Strategies to Help With Harm Reduction

Over the years, there have been many failed and discarded policies when it comes to how to treat those who are suffering from addictions. In the past, a more brutal, less caring approach was the rule rather than the exception. Addicted individuals tended to be viewed as criminals… and weak-minded criminals at that. Law enforcement was strict and unforgiving when it came to addiction. In modern drug treatment, however, criminalization and enforcement have gradually given way to the more realistic doctrine of harm reduction. In other words, harm reduction serves as a healthy alternative to more punitive policies of the past. But what is harm reduction? And why do some partake in a mindfulness based relapse prevention program?

What Is Harm Reduction?

So how does harm reduction inform a treatment program? In short, it is a set of ideas and strategies aimed at minimizing the negative outcomes of drug use while treating drug use as a disease. It’s an effort to leave outdated and harmful approaches to addiction in the past.

It is, however, far from a settled methodology. The debate of the merits of harm reduction vs abstinence-based addiction treatment programs, and how strictly to adhere to each, continues among treatment professionals every day. This debate is healthy and spurs addiction treatment professionals on to provide the best possible treatment for patients.

In the past, people suffering from addiction were regarded as somehow inferior for allowing themselves to fall into their present condition. To counter such attitudes, harm reduction serves as an essential component in respecting the rights and preserving the dignity of those struggling with addiction.

Harm Reduction Employed In Treatment Programs

Harm reduction can actually be first deployed outside of a treatment program or drug rehab center. It can be found in community programs that seek to keep drug users alive long enough to seek out treatment.

Methadone clinics and needle exchange programs in the community may be the first step toward educating drug users about the fact that they are suffering from a disease. There is both medical and psychological treatment available that can help them overcome it. The zero-tolerance policies of the past not only discouraged people from seeking help but also led to more instances of overdose and even death.

Common Principles Of Harm Reduction

There are some guiding principles that define this more concretely. It all begins with the acceptance that drug use is a part of life and that criminalization of it has largely failed to prevent it.

Proponents of harm reduction recognize drug use as a continuum of behavior rather than as a binary use/don’t use phenomenon. Certain drugs are safer to use than others. There are safer ways to use more dangerous drugs until such as time as the user can treat their addiction. To this end, coercion is unacceptable and ineffective in the pursuit of convincing people to attend treatment.

At the same time, it is important not to minimize the dangers of drug use both to the individual and the community. Rather, all available resources should be focused on preventing these tragedies by providing opportunities for stimulant addiction treatment and not turning away those that need help just because they may not be ready to accept treatment.

Goals Of Harm Reduction Services

Successful harm reduction services aim to do the following:

• Prevent death by overdose or self-harm
• Treat drug-related illnesses and injuries
• Prevent the transmission of needle-borne viruses
• Provide drug education based on facts and evidence
• Encourage community engagement and inclusive treatment environments

If you want to stop using drugs or alcohol but have failed in the past, you may benefit from our mindfulness-based relapse prevention programs at Beaches Recovery in Jacksonville. We won’t give up on you, and you shouldn’t give up on yourself. Please call us at 866.605.0532 and take your first steps toward a better life and learn what is harm reduction.