Nancy McConkey of Solution Talk Inc. describes a new form of psychotherapy that does seem to work with some clients, and counsellors Vivian Jones and Jodi Brooks report on a change in basic procedure that improved client access to appropriate treatment, while reducing resource requirements. Together, the contributors to this issue of Developments will give you a glimpse of some of the ideas currently being applied to the treatment of addictions. It would be easy enough to answer this question, if addictions problems were truly singular in nature and if, consequently, so was the treatment for them. We know, in fact, that addictions problems vary widely in terms of their causes, the people who experience them, their use patterns, and the consequences each individual experiences. And, accordingly, there are many different treatments for addictions.
Brief interventions can be quite effective for some people when compared to no treatment.
Therapist characteristics and skills can significantly influence the outcome of treatment. A number of variables have been shown to predict treatment outcome. These include characteristics of individuals seeking treatment, the characteristics of the individual's problems, the treatment process, the adjustments that the individual will have to make following treatment, and the interactions among all of these factors. For example, a homeless person, with a serious mental health problem, no family, and little education would have a poorer prognosis for successful outcomes of treatment than someone who might have a more serious addiction but has a supportive family, a job and no mental health problems. Outcomes vary, and the course of recovery varies, from one treated individual to another.