How the Internet Is Changing the Face of Addiction Treatment

By Meghan Vivo

The Internet has changed all of our lives in some way, but for drug addicts and alcoholics in need of substance abuse treatment, the Internet has opened doors to a whole new life.

A new breed of addiction treatment has made its debut, not at a luxury rehab or clinic in the center of town, but in the comfort of your own home. Using the Internet and a home computer, a number of addiction treatment providers have begun to offer recovery-related counseling services, peer support, and educational courses online.

Virtual Drug Treatment Proven Effective

In addition to convenience and enhanced privacy, online addiction treatment has proven to really work. A 50-patient pilot study recently published in the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment indicated that participants who received addiction treatment online were more satisfied with their overall treatment, compared to participants who received counseling in traditional group sessions.

Individuals receiving online counseling were also more likely to “attend” counseling sessions, with online patients attending 92 percent of their scheduled sessions, compared to 76 percent of those in traditional treatment. And as any addiction specialist can attest, getting recovering addicts and alcoholics to stick to a schedule of treatment sessions can be a major obstacle to treatment.

Drawing from a pool of individuals with ongoing illicit drug use problems, researchers randomly selected a group to receive traditional counseling at a local treatment site, and a group to receive online addiction treatment with eGetGoing, an online addiction treatment program offered by CRC Health Group, which operates residential and outpatient substance abuse treatment programs that have treated more than 250,000 people suffering from drug addiction and alcoholism over the last 20 years.

Privacy, Convenience, and Quality Addiction Treatment Through eGetGoing

EGetGoing provides patients struggling with drug addiction or alcoholism with a headset and software that makes drug treatment as simple as instant messaging. But online treatment involves much more than reading educational materials, exchanging e-mails, or dropping in for an occasional chat. With eGetGoing (and its companion online addiction treatment program for teens, teenGetGoing), virtual therapy is a live, personal, and interactive experience using live video and voice technology that closely mimics a traditional drug rehab experience.

The innovative online treatment program offers virtual group counseling sessions and opportunities to work one-on-one with a counselor each week as well as an intensive one-year aftercare program at an affordable price. Group members see real-time video of a certified addiction counselor and can speak (using the microphone and headset provided by eGetGoing) with the counselor and other participants as if they were face to face, but they cannot see each other.

During each session, the counselor works with the participant to identify relapse triggers, set treatment goals, address underlying feelings, and develop effective coping strategies. Certified counselors also use visual aids such as slides, video presentations, and white board illustrations to support the online discussion.

Before and after group therapy sessions, the certified addiction counselor completes chemical dependency and self-esteem assessments to evaluate stress, anxiety, mood, sobriety, 12-step program participation, and motivation towards recovery. Drug and alcohol counselors also assign written homework and provide personalized feedback to the client via e-mail.

Because each participant is assigned a screen name and attends sessions anonymously, patients have more privacy and less fear of being stigmatized by their substance abuse problem. They are able to work together in small, intimate groups of approximately 10 participants to confront their dependency on drugs and alcohol using eGetGoing’s 12-Step based approach.

Is Online Substance Abuse Treatment Right For You?

In ideal cases, online addiction treatment is a supplement to an existing course of treatment and serves as just one tool available to help with the growing problem of addiction.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) estimates that 27 million Americans abuse illicit drugs or alcohol. Of these, approximately 16 million are in need of drug and alcohol treatment, yet only 3 million are getting the help they need.

“[Addiction] is an illness that is progressive in nature, and every opportunity that we have to reach these individuals is valued,” said Kathleen Rebbert-Franklin, acting director of the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Administration.

For many people, the reality is it’s either online treatment or no treatment at all. They may not have the time, motivation, or resources to engage in a residential drug rehab program or outpatient treatment. In some states, there are too few substance abuse treatment centers to meet the demand and individuals are turned away for lack of space. EGetGoing eliminates many of these barriers, bringing quality treatment to a broader population.

As the first and only accredited online recovery program, eGetGoing has successfully treated over a thousand clients online, with feedback and research confirming that the program is easy to use and effective. The goal of online drug and alcohol treatment, as described on the program’s website, is “for the addict or alcoholic to achieve a life free from their addiction, and the bounds of substance abuse and chemical dependency.”

For more information about online addiction treatment or the eGetGoing program, visit www.egetgoing.com or call (877) 757-6237.

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How the Internet Is Changing the Face of Addiction Treatment