Addiction Treatment for Minorities
Finding addiction treatment can be a daunting task. Even more so when the individual looking for treatment is a member of a minority. Typically, minorities face many barriers to addiction treatment, or the completion of addiction treatment. While it is true that all demographics face some sort of barriers, there are specific barriers faced by minorities.
Minority Addiction Treatment Barriers
Some of the common treatment barriers faced by minorities are:
Career responsibilities
Difficulties in communication
Cultural attitudes about mental health problems or addiction
Discrimination or rejection during addiction treatment
Family responsibilities
Financial difficulties
Lack of insurance
Shame or stigma surrounding addiction or addiction treatment
Addiction Treatment for Minorities
Needless to say, that addiction treatment for minorities should focus specifically on their needs. Some of the treatment options for minorities are Residential Inpatient Treatment, Outpatient Treatment and Partial Inpatient Treatment. The basic steps of drug treatment are:
Evaluation
Individuals who want to enter treatment for addiction should first go through an evaluation and assessment with a medical professional, so that the severity of their addiction can be determined, and any underlying mental health issues can be diagnosed, and finally, an addiction care plan can be developed.
Detox
Going through a detox is usually recommended for individuals who are dependent on drug and alcohol, and this is no different for minorities. Detox is a medically supervised process that lets individuals with addiction to withdraw safely from the drug they are dependent on, and minimizes their risk of relapse.
Psychotherapy and Pharmacotherapy
There are a variety of methods that are used during addiction treatment, and this applies to minorities too. These methods include individual therapy, group therapy, family therapy sessions and pharmacotherapy, where the individual is prescribed medication like antidepressants, anti anxiety medicine, or medications that address specific withdrawal symptoms.
Aftercare
Once treatment is completed, aftercare for minorities is a must, as it is for all other demographics. What does aftercare involve? It could involve outpatient therapy sessions, attending 12 Step Programs, going through vocational training and job placement.
Ultimately, individuals from minority backgrounds who are struggling with an addiction should not hesitate to ask for addiction treatment help. Approaching their primary care physician is a great place to start. If the individual doesn’t have a primary care physician, then they can seek guidance from medical or addiction professionals in community health centers or hospitals. If the individual is a young adult in college, they can approach campus clinics.
A good resource online is the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration (SAMHSA). The substance abuse treatment facility locator
on the SAMHSA is extremely helpful, and can be used to find local treatment
facilities.
Blueprints for Recovery understands the unique challenges that young adults
face when approaching recovery. Call us if you need help for your loved
one who is struggling to quit an addiction.