Each of us are different and, when it comes to treating addiction, everyone has a unique set of needs and circumstances that must be taken into account when deciding on a treatment plan. Addiction is a dependency the brain has formed on a particular substance or behavior. For things like opiate addiction, which is a visceral chemical dependency with painful withdrawal symptoms, addiction treatment and recovery is a serious medical process and a long period of active recovery counseling. For something like an addiction to gambling or marijuana, the necessary treatment will be much different, focusing less on chemicals and more on psychiatry and personal discipline.
Treating Addiction for the Individual
Aside from the chemical side of addiction, the main causes of the condition are psychological and emotional. This makes each person’s reasons for substance abuse and the development of addiction unique to his or her personal experience. Therefore treatment can’t be a one size fits all solution. The addicted patient is in need of an in depth personal assessment, training on how to make the necessary corrections, and guidance along the path of recovery. Leave any part of this recovery process out and you have an incomplete attempt at sobriety that often results in relapse.
While each person needs his or her own unique treatment plan, the tools and practices of treating addiction are not single-use cures in themselves. The healing process involves a mixture of many methods for developing personal freedom from substance abuse. Some degree of medical treatment, counseling, and training are all necessary to some degree and must be used as a collective whole to achieve a complete transformation of the individual.
Types of Treatment
Inpatient or Residential Treatment Programs offer a safe, secure place to stay for weeks or months with supervision and medical care. These is designed to facilitate a detox of the drugs from you body and keep you from using for as long as it takes for you to get your cravings under control.
Outpatient or Counseling Programs do not require you to stay full time in residence. They are designed for people with work or family obligations that prevent them from isolating themselves for long periods of time away from the world. These include daily check-ins at a facility and ongoing counseling and group support services to help you stay on top of your progress through recovery.
Treating addiction is about finding out what makes you tick, personally. Counselors will explore the root causes of your addiction and what itch you’re scratching with continued use. From there, a plan of action can be laid down to curb your behavior and maintain sobriety while you adjust to the new lifestyle afforded by your recovery.
If you’re ready to be free of addiction and are looking for more information on treatment options, LEAD Treatment physicians and counselors are standing by to answer your questions at 800.380.0012.
