Addiction to harmful substances, and substance use disorder (SUD) are life-threatening conditions experienced by millions of individuals. The concept of an early intervention plan for substance abuse is similar to another life threatening disease. Cancer takes millions of lives, but is far more treatable when caught and detected early. The concept is simple, the earlier you intervene with either of these conditions, the current state of the individuals body is less effected, and in the case of addictive substances, the longer a substance is abused, not only will the harmful effects be greater, but tolerance and addiction will be deeper seeded, making it even more difficult to quit. In this article, we’ll review details of an early intervention plan for substance abuse and how this can be of help to individuals with this condition.
Getting an individual suffering from substance abuse to seek treatment is voluntary, and the very nature of their condition fights against the self-realization and presence of an actual problem. Take binge drinking for instance. Some may not see 4 or 5 drinks as a problem but this is the agreed upon designation for binge drinking. Whether individuals agree with this designation or not, the fact that awareness is not apparent, in a recent national survey, over 66 million individuals aged 12 or older were classified as binge drinkers. Furthermore, 1.4 million of those individuals came from the age group of 12 to 17. A shocking number but will so many in the category of binge drinking, these individuals are going undetected and unaware amongst their own thoughts and feelings. This is where screening and brief intervention (SBI) come into play.
A great place for early intervention of substance abuse begins at routine check-ups with general practitioners. We have all filled out those long winded forms, either in-person or online with several question around our daily behavior. These are a great opportunities for general doctors and family physicians to first determine if there may be evidence of substance use disorder and then, to possibly interview.
Basis of screening is simple enough but a few calls to alarm does not diagnose an individual as having substance use disorder. Following that painstaking form with valuable detail and information, doctors can then proceed with motivational interviewing (MI). At this stage, they should be both asking questions, discovering more about the individual’s substance use and possible causes as well as solutions. The goal here isn’t to force anyone into a decision, especially one they are not willing or obligated to make, but rather to understand and assess. The doctor and/or counselor in this position should ask whether or not clients plan to change their behavior after being introduced to the results of that initial screening. In the stages of substance abuse when the client is already in the mindset of being in a doctor’s office to see medical advice, they may be most receptive to change their ways, and doctors should be that safe setting to do so.
This is highly dependent on the outcome and doctor’s assessment of both the screening and interview, but if both of these elements lean towards substance use disorder and an individual ready for treatment, then that would be the most likely next step. This stage is referred to as the Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT). The move to referral is at the discretion of the individual health care provider, but at stage of the early intervention plan, guidance and information is given, such as local inpatient facilities, expectations of beginning treatment or alternatives that may be available. General health-care providers also play a pivotal role in providing medication-assisted treatment (MAT), providing more robust monitoring and care coordination, and actively promoting engagement in specialty substance use disorder treatment.
We hope you now have a better understanding of what is involved in an early intervention plan for substance abuse and how this can potentially save an individual’s life, as well as their quality of life. If you or a loved one needs any additional assistance with addiction treatment services, please reach out to Long Island Center for Recovery at 1-800-344-5427, and we’d be happy to assist you or your loved ones in any way possible.
References:
National Library of Medicine – National Center for Biotechnology Information: Facing Addiction in America: The Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health – Chapter 4 Early Intervention, Treatment, and Management of Substance Use Disorder
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK424859/
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