Please click here for our latest coronavirus (COVID-19) response and preparedness.

Who Can Seek Treatment at a Recovery Center?

While getting help for your addiction should be your number one priority, there are several things that you should be mindful, including finding the right treatment center for you. The programs offered at most facilities are co-gender; however, some drug rehab programs are gender-specific and will provide services that are exclusive to men or women. In addition, some facilities will go as far as limiting drug rehab services to teenagers only. In this article, we will detail some of the fundamental differences between these specific drug recovery programs and why some may be better than others.

WHY DO SOME DRUG REHABS LIMIT TREATMENTS TO MEN OR WOMEN?

Anyone who has undergone a drug addiction recovery can attest to how difficult such a process can be. An environment where men and women can indulge in flings or full-on relationship may very well complicate matters and even detract from the primary objective, overcoming drug addiction. Of course, this is not to suggest that a co-gender environment is inherently bad as many patients have successfully overcome their addiction while in a co-gender facility. Nonetheless, we should keep in mind that any form of distraction while undergoing treatment could impede one’s ability to remain drug-free. So what are the differences between treatments offered at men-only facilities versus women-only facilities? Well, some of the most notable differences include

TREATMENTS EXCLUSIVE TO MEN

Male patients have the freedom to communicate and express thoughts without being distracted by women.

Most male exclusive facilities will place a strong emphasis on physical fitness as part of the recovery efforts.

Male-oriented facilities tend to spend more time assessing the psychological component of a patient’s addiction.

TREATMENTS EXCLUSIVE TO WOMEN

Similar to male-oriented facilities, female-oriented facilities provide an environment where women are free to speak on a variety of topics without being distracted by men.

Many women-only drug treatment facilities will offer childcare.

Female-oriented facilities will often place a strong emphasis on creating a comforting and nurturing environment.

Female-oriented facilities will often include treatments that address problems that are generally exclusive to women including eating domestic abuse and post-partum depression, for example.

Having detailed some of the unique treatments offered to men and women. It is important to reiterate that these treatments are intended to complement traditional services and programs aimed at helping patients overcome addiction.

TREATMENTS EXCLUSIVE TEENAGERS

Studies have shown that treating teens with drug addiction is vastly different than treating adults. As such, most teenager-exclusive facilities have adopted treatment protocols that reward teens based on how well they are progressing through each phase of the recovery process. Counseling, especially cognitive behavioral therapy, is also an integral part of treating teenagers. That said, most of these facilities will emphasize the importance of the patient-therapist relationship as it will invariably dictate how successful teenagers are in overcoming their addiction.

So why is therapy such an integral part of most teenager-based drug recovery programs? Well, young adults are still relatively impressionable, which means that the lessons learned while in treatment are more likely to extend into adulthood. As such, teens are not as likely to relapse after completing recovery and, more importantly, they are less likely to relapse once they have become adults.

While we are the topic of therapy, it should also be noted that motivational interviewing is also a critical part of the recovery process for teenagers. If you are not familiar with motivational interviewing, it is an evaluation process that is conducted by a therapist and used to identify the cause of a patient’s drug addiction. Also, it helps in keeping teens motivate to not only continue therapy but also to succeed.

WHO CAN SEEK TREATMENT AT A RECOVERY CENTER?

If you believe you have a problem with drugs or alcohol, you’re encouraged to seek treatment as soon as possible. In saying that, some facilities may be a better choice than others when it comes to auxiliary services like those aimed at men, women, and teenagers. Nonetheless, your goal should be to choose a facility that ensures your success as you work towards freeing yourself of your addiction. Lastly, it is always a good idea to visit some prospective facilities to get a real feel for the environment, staff, and the programs that they offer. Regardless of which facility you ultimately choose, you should take pride in knowing that you’re one step closer to sobriety.

What Are the Biggest Things You Learn in Addiction Treatment?

Most people understand that the goal of drug and alcohol addiction treatment and rehab is complete recovery. Even with prior coaching, clients still worry about all that is involved in a successful treatment program. Time spent in recovery has the ultimate aim of learning to adjust to a life free from chosen substances, but many other things are learned.

Programs are centered on becoming free from habits, but “alone time” tends to reveal other important insights. Some of the most powerful revelations discovered by clients happen away from a prescribed recovery program. Many of these revelations happen within an atmosphere and time where a person can understand the nature of how addictions affect lives. Of course, discovering things that prevent addiction are most important during recovery. Other personal discoveries are extremely powerful in reversing behaviors that lead to relapse and problematic emotional situations. Here are some things that a person will likely realize when they go through a treatment program.

“Unlearning” an Addiction is not Immediate

It takes a long time to form dependency to a substance. It can take an equally long time to unlearn how if feels to be at its mercy. Recovery programs can take months, but it is tough to digest the realization that becoming free from a habit can take even longer.

Addiction recovery classes and treatment center stays are measured in months, but forming a new lifestyle can stretch beyond a programmed period. Once a person truly realizes that unlearning a behavior can be for life, the weight and positivity of sobriety can be understood.

Control Requires Ownership Skills

No amount of prescribed sobriety work can automatically convince a person to abandon their life of addiction. The real transformation happens in quiet times when a person is able to reflect. Every person digests the information that a recovery program provides differently. Typically, this happens when a person is alone, and they are able to sort their experiences mentally.

Someone in a recovery program learns that the greatest epiphanies about sobriety happen when they are deeply entrenched in the program itself. When the mind and spirit are able to process helpful information clearly, they have the power to convince the person about necessary changes.

Recovery is Impossible Without a Network

Addiction recovery is not a simple matter of going through a program. The ability to relapse will always be present. A person in recovery will learn that relying on others is key to their success. These people include,

* Qualified counselors who helped design a recovery program.

* Past recovery graduates who agree to lend support in the real world.

* Spiritual and medical professionals who are trained to address recovery issues.

* Peers from shared recovery program experiences who need mutual support.

The rates of success for people who try to recovery alone are extremely low. Learning to rely on others for support is tough for strong personalities, but it is necessary when rebuilding a clean life.

Relapse Triggers are Constant Companions

Some clients in recovery programs have the false belief that once they go through a recovery program, their addiction will be gone. It’s a difficult realization, but addiction triggers for most people will be permanent. Upon deep reflection and admission, recovering addicts will realize that the potential for relapse will always be with them. They will have to learn how to shape their new lives to avoid situations and people that could trip the physical and emotional need to become addicted again. Great recovery programs teach people about effective ways to cleanse triggers from daily life.

The Biggest Types of Changes are Sometimes Necessary

There is no weightier realization to a person in addiction recovery than knowing that a sober life might require them to start over completely. For many people, addiction is the end result of a cascade of life circumstances. To achieve full sobriety, they might have to explore a completely new set of life rules and behaviors. This is very difficult, but reliance on a network helps. Belief in the possibility of lasting change is also key.

Great substance abuse recovery programs are designed to allow clients to be in an environment where they can think clearly, yet learn to act productively. Much of the progress and transformation that a person experiences happens in the times when no meetings and classes are in session. It happens when a client’s mind is left alone to process the options that are available to them. These hard realizations often become the most powerful catalysts for true change. They are also the reminders that lead to continued freedom in sobriety. When you are ready to discover true personal change away from a life of addiction, we are here to provide the right atmosphere.