What are some ethical issues in addiction treatment?
When it comes to rehab centers, the services provided must be of the highest ethical standards to ensure the best possible addiction treatment is received. People seeking treatment, for themselves or a loved one, need to feel reassured about the care they will receive – especially if it is a long-term rehab facility. Treatment programs without a commitment to ethics may discourage many people from getting the help they need to stop drinking or using drugs.
On a very basic level, reputable treatment centers provide equitable treatment to every person in their programs. Quite often the media portrays addiction as a “poor decision” rather than as the disease it truly is. Those suffering from addiction are in need of professional, medical attention – not just psychological therapy or life-coaching. Stigmas and stereotypes have no place in an addiction treatment center. It is also important to realize that “equal” treatment is not the answer, because each addict has their own unique set of problems that will require a personalized solution. Ethical care isn’t just about making commitments to young adults and their families, it’s about keeping those promises and being honest about how challenging and unpredictable addiction treatment can be.
Confidentiality is another ethical concern for many when considering a rehab program. Every person in recovery may have experiences they may not feel comfortable sharing with everyone. It’s important for not just doctors, but therapists and counselors to honor the confidentiality of each person in recovery. Letting the individual come to grips with their experiences is part of the rehab process, and it isn’t something to be rushed or taken lightly. Allowing the emotional wounds of drug and alcohol abuse to heal is key to recovery. This is why it is important to find out what the confidentiality policies are before enrolling in a treatment program.
Ethical standards of care have been established by numerous national groups and organizations, to help support and identify quality care within the industry. For example, the National Association of Social Workers has a specialization program just for professionals who deal with Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug (ATOD) problems. The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) is another group that supports increasing the quality of addiction treatment by establishing “addiction medicine as a specialty recognized by professional organizations, governments, physicians, purchasers and consumers of health care services, and the general public.” Becoming aware of the ethics of addiction treatment can gives you the insight necessary to ask informed questions about treatment before embarking on the road to recovery.
Related Posts
Why Athletes Should Be Tested For Drugs…What are Dual Diagnosis Drug Treatment Centers?
Major Obstacles to Addiction Recovery
January 30th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
Ethics are a very important part of drug & alcohol addiction treatment. Mistakes made by professional detox & rehab centers could very well be the thing that emotionally scars an addict, making it nearly impossible for them to recover.
The important thing for these centers to convey to those seeking help and family members seeking help for loved ones is that treatments are individualized for each person, that the program is taken at a pace that is comfortable for each person and that their privacy will not be invaded. The comfort level of both addicts and family members is one of the biggest and hardest hurdles to overcome, and can be the difference between success or failure for an individual. We strongly recommend doing the research and speaking with centers before taking the first step, in order to ensure that their program will be the right one for you. The resources above are excellent ones that can help you build a list of questions to ask!
March 24th, 2009 at 11:50 pm
<p>Thanks for the great blog. You are so right about how the media wrongly portrays addiction. Because of this I think so many people find themselves struggling longer without help then they need to. It is time to lift the stigma</p>