Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Foreword by Professor John Strang
- Preface and acknowledgements
- Introduction: community treatment in context
- Part I Treatments
- Part II Providing clinical services
- Epilogue Future directions
- Appendix 1 Protocols for quick detoxification from heroin
- Appendix 2 Opioid equivalent dosages
- Glossary
- References
- Index
Preface and acknowledgements
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 17 August 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Foreword by Professor John Strang
- Preface and acknowledgements
- Introduction: community treatment in context
- Part I Treatments
- Part II Providing clinical services
- Epilogue Future directions
- Appendix 1 Protocols for quick detoxification from heroin
- Appendix 2 Opioid equivalent dosages
- Glossary
- References
- Index
Summary
When I was asked to write a book on drug misuse treatment, I felt that the most important objective was to make it true to life. Treatment of this group can be highly problematic, and to say that things often do not go according to plan is a great understatement. Many doctors and other clinicians are reluctant to be involved, deterred by the behavioural problems, apparent lack of impact of treatments, and other obvious difficulties. The last thing anyone needs is a book which implies that the various treatments can be selected and applied in a simple manner, with ordinary compliance just as in any other condition.
Drug misusers, especially of long standing, tend to have stronger views on their problem than people who have other disorders. They cannot be expected to be neutral about whether they are to receive methadone, whether treatment starts immediately or next month, what dosage of various medications they are to have or, indeed, whether they are likely to go to prison or not. The nature of the condition means that there will be much direct investment in these things, and clinicians are not on the whole well suited to drug misuse if they object to being told how to do their job now and again. Patients may attempt to ‘misuse’ services – and certainly medications – as they do drugs, and any good instruction must acknowledge these kinds of difficulties, and their influence on treatment.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Community Treatment of Drug MisuseMore than Methadone, pp. xi - xviPublisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1999