Thanks to decades of research and studies, addiction is now known to be a disease that can change the way someone functions internally and externally. The disease is complex in nature and impacts the mind and body in multiple ways. Understanding how addiction works is the key to developing effective and consistent treatment methods. So what are the inner workings of addiction that treatment focuses on?
Treatment Must Be Individualized
If there was a universal treatment that worked for every addicted individual, then there would be no need for so much research. Unfortunately this isn’t the case, but there are thousands of teams around the world looking to find just that. Until then, treatment needs to be adjusted based on the patient’s:
- Physical and mental health
- Family history of addiction
- Type of substance being abused
- Duration of addiction
- Underlying diseases or illnesses
- Severity of addiction and dependence
Failing to tailor treatment to these needs can lead to patients not receiving the care they need to be prepared for a sober life. Customizing treatment plans addresses the various factors that led to the addiction forming in the first place. The length of treatment is also dependent upon the individual’s needs with programs ranging from a few meetings a week to full inpatient treatment where the patient lives at the rehab center for up to 90 days. Providing this treatment to as many people as possible is how facilities are changing public perception.
Accessibility Should Be Viewed as a Requirement
Getting an addicted person to agree to treatment is the first hurdle for most recovery stories. Having a treatment facility standing by ready to take the person in is crucial. Those who struggle with addiction often don’t see the negative side of their actions which makes treatment seem unnecessary at the moment. As such, clinics and rehab centers choose to remain open 24/7 every day of the year. An open-door policy with compassionate staff handling intake is a powerful combination to ease patients into treatment.
An even larger step towards accessible treatment is the inclusion of rehab and addiction treatment in health insurance plans. Addiction is a disease and is covered as such with some or all costs being paid for under public and private insurance alike. Online insurance verification tools provide a way to check individual coverage to understand the portion due from the patient.
Some treatment centers offer payment plans to help minimize the initial costs or even defer them until after treatment ends. It’s common for these programs to provide career and social skill building courses during treatment to support patients in their hunt for gainful employment. These additional classes and networking opportunities are just a couple of benefits of seeing treatment through to the end.
Comprehensive Therapy From Trained Clinicians
There are multiple styles of individual therapy utilized in addiction treatment. Family treatment is offered to help those close to the individual understand what’s going on so they can better process their emotions. The individual will be administered behavioral therapies that focus on adjusting thought patterns away from substance abuse. Known as cognitive-behavioral therapy, CBT can achieve this goal multiple ways including:
- Confronting what drove the individual to substance use
- Financially incentivize sobriety after reaching goals through employment opportunities or responsible monetary rewards
- Developing healthy coping mechanisms to handle future triggers found when returning to their normal environment
- Improving critical thinking and problem-solving skills
- Practicing social and interpersonal interactions to build healthier relationships at home, school, or work
Many of the methods used in CBT can be practiced by the individual on their own if met with high levels of stress or pressure to start using drugs or alcohol again. Patients with underlying mental illness benefit greatly from CBT as it addresses both the illness and addiction. Co-occurring mental disorders often play a role in an individual’s motivation to start abusing drugs or alcohol to mask symptoms.
Managing every facet of addiction treatment takes a dedicated team of medical professionals. From medical detox to group and individual therapy, the team at America’s Rehab Campus has the experience and training needed to guide patients through a successful treatment. Whether help is needed for you or someone you love, reach out to the ARC team today to start down the road to recovery.
