Addiction can affect anyone at any point in their lives. It can encompass many things, from drugs and alcohol to gambling and caffeine. Extreme addiction however, can cause many problems, both to the afflicted and to their friends and family. Quitting something that you are heavily addicted to can be extraordinarily difficult, which is why there are addiction treatments set up all around the world. In order to really defeat an addiction, it is strongly advised to seek out an addiction treatment that caters to anything an addict could possibly need.
Starting an addiction treatment can be scary and incredibly daunting for those who do not know what to expect. It is always best to conduct extensive research while choosing the most suited treatment option for either yourself or a loved one. There are several procedures and steps that are universal, so that means it is relatively straight forward when it comes to researching what to expect.
The first thing to do, as already touched upon, is to research what treatment plan you think will be best for either yourself or a loved one. Once you have picked a programme, the following steps can be expected (generally speaking).
Checking yourself in:
Most addiction treatments will take place at a rehab, or rehabilitation clinic. This, typically speaking, requires at least a week or so of in-house residential care, which requires the addict to stay within the center. Upon arrival most centers will ask the patient to undergo a survey or interview process. This is in order to determine to find out more about the degree of addiction the person has and a little bit of background information. This will help them later in the recovery and treatment process.
Detox:
This step is perhaps one of the hardest for the addict to go through. The patient will not be allowed anywhere near the substance they are addicted to. Physically abstaining from a substance related addiction can be incredibly stressful on the body, there are numerous affects on the body while it goes through withdrawal. While it may be hard to hear, especially in regard to yourself or a loved one, it is best to be informed before going through the process. Symptoms can include:
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Seizures
- Mood swings
- Hallucinations and many more
However, while this may be off-putting at first, it does not last forever and will get better with time. Unfortunately, it is a necessary evil.
Behavioural Therapy:
Addiction is not just physical; a lot of the urge can be attributed to physiological patterns. In most respectable rehabilitation clinics, there will be several psychotherapy treatments available to patients. Some of these treatments can include:
- Cognitive: this is when the counsellor will analyse thought processes and behavioural responses
- Interpersonal: constructing social networks that can help to combat loneliness, manic depression and other emotional stressors that can trigger addiction
- Dialectal: this type of therapy is particularly useful when battling more than one type of addiction. It mostly works though motivational enhancement.
On top of those three main parts, addiction treatment also strongly encourages a strict regime and routine. This can help to provide structure and stability to an addict’s life: something their addiction may have taken away from them, or at the very least, caused them to struggle with everyday life. The treatment centres will provide early morning meetings and breakfasts, followed by the tailored individual therapy in the afternoons, then some free time and another meal before more evening meetings.
Now that the steps of addiction treatment have been broken down into a less daunting scale, hopefully you can make the right decision for yourself or a loved one.
