When it comes to addiction, you probably feel like you are completely alone and have limited places to turn to for help. You are not alone, and addiction is a real struggle that many people deal with. When it comes to getting treatment, there is no one-size-fits-all. Your treatment is dependent on your needs as well as what sort of substances you have been using. Treatment should go beyond getting sober. You probably need to take care of your mental health too, so what is the best treatment option for you or a loved one struggling with addiction? Let’s take a look at a few tips to help you decide what’s best.
1. Consider Attending a Facility
In more severe cases, or in the event that you don’t feel like you can do it yourself, consider attending a facility. In the words of folks behind villaoasissandiego.com, you should look for a place that utilizes a “multi-disciplinary approach that recognizes each resident’s unique and complex backgrounds” as this is going to have the greatest chance of preventing relapse. Different facilities approach rehabilitation in different ways, so be sure to ask them a few questions before you sign up. Find out what sort of treatments they offer. Ask if they are holistic if the facility is one where you stay, or have the option to come and go as you please, what they do to relieve withdrawal symptoms (if anything), what a typical day will look like, the cost of treatment, etc.
2. Try Out a 12 Step-Program
Some places can be pricy, but just because you can’t afford to attend an expensive facility doesn’t mean you can’t get help. Why not give a 12-step program – twelve-step facilitation therapy – a chance? This sort of program is one of the many used by facilities to actually treat alcohol and substance abuse, but you don’t have to go to an expensive facility to find a 12-step program. This program is a form of group therapy that allows you to deal with your addiction in a group setting. This offers you support and shows you that you aren’t the only one and that you can overcome this adversity. It allows you to recognize the negative consequences of your addictions in order to fix things. They can come in the form of social, emotional, spiritual, and physical groups. The first step is “acceptance”, and you move your way through the various steps from there. It is a process but knowing that you have that group support does wonder for your recovery.
3. Consider Medication and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Sometimes the best course of action for addicts is medication. Treating drugs with drugs sounds like quite the oxymoron, but it is sometimes the best course of action. Of course, it can’t end there. While it plays a role in treatment, it needs to be combined with cognitive behavioral therapies. You need to treat the symptoms of withdrawal from addiction as well as the root cause. Medication can be used to reduce cravings and reduce mood swings during treatment. It can also be used to reduce addictive behavior while in recovery and out in the world. For example, some medications can even help reduce drinking behavior. But as we said earlier, this needs to be combined with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. CBT helps you identify triggers that cause you to participate in addictive behavior and relapse. This can help treat everything from food addiction to narcotics. It helps you develop coping skills and a healthier mentality towards yourself.
4. Look into Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy
If you beat yourself up and know that you have a tendency towards depression and negative thoughts, you need to consider this. Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy helps you identify your negative thoughts and equips you with the necessary tools to fight them. It allows you to combat those feelings of self-defeat and shows you that you have more power than you think. It teaches you that you have power over your external environment and that your environment doesn’t control you.
5. Detox in a Safe Environment
Detoxification is tough. Going cold turkey on anything leads to withdrawal, so doing it with something your body has developed a dependency on is incredibly difficult and unpleasant. It even has the potential to be life-threatening. This is why you need to rid your body of substances in a safe environment. This can either be at a medically assisted facility, or in the home of someone you trust to be able to go through it with you.
6. Contingency Management Therapy
Contingency management therapy helps reinforce good behavior which makes staying sober that much easier. It is a way for you and the people around you to keep you on the straight and narrow without using negative reinforcement and things like scare tactics. This is a proven way to help people stay sober and stick to their recovery.
Addiction is a difficult battle, but one that anyone can win. There are a variety of treatments you could try, but for the best results, a combination of several is a good idea. Talk to a medical professional about what the best route is for you and then take the plunge.
