One of the first things that we ask clients to do at our center for addiction treatment programs in Nelsonville, is to internalize the notion that it is not reason, strong will or a well-developed sense of personal responsibility that helps when most people stay well away from addictive behavior. In truth, these qualities have little to do with addiction-free lifestyles, and these are not the qualities that are missing in addicts.
Instead, a tendency towards self-destructive addiction is brought about through changes to the brain that drugs bring about. With these changes in place, the mines faculty of reason is unable to grasp how addiction is harmful, and is therefore is unable to hold its own against cravings.
When these changes are made part of the brain by prolonged drug use, they cannot be reversed. The only way to address them is through therapy. For our addiction treatment programs in Nelsonville, we use scientifically backed therapeutic approaches called addiction treatment programs. They help patients right out of detox sustain their victory and maintain freedom from addiction.
Drug detox in Nelsonville helps the brain break the cycle of physical dependency. With detoxification successfully completed, the addict no longer continuously experiences cravings, and does not experience withdrawal symptoms when he doesn't use. Nevertheless, with the permanent changes brought about in the brain through exposure to drugs, a weakness for drug use always exists in its deepest reaches. This weakness may assert itself at any point in the form of unexpected cravings. The most successful recovery addicts have been known to experience these cravings after 10 or 15 years of sobriety.
Drug treatment programs are therapeutic approaches designed through years of research. They aim to help addicts anticipate and counter the compulsions that they may experience. These programs can also help addicts bolster their defenses against cravings by identifying and correcting psychological shortcomings that they may possess.
When a recovering addict works on a comprehensive psychological plan to counter cravings and relapse, lifelong sobriety is usually well within reach. A number of different approaches exist.
Different types of programs are offered for relapse prevention in Nelsonville, depending on the needs of the addict, as diagnosed by the therapist.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the most rigorously proven techniques of group therapy applied to addiction recovery. Under this method, participants work with their therapists to analyze their thought patterns, gain insight into them, and make changes.
Such therapy may aim to uncover environmental cues or triggers that lead to cravings. The recovering addict may stay away from cravings and relapse by finding find ways to avoid exposure to triggers.
Therapist and patient can work together to uncover problematic areas of psychological behavior, as well. A weakness for instant gratification or for escapist tendencies are typical examples. The therapist may work out behavioral training methods to help the patient develop more wholesome psychological attitudes.
The 12-step program is a group therapy approach that requires that patients be amenable to spiritual beliefs. Participants are guided through various steps where they place their faith in god, acknowledge their mistakes, ask for forgiveness and work to undo wrongs done in the past. A 12-step program can be a powerful therapeutic approach for those who hold spiritual faith.
Moral reconation therapy is another highly effective therapeutic approach, one that is aimed narrowly at a specific kind of psychological shortcoming seen in many addicts: a poorly developed conscience. In therapy, patient and therapist work on various behavioral exercises that help rekindle a sense of personal moral obligation, and create improved awareness of personal conscience.
Some forms of group therapy currently considered outside the mainstream still do come with considerable scientific backing, and may be applied in specific cases. Patients who turn to drug abuse to escape the pain of PTSD, for example, are often guided through art therapy. With an outlet for previously unexpressed pain, participants often quickly see their wounds heal, and the strength of their resistance to addictive tendencies improve.
Yoga therapy and meditation are often tapped to help those who struggle with a tendency to self-blame. Such therapeutic approaches help patients by putting control for their improvement in their hands. The more enthusiastic recovering addicts are in embracing these methods, the more quickly they gain strength in their fight against addiction.
The therapeutic approaches that addiction treatment programs involve do not come with readily measurable results. As with any therapeutic approach, it takes time for work done under addiction treatment programs to show results. In many cases, unfortunately, recovering addicts enter these programs, but quit, when they realize how much time they take.
Reading up about treatment programs for addiction and speaking with experts on the subject can be an excellent way to gain an appreciation for the ways in which these methods work. Should you need guidance, we invite you to call our center for treatment programs in Nelsonville. Call us now at (877) 804-1531.