Question

Discuss medical assisted treatment vs. abstinence. What are your thoughts of each? Explain why the statement “We admitted that we were powerless” is so important to the process of recovery.

Answer 1

Medical assisted treatment refers to the proper treatment plan that one has to adhere to for the sake of recovery under the guidance of a trained professional whereas Abstinence refers to the act of holding oneself back from getting involved in various social evils one out of which is alcoholism and drug dependence without any medical intervention.

In my opinion Medical assisted treatment should be prioritized by an individual over Abstinence in case of drug dependence. In cases of severe drug dependence the bodily and mental functions get solely dependent on the intake of that particular drug. If a person simply resorts to Abstinence, his body will show withdrawal symptoms that in severe cases might even be life taking. Therefore, drug deaddiction should strictly be done under professional supervision. In medical assisted treatment, alternative drugs are given to the patient that mimic the same function but are not that dangerous. In this way, patient doesn't show any withdrawal symptoms. The dosage of these alternative drugs are decreased from time to time until the patient is completely cured and is ready to lead a normal life again. Generally, the medical assisted treatments are paired up with counselling sessions to make the recovery of the patient speedy, effective and his will power stronger.

The statement "We admitted that we were powerless" is so important to the process of recovery because the patient needs to accept the fact that he was at fault rather than staying in ignorance in denial. Only when he will accept the fact that it was his fault that he became so powerless to loose himself to alcoholism or drug addiction, he will get the will power to rebounce and cooperate with the treatment schedule. This could be seen as the first yet the most important process of treatment.