Reclaim Your Life with Evidence-Based Drug Rehab

When you’re down in the dumps, wondering whether addiction is your lot in life, it is hard to imagine there could be light at the end of your dark tunnel. Is there a chance, even a small one, to reclaim your life? YES.

The Last Resort Recovery is a drug rehab center offering individualized, evidence-based treatment modalities to help you win the fight against addiction. The facility bears good news: you can stop being a statistic and lead a life less defined by a substance use disorder.

Well then, what value do evidence-based rehabilitation programs offer? Here’s the lowdown on such treatment approaches:

Evidence-Based Practice

Think of it this way; evidence-based practice offers a bridge to the future. It closes the gap between theory and evidence, allowing caregivers to make decisions based on research. This bridge provides a reliable, proven framework for addressing the needs of individuals struggling with addiction.

Put differently, it adopts techniques proven to work, making the treatment process more effective. That means when providers use evidence-based practice in drug rehabilitation, they don’t rely on anecdotal evidence or personal opinion. Instead, they count on research and information gleaned from factual data to make decisions about care plans.

Behavioral Therapies: The First Line of Defense

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, medication should be the primary treatment choice when dealing with opioid addiction – morphine, heroin, oxycodone, and prescription painkillers come to mind. Also, it recommends behavioral therapies as a natural complement, as they are effective in helping people cope with the emotional strain of addiction.

Nonetheless, no medications have been developed to aid in treating individuals dependent on drugs like stimulants or cannabis. As a result, treatment typically involves the use of behavioral therapies.

For treatment to be effective, it must be personalized to address each patient’s needs. Basically, every person dealing with addiction is different. For instance, their cravings and triggers typically vary, as does the intensity and length of their struggle, underlying mental health issues, and personal circumstances.

Evidence-based practice creates a framework for providers to offer care plans tailored to your needs. Case in point, the Last Resort Recovery Center uses individualized, evidence-based treatment approaches to treat drug and alcohol addiction. Some of the practices treatment centers utilize include:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) – used to help individuals identify the thoughts and emotions that led them to abuse substances. The approach can help strengthen your self-awareness and confidence and allow you to confront your fears. Likewise, it helps you develop skills to deal with stressful situations and address distortions in your thinking. CBT has also shown much promise in dealing with co-occurring mental health disorders.
• Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) – helps individuals learn how to cope with distress and difficult emotions without relying on substances. This approach also emphasizes the need to become more mindful. A typical DBT program includes individual therapy, group skills training, and team meetings with a therapist or counselor. You may also get telephone support to help you navigate particularly challenging situations.
• Motivational interviewing (MI) – uses a conversational style to help you explore and resolve motivational ambivalence. The goal is to increase your readiness to change, allowing you to make decisions most beneficial to your recovery.
• Solution-focused therapy – this approach encourages individuals to set goals and develop strategies to reach them. The therapist dwells on problem resolution instead of merely talking about issues. By so doing, it provides an opportunity to work on the present and create a better future.
• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) – studies have proven this therapy to be a successful treatment for trauma victims. EMDR helps you process and work through difficult experiences seared into your memory. This is critical as unresolved trauma can fuel addictive behaviors. The approach involves a guided sequence of eye movements to help process the traumatic memories and beliefs linked to your addiction.
• Family therapy– allows family members to work together to improve communication and explore unresolved issues that may contribute to your addiction. The approach also encourages participation in recovery, provides education on the condition, sets healthy boundaries, and promotes a better understanding of the disorder. As a result, you have a better chance of long-term recovery.

This non-exhaustive list of evidence-based rehabilitation practices emphasizes the importance of personalization when dealing with addictions. Besides, no single treatment is effective for everyone. Still, these practices offer alternatives your care provider can customize to address your needs.

Drug rehabilitation is usually a long journey that starts with detoxification and employs a combination of treatment modalities. Even if you feel stuck in a rut, these evidence-based therapies can help you start life anew. But you need to start by enrolling in a facility offering such services. It won’t be an easy journey, but with dogged determination, you can rewrite your script and embrace a new life.