What Treatment is Best for Me?
If you are considering treatment for an addiction, you might ask, what treatment is best for me? There are many things to consider when looking for a treatment program. Many people think of treatment as a 28-day inpatient program, which emphasizes the 12- step recovery model. This is a model of treatment frequently used for alcoholics. It is based on the medical model of recovery and includes detox and rehab.
Over the years, researchers found that not all addicts experience physiological changes. Any person can be diagnosed with a substance use disorder without the corresponding symptoms of tolerance or withdrawal. With this new information, many treatment providers now offer a variety of treatment options including variations in the intensity of the treatment and the setting the treatment is provided.
Treatment is a multi-dimensional effort based on the needs of each individual. There are varying degrees of settings, interventions, and services that can now be provided. There are even different levels of treatment based on the individual’s addiction. Many treatment centers now have specific criteria that is used to move an individual from one level of care to another.
When you decide to enter treatment, there are some personal considerations to discuss with others. First, if you work full-time, inpatient treatment might not be a viable option for you. If you work full-time and are able to take vacation or other paid time off, you might consider inpatient treatment however.
The benefits of inpatient treatment include structure and the ability to completely cut ties with the outside world to focus on your recovery. There is a routine to inpatient treatment that can be beneficial in readjusting to a schedule that does not include drug or alcohol-seeking behavior. Inpatient treatment is also less distracting.
If you still need to work, you could consider outpatient treatment, which has a little more flexibility although many programs will require attendance at meetings and group sessions often offered during daytime hours. If you have issues with child care, there are treatment centers that offer child care during daytime treatment hours.
Twelve-step meetings are a great alternative if you cannot commit to inpatient or outpatient treatment. It might be a good idea to also consult with an individual therapist in addition to attending 12-step meetings, as research indicates engaging in both can reduce the risk for relapse.
What you determine as your best treatment option is up to you. Consider the alternatives that are now provided in terms of treatment and weigh those against the consequences of continued engagement with your addiction.