When individuals begin recovery, they are generally ambivalent about their commitment to change. At this point, they are still trying to convince of their decision regarding the benefits of treatment. As a result, they find it difficult to trust the optimism of others about potential recovery. Patients starting the rehabilitation process are concerned about what they must go through and how difficult it will be. Will they be able to control themselves? At the beginning of treatment, many people do not believe anything positive will change; this feeling is typical and expected. However, over time, these views need to shift positively, and trust in oneself and supportive individuals should emerge, significantly impacting the outcome. It is essential to have an optimistic approach that change is possible, providing clear explanations of real hope.
Small Successes Matter
This is a very supportive process that helps patients in their recovery journey. For instance, it should be noted that despite their anxieties and fears, they have already made significant changes by asking for help. Progress should not be measured regarding the final goal but rather the starting point. People need assistance, especially during the most uncomfortable and challenging process moments.
Abstinence
Abstinence does not occur naturally and spontaneously; it requires a conscious decision: “I am not going to do this anymore.” The issue of restraint manifests later as relapse. Because they develop a certain degree of tolerance, they increasingly feel the need for more substances or behaviors to achieve the same effect. Withdrawal begins when it is no longer accessible to them. The severity of withdrawal symptoms varies based on the form of dependency and can be both physical and psychological. The quickest way to escape them is often to return to addictive behaviors, even though this process quickly restores the spectrum of harm, which can prevent the patient from choosing abstinence. Implementing complex changes can be somewhat facilitated by private inpatient facilities.
Stress Management – Achieving Balance
The recovery process from addiction involves significant stress; it is essential to how this is managed, based on achieving a balance between demands and expectations.
The Recovery Process Takes Time
As a result of practicing, patients improve at doing what they want.
There is no proper method to achieve recovery, but many processes are indeed involved:
The patient should not engage in addictive behaviors, whether they involve substances or anything else.
They should avoid contact with people who themselves are actively addicted.
They should be engaged with individuals who are also trying to recover from addiction.
They should be surrounded by people who support the patient’s recovery process.
Rehabilitation: A Place Where We Learn and Practice Behaviors and Addictions
A good treatment/rehabilitation center’s main characteristic is that it provides the time and space to determine what a person should do to advance in recovery. It begins with applying cognitive and behavioral therapy, followed by the ability to carry these refined tools outside the inpatient treatment center. Sometimes, we forget that addiction develops through the continuous repetition of behaviors. Rehabilitation works on this very principle.