Effective rehabilitation centers understand that each individual has a unique experience with drugs and alcohol. Some people turn to addictive substances as a result of past experiences, while others use drugs and alcohol as a way of coping with present-day difficulties. An individual’s personality, health, traumatic experiences, exposure to peer pressure, family history, behavior patterns, perceptions, and emotional challenges can all significantly impact their addiction and ability to recover. Even individuals addicted to the same substances can have vastly different influences and recovery journeys. That’s why at Soba Recovery, we tailor our treatment programs to meet individuals’ unique and specific needs.
Principles of Effective Addiction Treatment
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, effective addiction treatment:
- Will be different for everyone, because there is no single treatment appropriate for each individual.
Addresses multiple needs of individuals in recovery, not just their drug or alcohol abuse. - Lasts for an adequate amount of time. Research indicates that most addicted individuals need at least 3 months of treatment to reduce or stop their drug use.
- Includes behavioral therapies such as individual, family, and group counseling.
- Is monitored continually and modified as necessary.
- Should address both co-occurring mental health challenges.
- Can include medication as needed, although medication should always be combined with counseling and other behavioral therapies.
- Should monitor drug use continuously as lapses during treatment do occur.
- Should test patients for HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B and C, tuberculosis, and other infectious diseases and connect patients with medical treatment centers if necessary.
Even though these criteria of addiction treatment are universal, actual treatment plans should be customized to meet an individuals’ specific needs. Here’s why.
The Importance of Personalized Addiction Treatment
Receiving addiction treatment isn’t the same as getting treatment for any other kind of illness. Unlike the common cold, flu, or even cancer, there isn’t a general prescription for treating addiction. In order to treat addiction effectively, behavioral health experts need to know and understand the root causes of a person’s addiction. Since the root causes of addiction vary from person to person, addiction treatment is most effective when behavioral health experts personalize the recovery process. When treatment is customized to meet your needs, addiction specialists consider the many factors that influence substance abuse, including your:
- Environment
- Tolerance and usage rate
- Family and medical history
- Past experiences
- Current challenges
- Relationships
- Life circumstances
- Emotional wellbeing
Here’s how addressing these factors in recovery can benefit you and increase the effectiveness of your treatment plan.
Personalized Treatment Can Help You Know Yourself Better
Receiving treatment that is tailored for your specific needs can help you develop a better understanding of yourself. Personalized treatment can help you:
- Uncover the underlying causes of addiction
- Identify and acknowledge your triggers
- Explore your family history of addiction
- Pinpoint unhealthy relationships in your life
- Discover unhealthy behavior patterns that encourage addictive behavior
- Help you develop healthy coping skills that fit your personality
Personalized treatment can also help you apply this knowledge to everyday situations in your life. Changing your thoughts, behaviors, and habits takes time, but thoroughly understanding the root causes of your addiction, the triggers you face, and your family history can help you make choices that can support your long-term sobriety.
Personalized Treatment Addresses Age-Specific Needs
Addiction challenges vary based on an individual’s age or phase of life. Young adults, for example, may be more susceptible to peer pressure than older adults. At the same time, adults tend to have more family, career, and financial stressors than teenagers and adolescents. These different life phases can influence what type of treatment an individual needs. Younger individuals dealing with peer pressure may benefit more from cognitive behavioral therapy while adults grappling with past trauma may need to participate in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocess, or EMDR therapy. Similarly, younger individuals looking for validation may greatly benefit from group counseling.
Personalized Treatment Can Help You Manage Specific Co-Occurring Disorders
Many people battling addiction also live with some form of a mental health challenge. Some individuals may live with depression, while others deal with anxiety and panic disorders on a regular basis. Insomnia, PTSD, OCD, and other psychiatric disorders can also lead to substance abuse. When individuals use addictive substances as a coping mechanism for mental health challenges, their treatment plan will need to address both co-occurring disorders. At the same time, different mental health issues require different types of treatment. Luckily, personalized treatment programs can help individuals work through their addiction and mental health challenges in a very specific and effective way.
Personalized Treatment Can Help You Avoid Relapse
Every addiction treatment program hopes to prevent relapse, but personalized treatment may be the most effective way to do this. Typically, ways to prevent relapse include:
- Avoiding people, places, and situations that trigger cravings
- Changing your environment
- Maintaining a busy, healthy schedule
- Exercising
- Developing a supportive sober network
- Participating in meaningful activities
- Practicing mindfulness
- Reducing stress
Even though all of these suggestions can help reduce your relapse risk, you can also avoid relapse by knowing yourself thoroughly. The most effective way to change your environment is knowing exactly what and who you need to avoid. You’re more likely to maintain a proper exercise routine if you know the types of physical fitness your body needs and enjoys. Similarly, you can effectively reduce stress and avoid triggers more effectively if you’ve participated in a behavioral therapy that taught you coping mechanisms that fit your unique personality.
Simply put, when you have received the specific treatment you need, you will be more appropriately equipped to avoid the situations, people, and places that make you want to use.
Achieve The Freedom You Have Always Wanted
Here at Soba Recovery, we know that there’s no one-size-fits-all treatment for addiction. That’s why we tailor all of our programs to meet your specific needs. We can help you achieve the freedom you’ve always wanted. Reach out to a member of our team today and ask about our individualized treatment plans. Start your new life at a rehabilitation center that truly cares about your recovery needs.