If you’re worried that addiction treatment isn’t going to work, there are specific reasons behind the ineffectiveness of treatment. Because the field of addiction and recovery have made so many advances, mental health professionals generally agree on what works and what doesn’t work.
For instance, if someone goes through treatment and relapses and continues to relapse again and again, there might be circumstances in his or her life that are not being addressed. Perhaps there are life circumstances that are interfering with the effectiveness of addiction treatment. Common life circumstances that can get in the way of someone’s success in treatment include:
- weak networks of support
- underlying psychological disorders
- unresolved trauma
- beginning drug use early in life
- poor coping skills
- abusing multiple forms of substances.
It’s important to address each of these separately. You might find, for instance, that you tend to experience depression, which is a common underlying psychological disorder for recovering addicts. At the same time, feeling depressed might make one isolate more often and they might tend to have a weaker network of support. When it comes to succeeding at treatment for addiction , it’s necessary to address each of these individually.
Learning new coping mechanisms, healing unresolved issues that lead to those challenging emotions, and creating strong support networks can help keep relapse at bay and encourage a successful experience of treatment.
In addition to these, there are still other reasons that can also contribute such as:
- a lack of readiness to change
- still feeling hooked by the glamour of drugs and alcohol
- afraid that life will be boring without drugs and alcohol
- identification with being an addict or a rebel
- level of maturity
- not hitting rock bottom yet
- spending time with friends or peers after or during treatment who are still drinking or using drugs
When someone enters treatment there must be a readiness to change. Fortunately, drug addiction treatment centers provide all the tools necessary to make such a change. Since it’s not an easy transformation to undergo, treatment centers provide a community of people who are also aiming towards sobriety, regularly scheduled recovery groups, therapy, behavior modification therapy, medication to treat any withdrawal symptoms, and leisure activities.
The obstacles people face in treatment are those that most addiction treatment centers are aware of. However, knowing these yourself can facilitate your recovery process. They can point out what to avoid, how to fully participate in recovery, and if possible, to make the complete commitment necessary for change. This will have to include addressing any underlying issues, such as poor coping tools, unresolved trauma, or any psychological illnesses.
People don’t have to fail at addiction treatment. You can succeed at treatment with the right levels of support and with addressing all the factors that might have contributed to addiction in the first place.
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