The most recent data on national drug use shows that more than 48 million Americans have a substance use disorder. With the number of addictions steadily rising each year, the hunt is on for alternative treatment methods to assist more people in achieving recovery.

While loads of research is being done to address the war on drugs, new treatment techniques aren’t always welcomed with open arms. Here, we cover controversial new treatment options and why they face skepticism.

6 Unconventional Alternative Treatments for Addiction

Researchers have been hard at work studying the potential of medications, psychedelics, eye movement, invasive surgery, and more in effectively treating addiction. Here are 6 of the most common controversial treatments being used today.

1. Ketamine Therapy

Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic, which means it can cause people to feel detached from reality. Using ketamine in a series of supervised treatment sessions has been shown to help fight symptoms of anxiety and depression and is frequently used in people who have not responded to standard antidepressants. 

Some studies have shown that ketamine therapy is also effective in treating addiction by prolonging periods of abstinence and reducing cravings.

Why it’s controversial: Ketamine itself is an addictive drug, which poses a risk for people with a history of addiction. There are also safety concerns associated with the drug, such as an increase in blood pressure, slowed breathing, and urinary tract symptoms.

2. EMDR Therapy

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, known as EMDR therapy, is a mental health treatment used to help you reprocess traumatic events with supervised eye movement techniques. The treatment is designed to help stimulate your brain’s natural healing process rather than focusing on changing your mindset and behaviors surrounding the trauma.

While EMDR therapy has been proven to help with mental health conditions like anxiety and depression, initial studies have shown positive results in the therapy reducing addiction cravings, which can help lead to recovery.

Why it’s controversial: EMDR therapy for addiction treatment is controversial mainly because of a lack of research. The treatment is considered safe when under the supervised guidance of a medical professional, but some people worry that recalling traumatic events can make symptoms worse.

3. Methadone

Methadone is a medication used to help treat opioid use disorder. It acts as a long-lasting full opioid antagonist to help reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms. When taken as prescribed, methadone has shown to be safe and effective in the fight against addiction.

Why it’s controversial: Methadone itself is an opioid, so there is a risk of addiction and dependence. Many critics of the treatment think of it as “swapping one addiction for another.” However, these concerns are diminishing as more research is published.

4. Suboxone

Like methadone, Suboxone is a medication that’s used to treat opioid addiction. However, Suboxone is a combination medicine that contains buprenorphine and naloxone, which are only partial opioid antagonists. This lowers the risk of overdose while still reducing cravings and withdrawal symptoms.

Why it’s controversial: Suboxone can also create a physical dependence, which means some people may experience withdrawal symptoms when coming off of the medication. However, Suboxone is generally considered less addictive than methadone.

5. Supervised Injection Services

Supervised consumption sites create a safer way to inject illicit drugs by providing oversight from trained personnel. These sites also offer sterile drug use equipment to help prevent the risk of infection and are designed to help reduce stigma.

These sites do not provide people with illicit drugs. People who visit a site bring in their own pre-obtained drugs for use. While there, they are also provided with education and treatment resources to encourage recovery.

Why it’s controversial: Supervised consumption sites are controversial because they can be viewed as enabling illicit drug use. However, according to the National Harm Reduction Coalition, these sites are an effective harm reduction strategy and do not increase drug use, crime, or bring more drug use into the community.

6. Psychedelics

Recent studies have been popping up to consider certain psychedelics as potential addiction treatments. Two common drugs that have shown encouraging results include LSD and Ibogaine. 

Both of these drugs have been shown to assist recovery from drug dependency by their effect on the serotonin neurotransmitter system. High levels of depressed serotonin are common among individuals with addiction, and treating depression can help reduce substance use.

Why it’s controversial: Ibogaine and LSD are both illegal in the U.S. due to their hallucinogenic properties, which puts them at high risk for misuse with low evidence for medical benefits. The effects of these drugs can also be unpredictable, and serious adverse side effects have been reported.

Navigate Your Treatment Options With Never Alone Recovery Consultants

Navigating so many treatment options can be overwhelming, especially when there are conflicting arguments. That’s why it’s important to get the right support.

Never Alone Recovery is a free resource that helps people with addiction and their loved ones find the right care and resources. Our addiction recovery consultants can help you with treatment planning, drug rehab placement, insurance verification, and more. We also host a weekly online support group so you can learn how others are managing their addictions. 

Start your journey to recovery by calling us at 866-788-8335.