Despite its portrayal in the media or what common knowledge may try to dictate, drug and alcohol treatment is not just for people who have hit rock bottom with substance abuse. Addiction is a chronic disease, and as with most medical conditions, treatment and subsequent recovery are not a quick fix or a desperate measure, nor does it happen overnight. It requires time, patience, and commitment, and the earlier you start, the more effective it can be. Though many do, there’s no need to wait until you are at your lowest point to enter treatment. If you suspect you or a loved one could use help, act on that feeling and seek help as soon as possible.
Finding What Works for You
Addiction is a complicated condition and often made even more so by co-occurring mental illnesses and, put very bluntly, human nature. While the consequences of addiction and mental illness may be destructive to the individual and their families and friends, they typically try to go through the recovery process alone – especially early on. The person addicted to substances or dependent on alcohol is often too proud to enter treatment and instead wants to try to get sober alone. Negatively affected families and friends often decline to participate in the treatment process, despite being integral to long-term recovery. Challenges abound.
You may not know who is best to turn to, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. After all, many try to kick addiction without a drug and alcohol rehab program. They may try going cold turkey, only to find that within a few weeks, addiction has taken over again. Remember that you or your loved one’s path to recovery may look very different than someone else’s, and you may not be the best person to determine that path. The experts in a treatment program can work with you to set a flexible treatment plan, adjusting it as needed, to get you the best treatment possible. Indeed, the clinical professionals at a well-established treatment center have seen it all and can offer experience and perspective that can’t be found when trying to go alone. Further, a well-staffed and supervised treatment center is far more likely to keep the individual on their path toward recovery than trying to do so with the temptations of the home surrounding.
Multiple Efforts
Some people find that they need to return to a drug and alcohol rehab program more than once to succeed. This doesn’t make rehab a last resort but part of the process. Ultimately, while the overarching goal of treatment is to provide a foundation of sobriety for the rest of the person’s life, this cannot always be achieved on the first go-round. However, those that recognize their addiction and are ready to change their lives are significantly more likely to recover and maintain their long-term sobriety than those forced into treatment kicking and screaming. With that said, don’t feel embarrassed if you have more than one stint in recovery; it means you are trying your best to recover. Ultimately, the goal is to make the lows less low until we eliminate them. Entering rehab is not a sign of desperation. It’s a sign of strength and determination. Every day you make a genuine effort is a day closer to maintaining lasting recovery.
Learn as You Go
As we’ve already mentioned, flexibility can be crucial to designing a successful drug and alcohol rehab program. You can’t predict how your path to recovery will go or how it may need to change. Rehab is not an end-all, be-all, or guaranteed solution. If you enter treatment early, you are giving yourself time to determine the best course for your recovery. And this time is crucial for the clinical team and your counselor to develop that plan alongside you. Remember, the treatment plan is a living, mutable document that may change once or several times during treatment. The time in treatment is often a learning process for everyone involved, even the most seasoned of professionals. Your course of treatment is unique to you and will follow a unique path.
If you or someone you love is struggling with a substance use disorder, alcohol dependency, and/or mental illness, a comprehensive treatment program with multiple levels of care and dedication to long term recovery may be the answer. Part of a successful treatment program is learning to let go and admit when you need help. Beyond that, accepting help for that problem will likely be the best decision you’ll ever make. Don’t go at it alone when there are so many resources near and far to help you through.
Treatment for addiction and relapse through comprehensive counseling and aftercare can help you do this, so please call us today at 866-756-HOPE. Destination Hope is a full-service addiction treatment facility in Florida for those who suffer from substance use disorders and behavioral health concerns.
