Drug addiction therapy is primarily a psychological process aimed at the rehabilitation of addicts, including those from alcohol or drugs. Such addiction psychotherapy is to help return to proper functioning in society, develop ways of coping with everyday life, and as a result, stop using stimulants.

Addiction therapy – what is it?

Addiction treatment should begin with motivating the alcoholic, drug addict, or gambler to fight this serious disease, which takes away not only the joy of life but most of all the ability to make independent decisions and function in society. What is alcohol therapy? The entire treatment process can be reduced to the three most important stages.

Addiction therapy – what does it look like?

First stage.

 Getting acquainted with the problem and motivated to start treatment – contrary to appearances, this is one of the more difficult stages of addiction therapy, because in most cases the defense mechanism is activated and the addicted person denies the problem, rationalizes it or blames others for this state of affairs.

Second stage.

Basic therapy – when the motivation to act appears, you can focus on the next stage, which is basic addiction therapy, usually taking place in addiction therapy departments or in closed private centers, such as Alina Lodge. This phase abounds in numerous therapeutic activities, including group and individual therapies. It is based on a schematic program constructed by experienced specialists and practitioners from our facility. This stage can be divided into two parts, each of which serves a different purpose. One of these parts is to make the patient aware of the effects of his addiction so that he can understand the consequences of his addiction. The second part is learning how to function in a society without stimulants, which is to help it maintain absenteeism, and cope with alcohol and drug cravings, as well as with emotions.

Stage three.

 In-depth therapy – the next stage usually takes place on an outpatient basis and is referred to as in-depth drug addiction therapy. These are still therapeutic classes, both group and individual meetings, but the program of these meetings is usually less rigid and adapted to the patient’s needs on an ongoing basis. Leaving an addiction treatment center is treading on thin ice. Many patients immediately return to their addiction, which is why further therapy is so important.

Addiction treatment is sometimes also associated with detoxification, i.e. detoxification of the body. However, this applies only to physical addictions such as alcohol or drug addiction. So it is not treated as a therapeutic process. In justified situations, additional pharmacological agents are also used, most often when the patient experiences a decline or mood disorders – then various types of antidepressants are used.

Alcohol therapy – what is it about?

Alcoholism is a progressive disease that results from both physical and mental addiction to alcohol. As with any addiction, the most important thing with alcoholism is to be aware of the problem. So what does alcohol therapy look like once you understand that you should begin the process of regaining control of your life?

First, if possible, decide where you want to be treated.

Alcohol therapy – forms of addiction therapy:

  • outpatient – in an addiction treatment clinic;
  • day – in a drug addiction ward;

Regardless of the type of addiction, closed center therapy is always the most effective form. All because it is very intense and allows you to cut off the addicted person from external factors, allowing you to focus on fighting the disease.

The addiction therapy program consists of four stages:

  • initial stage – this is usually the first contact, which includes diagnosis, familiarizing the patient with models of therapy, and motivating him to start fighting the problem;
  • The basic stage – includes working with the patient, which allows him to understand addiction, deal with alcohol cravings, and integrate with the community. It is also working through your own emotions, learning self-acceptance, and eliminating the behavior that is characteristic of alcoholics;
  • in-depth stage – this is the time to work on minimizing the risk of using stimulants, building a constructive environment, and appreciating the achievements so far in the fight against addiction;
  • intensive stage – in this phase the patient develops his / her life, interpersonal and intrapsychic skills, repairs the damage caused, and, above all, prepares to live outside the center.

The duration of alcohol therapy depends on the selected package and may vary from 2 weeks to 4 months. It takes a lot of time to get to know the patient and his problems, so we do not offer shorter stays, such as weekend addiction therapy. Staying with us may include detox aimed at breaking the alcohol addiction and alleviating the mental and physical effects of abrupt withdrawal from alcohol. For this purpose, the patient is administered intravenous electrolytes, mineral salts, and vitamins, especially vitamin B1. In addition, in order to minimize the negative effects of the withdrawal syndrome, the following drugs are administered, inter alia, sleeping pills, painkillers, and sedatives.

What is drug addiction therapy?

Drug addiction is, in short, a chronic disease that affects the human central nervous system. As in the case of an alcoholic, a drug addict must become aware of his problem at the beginning of the treatment course. How to cure drug addiction?

The most popular drug addiction treatment methods:

The Minnesota model – is a therapy aimed at lifelong abstinence. This model assumes that addiction is a disease, therefore drug addicts, but also alcoholics, and other addicts should be treated with appropriate respect and understood;

The substitution model – this therapy is quite a controversial solution because it assumes that the substances taken are replaced with intravenously administered drugs that show a similar effect. Over time, doses are reduced to end the craving for drugs, until they are completely stopped. This method is accompanied at every stage by psychological therapy;

The cognitive-behavioral model – involves the use of repetition and learning mechanisms. As a result, the patient gets to know the situations in which drugs or other stimulants are used and trains to combat these temptations. This method is often supported by pharmacological addiction treatment methods.

The above-mentioned types of addiction therapy are also practiced in the case of other addictions, such as alcohol, gambling, and drugs.

Addiction therapy – goals

Addiction treatment therapy is primarily aimed at maintaining abstinence. However, every addiction doctor strives to ensure that his patient after therapy:

  • showed the ability to maintain abstinence;
  • was able to solve personal problems;
  • developed the ability to live a healthy life;
  • he was going to improve his mental health.

Addiction therapies – what other addictions do they include?

Alcoholism and drug addiction are the most common addictions in our center. However, treatment may also include other types of addiction. Whenever addiction causes problems in family or professional life, help should be sought.

Addiction – treatment may include:

  • alcoholism,
  • drug addiction,
  • addiction to gambling,
  • shopaholism,
  • workaholism,
  • sex addiction,
  • Internet addiction.

Addiction – how to treat codependent people?

Codependency concerns relatives of a person addicted to alcohol or drugs – wife/husband, partner/partner, and consists in completely subordinating one’s life. So if you have an addict at home and you feel overly responsible for others, you blame your partner for life’s failures, isolate yourself from people, cannot cope with your own emotions, and reject any support you have shown, then you are a codependent person. For the full recovery of your other half, it is good to start a therapy that is similar to that for addicts, but it is not conducted together.

Addiction Therapies – What’s Next?

Knowing how to cure addiction and going through all stages of therapy is not enough. After treatment, the patient remains an addicted person. Unfortunately, there is no magic way to guarantee you stay sober. Systematic work on yourself, following the therapist’s advice, but also seeking support and participating in various meetings for addicts, can undoubtedly help you with this.

Thus, there is no clear answer to the question of whether alcohol therapy helps because everyone is different and will deal with their problems differently. There are people who immediately return to their old habits after going out, but the vast majority of our patients enjoy a new life of sobriety.

 

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