Drug addiction is an incredibly challenging issue to face whether you are attempting to start a recovery program or are thinking about helping a loved one. Better understanding the core issues behind addiction can help you in making healthy, well-informed decisions when it comes to recovery.
Understanding Addiction
Addiction is a complicated symptom of larger, more complex mental health issues. Typically, a person begins using to help cope with traumatic experiences, early childhood unhealthy attachments, and a lack of learned internal healthy resources. Many recovery programs focus on the here and now, when in reality working through old issues can be the most healing aspect of recovery despite being so challenging to face. Using may start off as experimentation but can escalate into the primary coping mechanism, even if the person doing so wishes to stop. Physical and mental addiction to drugs is incredibly difficult to work through, can feel very painful, and takes a lot of time and patience, but recovery is absolutely possible.
Recovery Programs
There are an abundance of recovery programs that offer incredible services to those who are interested in beginning this process.
Types of Programs Available
There are detox specific programs, inpatient programs, outpatient options, and support groups available. If you've already completed a program and are looking to continue your self work, you can look into therapists who specialize in addiction recovery.
What to Look for in Recovery Treatment
When choosing a program that's right for you or a loved one, make sure that the counselors and the person who runs the program have appropriate certifications. Because addiction is usually such a complex and layered symptom of a larger problem, the counselors should have their marriage and family therapy license, psychology license, or doctorate with specialties in addiction.
Supporting a Loved One
It can be difficult not to become too entangled in your loved one's recovery process. Be sure to maintain and exemplify healthy boundaries and find your own support system to help you out during this process. It can feel exhausting and you may even experience burnout. Take time for yourself and be sure to practice self care.
Finding Appropriate Solutions
Whether you are looking for recovery options for yourself or a loved one, there are plenty of great choices available. Be sure to tour a few facilities and speak with the counselors before joining a program to make sure it is the best fit. Take your time and be patient with yourself during this process.