Monday, October 22, 2007

Types of Treatment Available

Types of treatment available :
Selecting a drug rehab for yourself or someone you care about may be one of the most important decisions you will make in your lifetime. Most of us don't know what to look for in a quality program. Not all drug rehab centers are the same--they differ greatly in program options, staff qualifications, credentials, cost, and effectiveness. Here is some information to take into account when choosing a program.
Today there are several types of treatment available . The first and oldest is Spiritual . This type of treatment is based on the 12 steps of alcoholics anonymous started by Bill Wilson and Dr Bob back in 1935. The entire program is based on the book Alcoholics Anonymous which lays out a program which if followed correctly is supposed to lead one to a spiritual experience through a process of working 12 steps. The first 3 steps are all about finding God or a higher power. Steps 4-11 are "Cleaning House " steps ,that include making ammends for past transgressions , daily personal inventory and prayer and meditation .And the 12th step "Having had a spiritual experience we carried this message to other alcoholics " is simply working with others to stay clean yourself,thus the saying "Trust God ,Clean House and Work with others" This program can actually be traced back to Bill Wilson's war buddy "Ebby"who got clean by joining the Oxford Group ( a Christian group that practiced 6 steps ) He shared his success with Bill Wilson who then started working with Dr Bob. Unfortunately "Ebby" did not stay clean and therefore is not mentioned much in AA . Later Narcotics Anonymous was formed then Cocaine Anonymous and today there is a support group for every compulsive behavior known to man such as gambling ,overeating and yes even sex ! While it is true that millions of people worldwide have used this program to stay clean and sober , it has it's drawbacks.First of all ,most 12-step treatment centers do not actually have their clients work all the steps. In fact most "treatment " programs simply dry out their clients for 30-90 days and simply introduce them to AA, NA or CA . At best they might have a counselor help their client get through the first 3 steps , which lends to another AA saying 'The AA shuffle" which is 1,2,3,slip 1,2,3, slip .A play on words pointing out that most clients relapse before ever working the 4th step.It is well known by professionals in the field of recovery that for this type of treatment to work the client must attend meetings (for the rest of their life) often daily sometimes twice a day in early recovery (First 18 mos) . They must work all 12 steps(usually with a sponsor) ,and then go on to help other new people by guiding them through the steps .According to AA's world service website 95% of every person coming in to the program has at least one relapse in the first year , hence another saying "Relapse is part of recovery". The number one reason for relapse is "I stopped going to meetings " or I did everything I was supposed to but just could not bear the "cravings" The truth is one has to rely on prayer to alleviate the cravings for drugs and alcohol . These cravings can continue months or years after one stops using .The second type is educational . It is, first and foremost, an educational experience leading to better choices in the future and a more positive lifestyle. It is a program that develops social skills and eases social anxieties. It is a program that moves participants from fear and anxiety to self-confidence and positive motivation. In short, it is a life changing experience.It is effective because it teaches common sense solutions, it builds on the hard work of maturing and changing negative habits into positive action, and it makes clear how to accept deferred gratification through stick-to-itiveness, and carefully constructed goal oriented plans. Although these principles are time tested, they require work, and the willingness to change. This model of treatment does not believe that addiction is a disease but instead a learned behavior that can be corrected.This type of treatment has been proven to be much more effective long term than it's predecessor but still has it's drawbacks as it does not address the physical and mental cravings for drugs and alcohol.
So what is the answer ?
Science has caught up with the problem of addiction . The 'Biophysical" program or "Science" based program has been proven to be the most effective treatment treatment today because it handles the 3 major aspects of addiction .1. A complete Detox that removes drug residues from the body eliminating forever the cravings. (no need to rely on prayer or education)2. Like the " Educational " program the client receives the missing life skills needed to live without drugs and alcohol .Underlying issues are addressed , Discovered , Confronted and Discarded. Again social skills are addressed and the individual is given back control of their lives. One learns common sense solutions for dealing with a sometimes hostile environment trying to push the latest "wonder drug" .3. Relapse prevention training.One of the biggest mistakes often made by people in recovery is to go to treatment for 30, 60, or even 90 days only to graduate and return to their old friends old job and old environment .Hence another saying "If you hang out in the barber shop long enough ,you will probably get your haircut" The individual has to learn how to spot negative influences in their life to get rid of them. They also have to spot the positive influences so that they can pick new friends ,and join new groups that embrace their new pro-survival activities. It is naive to believe that one will never face temptation again , therefore the solution is to drill how to handle these situations so that when they do arise, one acts without having to "think about it " A complete handling to addiction such as this can not be done in 28 days . In fact the 28 day program has nothing to do with how long it takes to recover. This program was invented to accommodate the insurance plan that will only pay for 28 days of "inpatient treatment". Another sad fact in America today is that only people with money or good insurance can get the best treatment available. To this date ,the only programs that receive County or State funding are the 12-step based programs (AA ,NA and CA are all free and anyone can attend if they admit they have a problem) OnlyThe good news is that some smart finance companies seeing the need ,now offer "Health Cards " for people who either can not afford treatment or do not have good insurance. This is allowing more people to seek better treatment options .
For more information call 800-893-7060 or visit us at www.drugrehabthatworks.com

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