a good morning meeting held with the entire treatment team, including our doctor, psychologist, and nurses.
Visits
Conducted with the participation of the patient's individual doctor, psychologist, and nurse.
Council Visits
A council visit is held once a week with the participation of all the treatment team in our clinic. In these visits, our patients are discussed in detail, and advanced treatment options that can be applied are discussed.
Interaction Groups
Interaction group sessions held three days a week include different topics.
Session titles are as follows:
- Communication skills
- Recognition of anger and ways of coping
- Definition of stress and ways of coping
- "I Know It All" trivia quiz
- Cycle of change
- Mindful breathing session – thought wandering
- Impulse control and development of emotional skills
- Focal point
- Addiction Group Therapy
The SAMBA program is implemented by expert psychologists every day of the week.
(Ögel K., Koç C., Aksoy A., Basabak., A, Evren C. Sigara, Alkol ve Madde Bağımlılığı Tedavi Programı (SAMBA). Yeniden Yayınları, İstanbul, 2012)
Art Therapy
It is applied on certain days and hours of the week accompanied by expert psychologists and occupational therapists. The individual works of our patients are evaluated by our therapists.
Sports Therapy
It is applied on certain days and hours of the week accompanied by a sports trainer.
Ebru (Marbling Art) Work
It is applied on certain days and hours of the week accompanied by expert psychologists and occupational therapists. The individual works of our patients are evaluated by our therapists.
Music Therapy
It is applied on certain days and hours of the week accompanied by expert psychologists and musicians working in the field. The session is concluded with a mindful breathing exercise.
Crafts Works
It is applied on certain days and hours of the week accompanied by expert psychologists and occupational therapists. The individual works of our patients are evaluated by our therapists.
Wood Painting Works
It is applied on certain days and hours of the week accompanied by expert psychologists and occupational therapists. The individual works of our patients are evaluated by our therapists.
Individual Therapy
Individual therapies are very important in the treatment of addiction.
Goals in addiction therapy;
To help him gain insight into addiction and develop a perception of harm
- Identifying the factors that drive him to substance use
- Demonstrating how the patient will stay away from specified people, situations, places, or triggers
- Enabling him to recognize and notice his craving, and to learn and develop ways to cope with the craving
- Helping him to restructure his life.
Individual psychotherapies are quite necessary and effective for him to gain insight into the psychological factors causing relapses in addiction treatment and to cope with possible risky situations. In order to prevent the intense emotional states that drive him to substance use, problem-causing thought structures and behavior patterns must be identified and evaluated, and more functional responses that can be used instead should be determined together with the patient. Focus should be placed on improving his stress-coping skills and problem-solving skills. Recognizing emotions and coping with emotions are also important in terms of preventing lapses. Therefore, emotion management should also be worked on in the interviews.
Activating motivation is essential for the continuity of recovery in addiction treatment. For this reason, in individual therapies, in cooperation between the therapist and the patient, the patient's resources are activated, aiming for him to enjoy life without resorting to alcohol and substances. Discussions are held on building a new life outside the alcohol-substance axis, acquiring new hobbies, and living his life in a more planned and programmed manner. Change in addiction disease follows certain steps.
If he does not have awareness about his alcohol-substance use problem, if he does not think that his use is harmful to himself, this must be worked on first. It is aimed for him to develop "awareness" by trying to develop a perception of harm in him.
If he has awareness about his problem, the next stage is for him to decide to quit use. In therapies, work is done for him to transition from the awareness phase to the decision phase, in other words, to make the decision to put his awareness into practice.
If he decides to quit the substance at this stage, the next stage is the "action" stage. At this stage, work is done on the steps to be taken for him to put his decision to quit the substance into practice, and it is aimed for him to take this step and start staying away from the substance. The answers to questions such as when, how he will do it, what precautions he will take, what he will pay attention to, how he will notice the craving and how he will cope, etc., are thought about, and plans are made.
The next stage is the "maintenance" stage. He has now quit the substance. He is at the stage of building a life without substances. At this stage, while he maintains his clean life, he must be vigilant about possible risks and alarms. He is guided and supported throughout this process to prevent him from trusting himself over time and entering risky environments or situations. From time to time, his motivation to stay away from the substance may decrease; at this stage, the therapist's duty is to analyze this situation on the one hand and intervene appropriately. In the maintenance stage, he is followed for an average period of 1-2 years. He is supported to stay in the treatment program.
Group Therapy
Group therapies have the feature of increasing the effectiveness of addiction treatment. In these therapies, individuals also see people experiencing problems similar to their own, and can notice the situations necessary for treatment through mutual interaction and sharing. Our patients continuing their inpatient treatment at the NPAMATEM Addiction Center participate in different group therapies. Psychoeducation and addiction groups are organized every day of the week for our inpatients. In the groups, discussions are held on the effects of alcohol-substances, what the disease of addiction is, what the possible factors that can trigger alcohol-substance use might be and how to cope with these situations, methods of recognizing, noticing, and coping with the craving, how he can restructure his life, and what can be done to prevent a lapse.
The information support provided by people experiencing similar problems in the groups appears helpful to individuals. Information and emotional support are shared in groups. A common experience and understanding can be had in groups. On the one hand, individuals get rid of social and emotional isolation and feel a sense of belonging to a group.
