With Addiction treatment the depth of addiction and preceding efforts to discontinue using drugs can also impact a therapy approach. Finally, individuals who are addicted to drugs often experience added health (including other mental health), work-related, legal, familial, and communal problems that must be dealt with concurrently.
Many addiction treatment programs make use of both individual and group therapies. Group counseling might offer social reinforcement and aid behavioral contingencies that encourage self-restraint and a non-drug-using way of life.
A number of of the more recognized behavioral treatment options, such as contingency management and cognitive-behavioral therapy, are also being custom-made for group settings to develop effectiveness and value for money.
On the other hand, especially in young people, there can also be a threat of iatrogenic, or unintentional, effects of group treatment; consequently, skilled counselors must be aware and monitor for these kinds of effects.
