Maintaining a belief that addiction is a disease of the brain and understanding the other aspects associated with addiction and alcoholism speaks to what needs to be provided in drug rehab programs. Above all else, we must maintain remember we are here to treat the whole person, not just a behavior or a way of thinking.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse recently published Principles of Effective Drug Addiction and Alcoholism Treatment which provides a detailed discussion on how we must treat all aspects of the individual, not just the biological component or the behavioral component. As with other brain diseases such as schizophrenia and depression, the data show that the best drug addiction or drug rehab treatment approaches attend to the entire individual, combining the use of medications, behavioral therapies, social services, rehab and involvement in significant support groups. This does not mean that all individuals need all components of addiction treatment and rehab services.

Another principle of effective addiction treatment in rehab is that the array of services included in an individual's treatment plan must be matched to his or her particular set of needs. Since those needs will surely change over the course of recovery, the services provided will need to be continually reassessed and adjusted. To make a well-informed decision when selecting an alcohol or drug rehab program, learn about all addiction treatment options available, and, of course, seek professional help for the addict as early as possible.

Jonathan Huttner is one of the the principals at Lakeview Health Systems, an addiction treatment, alcohol and drug rehab facility. Addiction treatment information and free live help 24/7 is being provided online at RecoveryConnection.org.