If you’re currently considering your options in addiction rehab, odds are that you aren’t very happy with the state or direction of your life right now. Addiction in any form has the power to destroy relationships, create financial hardship, and make things difficult and unpleasant all-around. Actively seeking treatment that will help you overcome your addiction can be a very empowering and uplifting process. One thing that all prospective rehab patients should know, however, is that the journey to wellness is often a tough and challenging road. While the rewards of recovery are invaluable, most people work hard to attain them. Moreover, they frequently face a number of strong and difficult emotions along the way. Fortunately, addiction rehab professionals both understand and expect these challenges.
As such, these professionals will always motivate and support you during treatment, even when you’re at your unhappiest. Moving away from addictive behaviors can cause a person’s emotions to fluctuate wildly. This is true both during the detoxification process and after. With drug or alcohol addiction, chemical imbalances and other physiological problems can also affect patients’ emotions. The good news is that beyond being surrounded by a number of incredibly understanding and supportive counselors and medical professionals, you’ll additionally have the understanding and support of your peers. With inpatient addiction rehab services, patients who work through their recoveries together often establish long-lasting and mutually beneficial bonds.
Individual And Group Counseling Will Help You Face Difficult Emotions
For some people, addiction develops as the result of an underlying problem. For instance, if you deal with depression, the stress of a past trauma, or high levels of anxiety, you may use drugs, alcohol, or even activities such as overeating or gambling to alleviate your discomfort. Once you remove the addictive substance or activity that’s been muting your pain, you’ll have to learn how to deal with your discomfort head-on. This is one of the top reasons why some measure of unhappiness is expected to be a part of the recovery process. It is also why numerous rehab services are structured with the overarching goal of helping patients develop new and healthier coping mechanisms.
Once you’ve masted and adopted these healthier coping strategies, you’ll be able to face temptation and cravings outside of the treatment environment, and without serious danger of relapsing. Two of the most beneficial forms of therapy for addressing difficult emotions are an individual or private counseling, and group counseling. In private counseling, you and a licensed therapist will explore the different possible causes of your addiction. These might include:
- Traumatic past events
- Negative forms of behavioral conditioning throughout the formative stage of life
- Toxic relationships
- Low self-esteem
- Substance use disorder
- Co-occurring disorders or co-morbidity
Having co-occurring disorders or co-morbidity is actually quite common. People who suffer from chronic anxiety and depression often self-medicate with drugs or alcohol to obtain relief. Whenever co-occurring disorders exist, it is important to have the underlying mental health issue properly diagnosed and treated as part of the rehab process. This sets the stage for long-term success in addiction recovery by eliminating a major stumbling block. With proper treatment for depression or any other mental health issue, finding and maintaining emotional balance will become infinitely easier. Moreover, you’ll have access to a range of healthy strategies for improving how you feel, rather than having to rely on alcohol, prescription drugs, or illicit drugs. In addition to the discussions held in private therapy on this topic, the many factors that contribute to or support addictions will also be discussed in the group therapy setting.
You’ll Receive Guidance From People Who Have Walked This Path Before You
In group therapy, you will have the chance to talk about your hopes, fears, struggles, and more with your peers. It can be refreshing to find yourself surrounded by like-minded individuals who are dealing with or have dealt with the very same challenges that you’re facing. Group therapy meetings are also excellent spaces for learning boundary-setting and other basic socialization skills.
These meetings make recovering individuals far more adept in identifying and fostering healthy relationships, and in identifying and avoiding toxic relationships and environments. Addiction rehab is frequently staffed in part by counselors who are recovered addicts themselves. These are people who have successfully completed their own treatment programs, and who’ve obtained the proper training and certifications for helping others reclaim their lives. If you’re tired of facing the increasingly harsh consequences of addiction and want to reclaim your life, we can help. Call us today 772-266-5320.
