What Can Substance Abuse Treatment Do For You?

Substance abuse treatment is more than helping you to achieve abstinence. Maintaining it for the long run while restoring or building a life that is satisfying and worthwhile is just as important. According to the SAMHSA, recovery is “A process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential.”

Reasons for Seeking Substance Abuse Treatment

People have many reasons for seeking substance abuse treatment, but, according to the Institute of Medicine (US), in virtually every instance, three fundamentals are present including:

One or more uncomfortable and fairly urgent problems to resolve. The problems are related to drug use although they may not see it that way. They are ambivalent.

For some, the drudgery of having to find the drugs and the resources to obtain them is enough to take away from the pleasant feelings they get when they use. Others develop serious physical or psychological impairments, overdose, or have severe social pressures that encourage them to seek treatment to avoid an imminent threat or something quite unwelcome such as imprisonment, custodial loss of a child, or the loss of a job.

There is often a persistent belief that the drug abuse problems do not require assistance and will take care of themselves, as long as the person can get a grip on the other problematic areas in their life. As their conditions worsen and their options decrease, treatment becomes more appealing. According to the Institute of Medicine (US), “What finally spurs most clients into treatment is the desire to relieve some kind of immediate drug-related pressure or to avoid an unpleasant drug-related consequence.”

Disparaging Truths

Building a sense of community during recovery heightens one’s chances of success in treatment.

The SAMHSA’s 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health reports that “Of the estimated 22.7 million individuals aged 12 or older in 2013 who needed treatment for an illicit drug or alcohol use problem, 2.5 million received treatment at a specialty facility.” Stigma, time, costs, travel, lack of motivation or hope for recovery can keep a person from getting the help they need indefinitely.

Addicts become quite adept at finding, obtaining, and using their drugs. As they become conditioned to the drug effects and associated behaviors, their denials, blaming, excuses, and other defenses to continue using become little more than an all-out assault on their identity, integrity, and hope for change, let alone, the other harms they cause themselves and others.

In the meantime, they may seek assistance from health, social services, or other community sources for the myriad of problems that arise. It isn’t because these individuals are morally flawed or lack the willpower to quit, but, rather because underlying neurobiological developments have hijacked nearly every physiological system that would, otherwise, help them maintain a healthy balance in their physical, psychological, behavioral, and social health.

What Can Substance Abuse Treatment Do For You?

It takes more than restraining from drug abuse to actually recover from addiction and treatment providers who integrate treatment approaches across the broad range of client needs have been found to be the most promising. Different interests, goals, addiction severities, motivations to change, and need complexities can make a difference in treatment outcomes where recovery can be influenced and supported by four major dimensions which, according to the SAMHSA, include:

Health – Although the primary objective is to eliminate or significantly reduce the use of drugs and prevent relapse, recovery also involves “making informed, healthy choices that support physical and emotional wellbeing.” Home – Havinga stable and safe place to live Purpose – Being involved in meaningful and productive activities such as working, going to school, volunteering, or taking care of children and family, accomplishing goals, and having the independence and resources to participate in society. Community – “Relationships and social networks that provide support, friendship, love, and hope”

Keys to Success in Substance Abuse Treatment

Integrated addiction treatment services that support a holistic recovery approach is crucial to motivating change and encouraging significant improvements in overall wellbeing. This may include addressing:

co-existing mental health and substance abuse disorders physical health and dental care faith and spirituality family, spousal, and child care social networks and community participation self-care practices trauma legal issues housing employment transportation education finances

To learn more about substance abuse treatment, call us at 800-895-1695.