Addiction Therapies

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The Different Therapies Used in Rehab

In 2018, 14.8 million people aged 12 and above lived with an alcohol use disorder, and there were also 8.1 million people who had a substance use disorder.

A 2017 study also found that 7.5 million children in the US lived with a parent who had an alcohol use disorder. 2.1 million children also lived in a household with a parent who had a previous drug use disorder.

All these are somber statistics, but there’s still good news. The various therapies used in rehab make alcohol and drug addiction treatable disorders.

The question now is, what are these therapies offered by Long Island rehab facilities? Most importantly, are they effective?

We’ll address all these questions below, so be sure to read on!

Detoxification

Alcohol and substance detoxification is often the first step of a rehabilitation program. This process helps the body get rid of the drugs that are still in it.

A detox should be a medically-supervised process, as doing it at home can be dangerous. After all, everyone has a unique and different withdrawal reaction and response. A medically-assisted detox helps patients remain safe as the drugs exit their system.

Individual Counseling

Individual therapy in addiction treatment is a one-on-one treatment modality. With this, you can discuss your concerns in private with your Long Island therapist, and you can talk about whatever you want without having to worry about the details leaving the room.

Moreover, individual counseling can be part of an outpatient addiction treatment program. With this, you get to choose when and how often to see your therapist. However, it’s essential to stick to your schedule, as it can help prevent a relapse.

For many people, individual therapy is a necessary step to their recovery. It may be because they’re not comfortable being with many people yet, such as in the case of group counseling. Another reason is that they want to cover more ground with their therapist in every session.

Group Counseling

Humans have a biologically-determined need for human interaction and contact. As social creatures, people love to get together, mingle, and assemble. It’s because of this that group counseling can be a powerful tool in addiction therapy.

Research says that group therapy can be as effective as individual treatment. Some studies even suggest that group counseling can be more effective in some cases.

One advantage of therapy groups is that they assure that a person with SUD isn’t alone. This can then be a great source of not only support but also motivation and stabilization. Knowing that others are facing and overcoming similar struggles can be persuasive.

All these can then make it easier for a person with an addiction to open up to others. They may be more comfortable in this setting since they can be with others in a similar situation.

As with individual therapy, group counseling can also be an outpatient program, and however, it is also common in in-patient treatments in Long Island. It’s a common practice to use a combination of individual and group counseling.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

In 2018, an estimated 9.2 million adults in the US had a mental illness and a substance use disorder. There were also 3.2 million adults with a severe mental illness and a SUD.

These dual diagnoses or co-occurrences don’t always mean that one caused the other, and however, they do establish a link between SUD and harmful or destructive thinking. This is why it’s not uncommon for them to self-medicate with harmful substances.

In this case, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a viable addiction treatment option. CBT delves into the thought patterns of a person with active addiction, and it focuses on the harmful thoughts that may be driving a person’s dangerous use of substances.

From here, the patient can then recognize the harm that their disorder brings upon them. By acknowledging these dangers, they can then explore alternative ways of thinking and reshape their thoughts to more positive ones to help them face challenges.

CBT is a research-based and science-backed method of dangerous substance use therapy. In one study, for instance, 60% of CBT patients remained addiction-free at 52 weeks.

Dialectal Behavioral Therapy

Dialectal Behavioral Therapy is a modified type of cognitive-behavioral therapy. DBT, however, teaches patients to accept the thoughts and behaviors that CBT rejects.

Through acceptance, DBT aims to help patients realize how they can change for the better. Ultimately, this realization can then help them focus on abstinence.

DBT used to focus only on treating patients with severe personality disorders. However, it is effective in minimizing cravings, and it has also shown effectiveness in helping patients give up actions that may result in a relapse.

Contingency Management

Contingency management is a reward-based treatment for substance use disorders. For instance, patients receive incentives every time they attend a treatment session. The same may also apply when their doctor verifies that they’ve abstained from drugs.

The concept behind this is that each contingent behavior is an achievement. As an achievement, it warrants a reward or an incentive. As such, patients may be more likely to continue their treatment or abstinence.

Research backs this up — one study found that CM had a 61% success rate, and that’s in comparison with a 39% success rate of other treatment methods.

The Most Effective Therapies Used in Rehab Can Help in Your Recovery

There you have it, your guide to some of the science-backed and proven therapies used in rehab. As you can see, there are several methods, so it can be challenging to choose your own. This is why it’s best to seek an addiction treatment specialist so that you can explore your best options.

If you or a loved one with a SUD is ready for recovery, please know that we can help. Don’t hesitate to contact us to provide you with the guidance you need to begin your recovery.