Treatment Research

The National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse (NTA) states that there are now nearly 210,000 adults in structured treatment and more and more people are recovering from their addiction every year.

The numbers and proportion completing treatment having overcome their addiction is growing every year: in 2008/09, 25,000 left treatment free of addiction – an increase of 35% on the previous year and more than double the rate of just a few years ago.

Recent research in the medical journal The Lancet found dramatic falls in drug-use among newcomers to treatment, with more than a third of heroin users abstinent from the drug after six months.

The benefits of heroin rehab treatment come not just from completion but from the improved health, stability and social functioning and crime reduction that is delivered when an individual enters treatment.

The ultimate goal of all treatment is freedom from dependency and drug addiction is a long-term relapsing condition which may require treatment over an extended period.