Spirituality is a neglected area of study and research in the treatment of addictions. The role of spirituality in the treatment of the dually diagnosed has received particularly scant attention. Patients and staff were questioned about their spiritual beliefs and what was the role of spirituality in the patients' recovery from addiction. Staff were questioned about their own spirituality and what they think the patients' level of spirituality is. In addition the staff were asked what they think the patients' view of spiritually is.
Results indicate that the patients and staff are equally spiritually oriented.
The patients view spirituality as essential to their recovery and value spiritual programming in their treatment more than some concrete items. The nursing staff underestimated both the patients' level of spirituality and this importance placed on spiritual issues. The authors suggest that more attention should be given by staff to spirituality in the treatment of this population. Currently clinicians using methadone for treatment of opioid dependency or organic pain lack a simple, real-time, analytical method useful for adjusting methadone dose. Using this technology, patient plasma methadone concentrations can be determined in approximately 20 minutes.