This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow A correction has been published
Right arrow Submit an eLetter
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Right arrow Citing Articles via Scopus
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Luty, J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Luty, J.
Advances in Psychiatric Treatment (2003) 9: 280-288
© 2003 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

What works in drug addiction?

Jason Luty

Jason Luty is a specialist registrar in psychiatry (Marina House, Addictions Resource Centre, 63/65 Denmark Hill, Camberwell, London SE5 8RS, UK). He has published in the addictions field and is involved with the Maudsley Hospital Community Drug Team.

Treatment of illicit drug dependence typically involves a combination of pharmacotherapy and psychosocial interventions. Efficacy research supports methadone maintenance in opiate dependence. There is less evidence to support buprenorphine (an opiate receptor partial agonist), lofexidine (an {alpha}2-adrenoreceptor agonist) and naltrexone (an opiate receptor antagonist). Evidence for the effectiveness of detoxification, which one of the most widely used treatments, is poor. Of the psychosocial interventions, reasonable evidence exists for the effectiveness of motivational interviewing. Other psychosocial treatments have rarely been compared with no or minimal contact conditions in randomised trials, and their reported effectiveness is often weak. Residential treatments are not demonstrably more effective than community programmes.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Psychiatr. Bull.Home page
C. Littlewood
A new buprenorphine prescribing service for opiate detoxification
Psychiatr. Bull., March 1, 2007; 31(3): 91 - 93.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Psychiatr. Bull.Home page
S. Shastry
Sanctions on clients who use opiates on top of methadone
Psychiatr. Bull., February 1, 2007; 31(2): 77 - 77.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Adv. Psychiatr. Treat.Home page
E. Day and S. George
Management of drug misuse in pregnancy
Adv. Psychiatr. Treat., July 1, 2005; 11(4): 253 - 261.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Psychiatr. Bull.Home page
H. Gordon and D. Haider
The use of 'drug dogs' in psychiatry
Psychiatr. Bull., June 1, 2004; 28(6): 196 - 198.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Adv. Psychiatr. Treat.Home page
N. Seivewright
INVITED COMMENTARY ON: What works in drug addiction?
Adv. Psychiatr. Treat., July 1, 2003; 9(4): 287 - 288.
[Full Text] [PDF]