Coerced addiction treatment: How, when and whom?

From the psychiatric point of view the aim and purpose of coercive treatment of addicts imply the creation of positive therapeutic pressure which could induce mobilization of all available motivational mechanisms focused on improving general health and on correction of inappropriate social behavior. An increasing number of individuals have been referred to treatment protocol under legal coercion from the criminal justice system related to family law act, whereat optimal therapeutic results can be seen in alcoholics with conditional sentence along with coercive treatment within security measure. Adherence and acceptance of the treatment protocol is significantly higher in coerced population of addicts, emphasizing longer retention, better treatment attendance and reduction in criminal activity and drug use, compared to the voluntarily referred patients. Considering a significant number of coerced patients in treatment, one would expect to find a substantial body of structured researches addressing the relationship between the coercion and outcomes in comparison with addicts who entered treatment voluntarily, but this is not the case. Available data on drug addicts showed the efficiency of the treatment itself when completed and that even brief exposure to treatment protocol can result in fewer drug consumption and lower criminal activity. In this paper, we tried to explore the facts mentioned and the role of coercive treatment as well as the most frequent parameters of coercive treatment efficacy such as retention, abstinence duration and treatment attendance

Day care for alcoholism in psychiatric hospital »Sveti Ivan« 2004–2012

Alcohol addiction treatment represents complex and lingering therapeutic procedure which can be provided stationary, within specialized psychiatric wards, and through partial hospitalization or day care hospitals for alcoholism. A psychiatric hospital day care, or partial hospitalization, represents facility for patients requiring intensive psychiatric treatment within relatively structured environment. While it offers the same variety of treatment procedures as the mental hospital, it differs in that patients are present for part of the day and do not live at the hospital. Main goal of psychiatric partial hospitalization should be patient’s adequate resumption to his community, adequate rehabilitation and resocialization which are based on the premise that supportive and safe environment encourages self-care and enhances motivation for recovery. Treatment should be person centered; meaning that it is tailored to each patient’s specific needs in a confidential, supportive, and structured environment. Partial hospitalization is a cost-effective strategy that also provides an opportunity to test, in community life, the lessons learned in the treatment program. Day care hospital for alcoholism in Psychiatric hospital »Sveti Ivan« was established on 2004 and it encompasses wide array of therapeutic procedures such as psychopharmacotherapy, small and large group psychotherapy, multifamily group therapy, therapeutic community, occupational therapy, work therapy, bibliotherapy and recreation. Multidisciplinary therapeutic team is focused on helping patients confront and overcome their alcohol dependency, and to assist them in developing strategies for maintaining alcohol-free lifestyle in order to enhance their quality of life

Day care for alcoholism in psychiatric hospital »Sveti Ivan« 2004–2012

Alcohol addiction treatment represents complex and lingering therapeutic procedure which can be provided stationary, within specialized psychiatric wards, and through partial hospitalization or day care hospitals for alcoholism. A psychiatric hospital day care, or partial hospitalization, represents facility for patients requiring intensive psychiatric treatment within relatively structured environment. While it offers the same variety of treatment procedures as the mental hospital, it differs in that patients are present for part of the day and do not live at the hospital. Main goal of psychiatric partial hospitalization should be patient’s adequate resumption to his community, adequate rehabilitation and resocialization which are based on the premise that supportive and safe environment encourages self-care and enhances motivation for recovery. Treatment should be person centered; meaning that it is tailored to each patient’s specific needs in a confidential, supportive, and structured environment. Partial hospitalization is a cost-effective strategy that also provides an opportunity to test, in community life, the lessons learned in the treatment program. Day care hospital for alcoholism in Psychiatric hospital »Sveti Ivan« was established on 2004 and it encompasses wide array of therapeutic procedures such as psychopharmacotherapy, small and large group psychotherapy, multifamily group therapy, therapeutic community, occupational therapy, work therapy, bibliotherapy and recreation. Multidisciplinary therapeutic team is focused on helping patients confront and overcome their alcohol dependency, and to assist them in developing strategies for maintaining alcohol-free lifestyle in order to enhance their quality of life