“If you can quit for a day, you can quit for a lifetime.” That’s celebrated author Benjamin Alire Sáenz, inspired by his battle with addiction. While he expresses optimism, quitting is easier said than done.
However, the right substance recovery programs can get you on the road to wellness and keep you there. How exactly, you may wonder? Here are a few approaches they take to help you:
Personalized Treatment Plans
The thing about addiction is that everyone ends up on a path that’s unique to them. That’s something that the best programs out there take into consideration, and that’s why they tailor treatment plans to meet each person’s specific needs.
Some of the factors they’ll take into consideration include the type of substance you’re on, how long you’ve been addicted, and what exactly triggers the abuse. Say, for example, you’re addicted to meth. A top-tier meth addiction treatment program or other such arrangements might design a plan that’ll get you out of these clutches and keep you sober.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Dr. Aaron T. Beck developed cognitive behavioral therapy in the 1960s, and since then, it’s been a key part of the addiction recovery and relapse prevention process. CBT helps individuals recognize the thoughts, emotions, and situations that trigger cravings or substance use. Once you know what triggers you, you’re in a better place to develop healthier mechanisms to cope.
CBT will also teach you practical skills that can help you better manage stress, regulate emotions, and challenge negative thought patterns that may lead to relapse.
Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)
Withdrawal symptoms can be anything from mild discomfort to brutal and life-threatening symptoms like seizures, tremors, nausea, and so on. The discomfort that comes with this situation can leave you with no choice but to retake the very substance you’re trying to wean yourself off of.
MAT aims to prevent that likelihood. This form of treatment combines FDA-approved medications such as methadone, buprenorphine, or naltrexone with counselling and behavioural therapies. This combo can help to reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms, making it easier to stay sober.
Also, MAT can help restore balance to the brain’s reward system, which has been disrupted by prolonged substance use. When your brain chemistry is just right, there’s reduced risk of relapse.
Lifestyle Changes and Holistic Approaches
Lifestyle changes can not only be an antidote against addiction but can also help prevent a relapse. When you work with the best of the best, they’ll encourage you to adopt healthier lifestyle changes, be it exercising more, eating better, getting adequate sleep, and so on.
Also, many of these programs have room for holistic therapies such as art therapy, music therapy, acupuncture, or equine therapy. You are a whole person—mind, body, and spirit. These therapies can open up alternative outlets for stress and emotional expression.
Addressing Co-Occurring Disorders
Many people who are addicted to substances tend to struggle with co-occurring mental health conditions. These could be depression, anxiety, or PTSD. As you may expect, these untreated mental health issues can increase the risk of relapse.
Recovery programs worth their weight in gold offer integrated treatment that addresses both the addiction and the mental health disorder simultaneously. The result can be healing that lasts.
Peer Support and Group Therapy
One of the best ways to recover from addiction and stay clean is to have a support network you can count on. That’s why the best experts take support networks seriously.
Groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), or SMART Recovery have a wealth of individuals who have been down this road before and have recovered, or are in the process. They know the struggles, they understand what it takes. This sense of belonging and shared experience can be a powerful motivator to stay sober.
Once you’ve successfully completed your initial treatment program, you can expect to transition into aftercare services. This could be outpatient therapy, sober living homes or ongoing support groups. This continued care helps maintain focus on recovery and provides a safety net during challenging times.
Long-Term Follow-Up
The treatment process often doesn’t end when you’re in the clear, so to speak. Many programs offer long-term follow-up care to help you stay on track and address any new challenges that arise. Some recovery centers offer alumni programs. You get to connect with former patients and establish a lifelong network of support and encouragement.
Closing Thoughts
Drug addiction might have led you to a low point in your life. However, you don’t need to stay there. Get in touch with substance recovery programs that you can trust and begin the healing process. These experts will be with you from the beginning of your recovery journey all the way to when you’re clean to reduce the odds of you relapsing.
