Drug addiction among young people: A study of typology and its relevance to treatment programmes

On the basis of clinical observation, the authors have classified drug addiction into four types: traumatic, actual, transitional and socio-pathic. 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.