What to Expect from Addiction Treatment - Alternatives in Treatment

The prospect of checking-in to an inpatient treatment center and receiving treatment for addiction can be intimidating. This fear often causes people to wait too long to get help, placing their health and safety at risk. Fortunately, addiction treatment is nothing to be afraid of. It’s a safe and structured environment designed to treat addiction, as well as provide the tools necessary to sustain long-term recovery.

Supervised Detox

The first phase of treatment is a medically supervised detoxification process. This process helps to safely taper-off and detoxify the body from substances consumed by an individual who has abused drugs or alcohol. The detox process treats the physical addiction by helping manage withdrawal symptoms. This is a critical step because going “cold turkey”, where one quits drugs immediately without assistance, is often very uncomfortable and in some cases, very dangerous.

Withdrawal symptoms for some substances include:

Restlessness
Anxiety
Flu-like symptoms
Seizures
Cardiac arrest

There are various detox protocols available to treat different substances. These detox protocols help stabilize the physical symptoms of addiction and safely prepare the individual for the next phase of addiction treatment.

Therapy

Each person entering treatment receives an individualized treatment plan to meet their needs. There are different therapies and services included in a treatment plan, but all plans include a combination of individual, group, and family therapy sessions.

These sessions serve many purposes. First, each individual has the opportunity to address their own issues, which often include factors that are seemingly unrelated to drug or alcohol addiction. Some things that can lead to substance abuse are:

Depression
Anxiety
Trauma
Environmental stressors

Therapy also helps individuals change their behavior, and adjust their attitude towards substance abuse in order to develop the skills necessary to live a drug-free life.

Through group therapy sessions, a group of individuals have the opportunity to share their stories, receive peer support, and learn new approaches to recovery. It also helps people realize that they are not alone, and that the symptoms and consequences of their disease are not unique.

Family is an important part of the recovery process. Family sessions in addiction treatment help the family learn more about the disease of addiction and the recovery process. Families are encouraged to participate in the recovery process, and to receive support of their own.

Activities

Most addiction treatment programs offer structured therapeutic activities that help individuals heal and learn new skills. Activities such as yoga, art, exercise, and nature walks all provide a therapeutic release and allow individuals to express themselves in unique ways. These activities are also useful after treatment as ways to cope with stress or emotional turmoil. Other activities include educational workshops, trainings, and lectures on recovery-related topics.

Aftercare Support

One of the most critical phases of recovery happens after inpatient treatment is complete. Individuals face new challenges as they transition out of treatment and prepare to live independently again. It’s natural for people to feel overwhelmed, as their lives in treatment included support, comfortable surroundings, and a highly structured environment. Not only do they have to make sense of a world that could be completely different from the one they once knew while in active addiction, but they must also actively participate in the recovery process in order to avoid a relapse.

Aftercare support is a critical part of treatment. Individuals who complete treatment are encouraged to participate in aftercare treatment activities. Aftercare activities include individual and group therapy, and relapse prevention workshops. This support is essential in helping people transition into their new lifestyle, especially in situations where triggers may be present.

We Can Help

Recovery from addiction is possible. If you or someone you know needs help, please contact us today for a free and confidential consultation. We are skilled professionals that can customize a treatment plan that works for you or your loved one.