(Newswire.net — June 4, 2021) —
There is no one size fit for anyone suffering from drug addictions. Families and friends of an addict may end up spending time and money with no improvement on their loved ones. Recovery from addictions is a lifetime journey. Recovery addicts need constant support. They should work and live in an environment that is safe and healthy for their recovery. In severe cases, parents of teenage addicts lock up their children when they cannot handle them. Treatment centers like Impact Recovery Center offer a specific step-by-step module that helps addicts fully recover.
To treat a drug effectively, it should treat the drug addiction problem and other multiple needs the addict has. Certain principles for effective treatment include;
Patients time at the treatment centers is critical
Research indicates that when addicts stay for a long period, better outcomes occur. Preferably, three months is advocated by many centers. The center should also have a program that engages the addicts once the in-patient period is over.
Behavioral therapies
Addicts recover better when they share their experiences in group therapy. Therapy focuses on building skills that enable the addict to resist the drug and addresses his/her motivation to change. Moreover, behavioral therapies may involve offering incentives when the recovering addict abstains from drug use. Behavioral therapy is very important and may involve the immediate and extended family and friends.
Most addicts have other mental illnesses
Sadly, this is the reason why most addicts take longer to recover from drug addiction. When a patient is diagnosed with addiction disease in treatment centers, other mental illnesses that are known to co-occur should be tested. The treatment should be for all illnesses and we work together. Appropriate medications are used.
Treatment centers should incorporate social activities
Addicts are human too and need fun activities in their lives. Some recovery addicts may get bored by sitting and talking about their experiences. Social activities like playing football softball, basketball, swimming, going to the gym, and going for a nature walk can be helpful in the recovery process. However, the management should ascertain that the recovering addicts are not harmful to themselves and others in social gatherings.
Medication is monitored
The needs of a recovering addict keep on changing. Therefore, the medication that is administered needs to be observed and monitored closely. With this monitoring, it’s easy for the treatment to be changed or adjusted. The recovering addict can recover and return fully to their productive self.
Methadone treatment is the most used drug treatment due to its effectiveness. Research shows that addicts show a decrease in criminal behavior and drug abuse. Moreover, the treatment shows an increase in participation in group therapy and behavioral therapy. Relapses commonly occur in recovering addicts. Contrary to the belief, relapses are not an indication of failed treatment. The main purpose of withdrawing the medication is to observe how the addict will function. Often, addicts have sponsors.
Successful drug treatments include:
- Detoxification
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy- helps the addicts identify the triggers and how to cope with them.
- Contingency management- this treatment method has been used to combat relapses. It reinforces your brain to think positively.
- Rational emotive behavior therapy- this therapy aims to help the addict realize that rational thinking lies within themselves.
Similar to chronic illnesses, the medications of drug addicts are withdrawn when the symptoms decrease. In case of a relapse, the medication is adjusted, reinstated, or changed. The effectiveness of treatment highly depends on the nature and extent of the patients’ problems. However, the interpersonal relationship between the treatment providers and the patient also affects the effectiveness of the treatment. Recovery from addiction has behavioral and physiological components.