The Importance of Being Involved in Your Treatment Experience

Posted in: Treatment

July 18, 2016

A patient talking with his therapist

Going through addiction treatment can be an intense and overwhelming process. Because of this, many people are unsure about how to approach their individual treatment. Some people go through the process with an aggressive and belligerent attitude; some are less hostile, as they go through treatment passively and without any active engagement. But, the most effective way to receive addiction treatment is to be involved in the entire process. A person who is committed to and involved in her treatment has a great chance of completing rehab and maintaining sobriety long-term.

Keys to Successful Addiction Treatment

Some people think that simply enrolling in rehab will automatically ensure their recovery from an addiction, but the truth is that people are more likely to complete rehab and maintain sobriety when they actively participate in the treatment process. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reinforces this idea, stating that, although successful treatment doesn’t have to be voluntary, it often consists of the following aspects from willful participants:

  • Individualized treatment that is customized to the person’s specific and varied needs, whether addiction-related or not. Patients should provide any information about any other physical or psychological health concerns they have, and they should be honest with the center’s healthcare professionals.
  • Making sure that the person stays in treatment for an adequate amount of time to allow the rehab process to be completed. Since each person’s rehab process is unique, patients should stay at the treatment center until their rehab treatment ends.
  • Continual assessment of the person’s progress in treatment, as well as modification to the person’s individualized plan whenever necessary. Sometimes healthcare professionals at addiction treatment centers realize that a patient’s needs have changed, and it’s much easier to monitor her needs if she is cooperating throughout the process.

In other words, recovery is best found when users willfully seek individualized treatment, complete treatment and change treatment methods when they need to.

Keeping Family Involved in the Addiction Rehab Process

Another important way addicts can participate in addiction treatment is to keep their loved ones involved as well. Instead of going through rehab alone, it often helps if users allow their family members and friends to work through issues with the user. Steven Gifford explains that a person’s family can be involved in both inpatient and outpatient treatment in the following ways:

  • Gain new perspective about the addiction
  • Identify any negative behavior patterns that enable the addiction
  • Offer support by regularly visiting her if she is going through inpatient treatment, or by creating a safe and healthy home environment for her if she is going through outpatient treatment
  • Attend family therapy sessions

With help, people can overcome addiction.

Learn More About the Addiction Treatment Process

Being actively involved in the addiction treatment process is the key to successful recovery. If a person has little or no self-motivation throughout their addiction rehab, they will almost certainly lack motivation when they return to their everyday life. However, if they are committed to treatment, they stand a significantly greater chance of showing that same commitment to long-term sobriety after treatment is over. The attitude that a person has during rehab is often exactly the same as the one they will have afterwards, so showing a desire to understand addiction and ways to manage it will likely translate into a desire to stay sober after rehab is complete.

If you or someone you care about is thinking about getting help for an addiction, please give us a call at 615-490-9376. Our admissions coordinators are available 24 hours a day to answer your questions about addiction treatment and discuss specific treatment options for your unique needs.

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