What is addiction care?

Outpatient care

In the Netherlands, most people with a drug problem are treated in outpatient addiction care. Outpatient care involves intervention in acute problems, help kicking the habit, improving the quality of people’s lives, helping people regulate their consumption and avoid further damage to their health, reaching out to problem users who do not seek help themselves (assertive outreach intervention), and preventive measures.

Inpatient care

Inpatient care involves crisis care, detoxification programmes, and treatment in clinics, therapeutic communities or wards in psychiatric hospitals. Inpatient care is more intensive than outpatient care. It is geared towards preparing people for their return to society.

Harm and nuisance caused by drug use

The purpose of Dutch drug policy is to prevent drug use and to limit harm to drug users. In addition, the government takes action to limit the nuisance caused to society at large. A great deal of information is disseminated about drugs and proper attention is paid to supervising drug users.

More information and help with drug addiction problems

Addiction care facilities and the Municipal Health Services (GGD) can provide help in dealing with drug addiction problems. For more information about this help and about addiction care centres, you can contact the Drugs Information line of the Trimbos Institute (Dutch).