Drug and alcohol abuse will target all aspects of your life and it will take a lot of determination and a good addiction recovery program to put things right again. You’ll need help managing your triggers, reestablishing relationships, and avoiding relapses. Such a change does not happen overnight and it requires a significant mental jump. That’s why you need therapy.
Therapy is a particularly important component of an addiction recovery program. However, it does not always receive the respect and understanding it deserves. Many people may have had a bad experience with therapy in addiction recovery and therefore believe that it does no good. However, that one experience is probably not a good indication of the usefulness of therapy, since therapy has been proven time and time again to make a noticeable difference in the success of addiction recovery.
The Role of Therapy
Once those recovering from addiction complete detox, there’s still a significant amount of work to be done before they can resume their normal lives. Through therapy, individuals can receive treatment specific to their needs. Therapy offers techniques for coping with cravings, triggers, and emotions that accompany recovery.
Therapy is a necessary aspect of addiction recovery simply because addiction is a mental process that needs reversed. Addiction is brought about by a chemical change in the brain, and no amount of sheer willpower will make it go away. It’s important to seek the help of a professional trained to understand and help shape the cognitive processes.
Therapy usually goes hand in hand with detox, and it’s an essential component of a good recovery program. It’s generally available for both residents of the rehabilitation facility and outpatients who continue to require those services. For more information about finding a good recovery program with therapy options to meet your specific needs, click here.
Forms of Therapy
A common and particularly detrimental myth claims that therapy does not help those recovering from addiction. It’s true that some have a bad experience with therapy when recovering from an addiction, but that should not stop them from trying again. Every program will not fit everyone, but there is at least one program out there that will work for you. Sometimes you just need to look a little harder.
Therapy comes in many forms, so it’s important to find the one that works for you. You may choose to participate in one or more of these therapy programs in order to get your life back in order. Below are a few of the most exceptional forms of therapy programs.
12 Step Programs
These popular programs offer twelve steps to help you achieve a better lifestyle. They include admitting the problem, recognizing a higher power than the addiction, taking steps to fight it, and making amends for the wrong you’ve done. This therapy is generally held in both group and individual sessions and is proven to be very effective.
Group Therapy
Sometimes all you need is a group (moderated by a licensed professional) who can get together and talk about a similar problem. For many, it’s relieving to know they are not alone in their trials, and they find strength in the examples and experiences of others. It creates bonds of peer support that prove essential in overcoming the worst of the addiction.
Phone Therapy
Many do not feel comfortable facing a therapist to receive help. They would prefer to remain anonymous. Though we encourage face to face counseling, it may prove beneficial to first have counseling sessions over the phone until you’re ready to meet with a group or private counselor.
Cognitive Therapy
This brand of psychotherapy is devoted to altering unwanted behavioral patterns. A professional will work to combat the chemical changes in the brain caused by addiction in order to remove behavioral impulses.
Not all of these therapies are right for everyone. You should consult with the professionals in your recovery program and gain all the information you can about each type of therapy before participating. You don’t want to waste your time and resources on a program that won’t show results.
Therapy and Aftercare
After you leave your rehabilitation center, it’s important to maintain your specific care or you will likely face a relapse. The number of those who relapse into addiction after detox is frighteningly high and it almost always results due to of a lack of care following a rehab program.
That’s why therapy is so important. It works to revert a recovering addict’s mindset to one that can successfully integrate into society. Most therapy programs will target specific components of recovery, including understanding and managing triggers, recognizing the realistic results of a relapse, and gaining techniques and skills to prevent a relapse. Finding a good therapy program to help you do those things may be the process that gets you back to normalcy and you wouldn’t want to risk giving that up based on some silly misconceptions.