Recovering from alcoholism requires a lot of effort, time, and a firm will to stick with it. You’ll also need a lot of help. When you decide to enter a professional alcohol and drug treatment program, you will begin your journey through the four distinct stages of rehabilitation recovery. The time you spend on this journey teaches you how to live a good, sober existence.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse developed these stages as a reference for healthcare professionals interested in personalized drug treatment. In addition to this, it is an excellent paradigm for the treatment of alcoholism.
The First Step in the Treatment Process
When a person agrees to seek help from a professional alcohol and drug rehabilitation program, they have taken the first step toward recovery.
The first step on the path to recovery is to enroll in a treatment program. It doesn’t matter whether you decide to go to treatment on your own or if you’re forced to do so by others.
Denial and ambivalence are two of the most dangerous enemies a recovering addict may face. Leaving your primary drug of choice for good will likely cause you to feel a range of emotions in the initial few hours and days of your rehab stay. If this is the case, you may be under the impression that your addiction is not as severe as that of other sufferers. Be aware of acquiring this mentality, and always keep it in mind. You can check Mcshin Foundation for recovery success, if you have any doubts.
At this point in treatment, the goal is to help the patient choose to participate in medicine actively and accept the reality that abstinence is the desired result.
- The following services provided by a therapist with expertise in drug abuse may aid the individual in achieving this goal:
- Examine how addiction has damaged individuals and how many have tried to deny its presence.
- Boost the individual’s desire to recuperate to the point where they may return to work.
- Counselors and patients will work together to devise a treatment plan specific to the individual’s history of alcohol and drug abuse throughout this phase of treatment.
The sooner you begin abstinence, the better
If you have decided to continue treatment for your addiction problem, you will begin the second stage of therapy, known as early abstinence. Early abstinence from alcohol has been demonstrated to have a significant impact on the outcomes of treatment. 3 A multitude of factors, such as the following, make this period challenging to manage:
- Symptoms of withdrawal will continue for some time.
- Dependency on substances of the mind.
Risk factors that, if present, might result in a repeat
Cravings, high-risk situations that might lead to alcohol use, and social pressure to drink are among the obstacles that patients experience at this time in treatment. Sobriety counselors will begin teaching you how to cope with life without drugs at this early stage of abstinence.
Maintaining sober requires the use of these abilities. You may use the skills and tactics you learn today to help you during your whole recovery journey.
