Problems with substance abuse can make you feel like you’ve lost control of your life. And recovery can be daunting, especially if you’re not sure how to face the root of your addiction. Most addictions start as a form of self-medication for mental health issues, traumas, or emotions we don’t know how to cope with. Treating addiction means recovering mentally so that you can cope without drugs or alcohol in the future. How can a drug and alcohol treatment center make mental recovery easier? A treatment center has a number of different benefits no matter how “bad” your substance abuse problem is. Even if you think that your issues aren’t serious enough to warrant this type of program, you might benefit regardless. Studies consistently show that inpatient programs followed by outpatient therapy have the highest rates of success when it comes to relapse prevention.
How Is a Drug Alcohol Treatment Center Able to Make Mental Recovery Easier?
Treatment centers offer medical assistance with detox, a controlled environment to confront your addiction, and constant access to counselors and medical professionals. But they don’t just treat the physical symptoms of addiction. Treatment centers are also built around discovering and learning to cope with the root of your addiction. Many treatment centers have professional psychiatrists on staff who can diagnose and treat mental health issues. Psychiatrists are able to prescribe medication, while the licensed therapists on staff can help you work through your issues in talk therapy. There are also creative therapies like art therapy, music therapy, journaling, and even going for walks in nature. When you check into a treatment center, you get to focus entirely on your own recovery.
You don’t have to worry about work, school, friends, or familial obligations. You have the chance to talk about your struggles and learn how to move forward. Mental recovery is much easier in the controlled environment of a treatment center. Not only do you have 24/7 access to mental health professionals, you also have a break from the environmental stresses in your life. Many people use drugs or alcohol in response to stressful situations, and a treatment center lets you “take a break” from that. Similarly, you aren’t around the drugs and alcohol that may be present in your usual environment. When you recover at home, you have to balance your recovery with your life responsibilities. If you don’t yet know how to cope with stress without using, you may be at risk of relapsing. Another benefit of a recovery center is that you can get peer support.
Group therapy and addiction meetings exist in outpatient settings as well, but they’re more easily accessible in a treatment center. You can talk to people who understand what you’re going through, and you can learn from hearing others discuss how they’ve learned to cope. A drug and alcohol treatment center can also smooth the path to recovery by including your family. Family counseling is often offered during the program. In addition, family members are given educational resources about how to support you when you come home. This is especially important because of how difficult the transition back to home living can be. The move from a controlled inpatient setting to a more chaotic outpatient environment can be overwhelming.
It’s the first big test of your newly learned coping skills. This is the time during which the risk of relapse is highest. By involving your family and friends, you ensure that you have a solid support network. These are people you can turn to when you’re struggling. They’ll be willing to lend an ear or a hand to help you get by. On that note, part of a treatment center’s job is to prepare you to return home. Not only will you be learning coping skills, you’ll also be creating an actionable plan for what to do when you get home. That means follow-up outpatient appointments, referrals to specialists, changes to your environment, and anything else you need to function. Aftercare support is vital. There are always challenges when you first return from rehab, no matter how well-adjusted you are. By having an outpatient treatment plan in place, you’re ready to meet those challenges head-on with your support network.
Treatment centers often offer a much-needed sense of peace and calm when you’re recovering mentally. They keep your environment stable so you can focus on yourself. To get started, you can talk to one of our trained counselors 24 hours a day at 833-364-0736.