Update on behavioral treatments for substance abuse

In the past five years there has been an encouraging increase in the amount and quality of research on behavioral treatments for substance abuse. Some of the most promising approaches combine behavioral treatments with each other (e.g., relapse prevention and cue exposure) or with other forms of treatment (e.g., psychotherapy), attempting to maximize impact on the multiple determinants of drug use. We are fast approaching the time when a patient may be systematically evaluated to develop a profile of vulnerabilities (cue responsivity, psychiatric symptoms, etc.) to rationally determine the treatment or combination of treatments of greatest potential benefit.