Do You Get Drug Tested at a Substance Abuse Evaluation?

Why Community-Based Programs Test

Next, look at why you may have to undergo a substance abuse evaluation and drug test in a community-based program.

According to the NIH, “In community settings, drug testing provides a powerful tool for treatment staff, the courts, and community supervision staff to monitor and address relapse episodes and treatment progress.”

Evaluations are necessary for these programs to continue to provide you with the services that truly benefit you and your greater community. Relapse prevention is a huge benefit as relapse can be extremely risky to your health; it can also be what involves you in risky behaviors that lead to crime.

Drug testing can allow these community programs to see what they need to do to help you in the long run.

Why Other Institutions May Test

Drug testing is often part of the standard procedure, whether applying for certain jobs or playing a sport. These institutions want to know if you are fit for the task at hand because the powerful effects of substance abuse can greatly impact performance.

It can also help verify that you stay away from drugs or serve as an early indicator when looking into residential treatment. Regardless of the setting, drug testing benefits the individual and the institution.

What Happens During a Drug Test?

What exactly happens during a drug test? Drug testing methods depend on the type of substance you are being screened for.

For example, the standard drug test they will look for employers requires a urine sample. The sample is done by sanitizing your urine and using chemistry to determine what substances appear.

Other forms of testing include

Blood testing:

Blood testing is a far less common method than urine sampling. Blood tests are less frequently used because it takes longer to detect drugs, and not all drugs show up. One example is that it can take over a month for marijuana to stop showing up in a urine sample, whereas with a blood test, it would stop after about a day.

Hair Analysis:

Hair analysis drug testing is a method done using your hair sample. The hair analysis results usually are designed to go back 90 days, even though they can detect substances in your hair shafts for up to a year. Surprisingly, hair analysis can be done using hair from almost any part of the body, at least an inch in length.

Hair analysis is usually selected to get to the bottom of an issue in serious situations. It could be matters of custody, an investigation with a professional board, or other circumstances that may require hair analysis.

It is almost impossible to fake a hair analysis test, no matter what the internet says.

Saliva testing:

Saliva tests are done by swabbing the inside of your cheeks and lips. Depending on the specific test, you may have to hold the swab in your mouth for close to a minute.

Before testing, let the providers know of any prescription drugs, medicines, or supplements you are currently on.

Why Testing and Evaluation is Important for Women

Now that you know why you get drug tested at a substance abuse evaluation, let’s examine why these evaluations are particularly important for women. Did you know that some forms of substance abuse affect women worse than men?

For alcohol abuse, in particular, women may face more serious health concerns earlier in their journey than their male counterparts.

On top of that devastating fact, women also are faced with the following hurdles:

• High risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs) like HIV or AIDS
• Increased risk of illness or injury
• Lack of adequate health care
• Lack of accessible childcare

All of these factors make substance abuse treatment crucial. Evaluations and testing can come in handy at countering some of these issues early on before they escalate. They are also effective in finding if issues like illness or STIs are linked to substance abuse.

The sooner women and men alike can be evaluated, the sooner they can get into treatment and begin to undo the devastating effects of substance abuse.

How to Pass a Substance Abuse Evaluation

You will most likely get drug tested at a substance abuse evaluation. Now, though, you can see that it is for your benefit. So how do you go about passing a substance abuse evaluation? First, you will want to be prepared.

The evaluation process may require a lot of information from you. In court-ordered situations, you may need to provide the appropriate documentation. You can save yourself a lot of stress by gathering relevant information beforehand.

Do not hesitate to ask your doctor, therapist, or nurse questions about the process during an evaluation. You have the right to know the ins and outs of your journey into treatment, and it may ease your mind to have that knowledge.

The same principle goes for court-ordered treatment; make sure to bring up any questions you may have to your legal team.

Finally, the only real way to ensure you pass a substance abuse evaluation is to strive for sobriety.

As drug testing is usually standard procedure, attempt to abstain from using drugs or alcohol for a while, and you will have no problem achieving a negative result. That can be easier said than done.

More often than not, if you are dealing with substance abuse, you will need help. If you believe you are battling addiction, do not attempt to face it when things have already deteriorated.