This is the second instalment on this topic of what works in treatment. Dr. William Silkworth, stressing the importance of change, was quoted in the Big Book as saying “recovery demands an entire psychic change.” In the research of Dr. William R. Miller, he observed that those who experienced a radical or “quantum” change after treatment was due to a shift in values, or a reprioritizing of what is important such as from wealth-building to nurturing important relationships.
The research tells us that The easiest way to determine whether addiction treatment has been effective is to observe behaviour. The biggest change, of course, would be if the person stops using or drinking. This is the most obvious but researchers also want to know if the person hasn’t been abstinent then how much drinking (amount consumed) or how many days has a person been clean and sober compared to before treatment. Researchers also want to compare how people are spending their time before and after treatment such as going to meetings, going to the bar, reducing absenteeism from work, reducing problems associated with the law, etc. Researchers are also interested in the relational component. For example, is the person spending more time with loved ones or if they feel a greater affinity to their family and friends. If there is a change then researchers then become very interested in what therapies in treatment may have led to the change in behaviour.
