Addiction, also known as substance use disorder (SUD), is a chronic brain disease, and is listed as such in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). Substance use disorder is defined as a “complex condition in which there is uncontrolled use of substance despite harmful consequence.” The development of substance use disorder does not occur immediately, nor will recovering from addiction be achieved instantaneously. The general treatment process for substance use disorder is typically comprised of the following three stages in sequential order: detox, formal substance abuse and/ or addiction treatment program, and aftercare.
Addiction Treatment Plans
There is no universal treatment method that proves successful for every person struggling with addiction. The path of recovery from substance use disorder is entirely personal, and will be directly informed by one’s personality, mental health, and emotional needs. Hence, each person will require a customized treatment plan when it comes to recovering from addiction. Depending on one’s needs, the most effective treatment plans could consist of one or more of the following interventions:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): this can help correct irrational, inaccurate, and/ or distorted thoughts as well as help an individual develop skills and healthy coping mechanisms for reducing anxiety and stress while remaining sober.
- Expressive arts therapy (e.g., play therapy, art therapy, music therapy, drama therapy, sand therapy, etc.): provides an alternative medium to express, process and integrate one’s thoughts and feelings surrounding the recovery process.
- Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR): utilizes guided eye movement techniques to help process one’s memories, thoughts, and emotional associations in relation to abusing drugs and/ or alcohol.
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT): is based on the principals of CBT, but places greater emphasis on the psychosocial aspects of treatment. Through DBT individuals can learn healthy coping mechanisms and useful techniques for managing stress, regulating emotions, and improving relationships with others.
- Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT): the core of REBT is the notion that rational thinking comes from within, and that positive and negative feelings do not manifest because of external stimuli, but rather are derived from one’s internal thoughts. REBT helps teach individuals how to understand their own thoughts and subsequently develop rational thinking habits that promote positivity.
- Interpersonal therapy (IPT): focuses on how a person’s communications and interactions with other people affect his or her own mental health. Through interpersonal therapy an individual will learn to resolve and adjust unhealthy interpersonal problems, resulting in a symptomatic recovery.
Treatment plans may also include refining one’s daily habits (e.g., practicing mindfulness techniques, exercising regularly, developing healthy sleeping habits, eating nutritiously, etc.) to further improve one’s overall health and wellbeing. The best treatment for addiction will depend on a variety of contributing factors and will yield the most successful long-term results when expressly designed around the distinct and nuanced needs of the client.
Treatment In Calabasas
Calabasas is a city in California. It is a well-known suburb of Los Angeles, located west of the San Fernando Valley and north of the Santa Monica Mountains. Over the past decade, the city of Calabasas has grown in its reputation for luxury as well as for privacy which makes it a hidden gem for residential living for society’s elite, and one of the most desirable destinations in Los Angeles County. It is also home to a plethora of highly qualified mental health clinicians providing an array of therapeutic services and treatment options.
The information above is provided for the use of informational purposes only. The above content is not to be substituted for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment, as in no way is it intended as an attempt to practice medicine, give specific medical advice, including, without limitation, advice concerning the topic of mental health. As such, please do not use any material provided above to disregard professional advice or delay seeking treatment.