Treatment

It is no secret that withdrawing from drugs is an experience many don't look forward to. Sadly, a number of people avoid treatment entirely out of fear of the detoxing and withdrawal experience. Fortunately, however, new research has emerged in recent years that significantly reduces the impacts of withdrawal symptoms. Medication-assisted treatment, or MAT, is the use of FDA approved medications in conjunction with therapy to help people withdraw from opioids and begin the recovery process as comfortably as possible. It has been proven to increase the sustainability of recovery and the chances of successfully maintaining a life of peace [...]

When one person suffers from substance abuse, it impacts everyone in the family. That is why so many programs have begun implementing family therapy as an integral step on the path to recovery. This involves therapeutic interventions where a specialist will gather everyone in a client's immediate family to discuss family roles, learn what actions are harmful to the recovering client's health and identify ways to rebuilt trust. When is it Time to Incorporate Family Therapy? Some family members may be more open to going to therapy with their loved ones than others. It may not be best for everyone [...]

Recently, several inpatient treatment facilities were exposed for illegal and unethical operations. Due to this we feel that individuals should be informed about what they should expect from an inpatient treatment facility. Find out what to expect before, during, and after treatment at an inpatient facility. Prior to Arrival at Treatment During your initial call to an inpatient treatment facility, an admissions employee will take down information regarding the issue that is bringing you into treatment. They will also take down your demographics and insurance information. Next, someone from the facility will call your insurance company to verify that your [...]

Evidence based practices are treatment modalities that have been shown to be effective through research. Motivational Interviewing and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy are two evidence based practices for the treatment of substance use disorders. Both treatment modalities aim to create change. However, they take two different approaches to accomplish this goal. When combined, these treatment modalities give clients who are seeking recovery the best chance of success. Motivational Interviewing Motivational Interviewing, or MI, is a type of treatment that focuses on increasing motivation to change a behavior. MI is based on four main principles and highly relevant to counselors in the [...]

Yoga is a decades old practice, but only was recently welcomed into the field of addiction treatment as a beneficial and effective means of increasing mindfulness, relaxation and self-esteem, as well as decreasing chronic pain naturally. What is therapeutic yoga? Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word yuj meaning "to join," "to yoke" or "to unite." This definition is fitting, seeing as yoga is all about connecting one's mind, body and spirit through breathing and movement. This focus on the inhale and exhale, combined with the body's flowing from one pose to the next, keeps you grounded, focused and relaxed [...]

Overcoming substance use requires making a major change to your life. When you decide to seek treatment for addiction or substance use disorder, your counselor will likely assess this readiness for change. In other words, they'll take the time to learn at which stage of change you find yourself. This then helps them build out a treatment program that, based on your needs, will be most helpful for you in achieving and maintaining sobriety. What are stages of change? While these stages are outlined sequentially, everyone's experience with addiction is different. What this means is your journey through the [...]