4 Factors For Effective Drug Addiction Treatment
Thursday, August 21st, 2008Whether you elected to enter drug rehab voluntarily, because of an ultimatum presented through an intervention, or as a requirement from the courts in lieu of time served, successful drug and alcohol treatment starts with productive therapies: group therapy, one-on-one therapy sessions and alternative therapeutic options.
Therapy involves much more than just showing up and going through the motions. The Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology has identified four determining factors essential for eliciting positive change from the therapy you receive at drug and alcohol rehab.
1) Clearly established goals, responsibilities, and length of time in drug and alcohol treatment.
You can have as many chances as you need to complete drug and alcohol rehab and get clean, but if you don’t really want to stay sober, you won’t. You need to know what it is you want from therapy in order to establish a way to measure your success. Most often, the goal of rehab is long-term sobriety through 100 percent abstinence. Once you and your therapist have identified your goals, you can break it down into logical, manageable steps that will automatically lead you to your desired destination. Knowing when to be ready for your debut into the real world gives you an opportunity to practice dealing with anxiety and personal triggers in healthy ways.
2) Skill sets that provide immediate relief and self control over impulses.
The hints and tricks your therapist offers may seem trivial and ineffective at first, but when put into practice can help anchor you to more productive ways of managing stress. Few things in life are more stressful than trying to kick an addiction, and as silly as some ideas for distraction may appear, they are practical manifestations of hope that are easy to do anytime, anywhere, whenever you begin to feel overwhelmed.
3) Engaging in competent mastery of skills independent of the therapist’s suggestion.
The point for therapy is to help you gain control of yourself in a respectful, dignified way that increases self confidence and builds self esteem. Eventually, the crutch of therapy won’t be needed anymore because you’ll be ready to venture out on your own and test the waters using what you’ve learned.
4) Understanding that your behaviors are directly tied to the choices you make, not to the actions of others.
Progress in drug and alcohol treatment therapy is yours and yours alone. Your therapist cannot make you participate or open yourself to the vulnerability of change. Your fondness for drugs or alcohol might never change, but you do have a choice in how you want to live your life. Drug and alcohol addictions can be conquered, and you don’t have to do it alone. But it’s you that has to do it.
Tell Us: What are some tips and tricks that have worked for you to turn your focus away from drugs and alcohol and on to more positive choices?










