Cooperation is vital for the success of substance abuse treatment. A key barrier to treating substance abuse is the patient’s willingness to cooperate. People who have substance abuse problems might refuse to believe they have a problem at first. By the time they’re addicted, they see stopping as impossible.
The withdrawal process can be harrowing and needs to take place under the expert supervision of a specialist in drug rehabilitation. Once the physical cravings start to subside, the psychological cravings can be harder to overcome.
Following a program of therapy and, where appropriate, medication, many people do recover from their substance abuse problems. However, others don’t improve and continue to struggle with their addictions.