title: Drug addiction among young people: a study of typology and its relevance to treatment programmes.
abstract: On the basis of clinical observation, the authors have classified drug addiction into four types: traumatic, actual, transitional and sociopathic. Such classification helps in epidemiological research to understand better the distribution of people addicted to a given drug. Each type of addiction differs in respect of onset, evolution, prognosis and certain other characteristics relevant to the treatment of drug-addicted persons. Thus, the classification helps in making an appropriate selection of a treatment method and in the evaluation of a treatment programme. It has been observed that (a) traumatic and actual types of addiction have a much more favourable prognosis; (b) individual psychotherapy and support in a medical setting is effective for the traumatic type of addiction; (c) treatment in a family setting appears to be suitable for actual and transitional types of addiction; and (d) the therapeutic community may prove to be effective in the treatment of persons affected by socio-pathic type of addiction.
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D012306:Risk; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012931:Social Environment; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*