Key Elements to Sustainable Change

If you or a loved one are facing the struggles of addiction and want to make a change, you will want a change that lasts. How can you assure that the progress you make will last for the long run? There are four key elements to incorporate into your recovery process that will make all the difference for the long-term success of your recovery.

Detoxification

The first step to overcoming any form of addiction is to detox from this substance or behavior. This can be a difficult endeavor to take on your own, which is why it may often require the assistance of medical professionals or inpatient care to ensure the efficiency of the detoxification. After recovery, it is usually necessary to avoid triggers that may cause you to use the substance.

Even using small amounts, such as letting yourself have an alcoholic beverage, can trigger some of those same dependencies that you worked to overcome. After recovery, it’s important to find your balance and determine what you can appropriately handle, or if it best to abstain entirely.

Find Support

Group therapy provides you with encouragement and support throughout your recovery.

This is absolutely critical to maintaining progressive recovery, as a support group and therapist can hold you accountable and also encourage you through the difficult times. According to NCBI, group therapy is so important because it draws you out of isolation and allows you to hear the true stories of other individual’s recovery journeys.

This encouragement and support can go a long way in helping you stick to your goals and abstain from further substance abuse. The people you surround yourself with will have gone through exactly what you are experiencing, and will be able to offer advice during the trials.

Behavioral Therapy

According to NIDA, the recovery process cannot rely solely on detoxification and medications. It is necessary to mix those with behavioral therapy, in order to ensure the best results. When an individual suffers from addiction, the chemicals released have altered their brain to have a dependency and craving for the substance.

In order to overcome this dependency, it is necessary to retrain the brain through a serious of therapeutic exercises and counseling sessions. For guidance on how to find this therapeutic recovery, call 800-430-1407Who Answers? to speak with professionals in the field.

The Success of Your Inpatient Recovery Depends Upon Your Honesty

Aftercare

It is necessary to realize that once you have moved on from your addiction, this is not something that is guaranteed to stay away forever. In order to prevent relapse, it is important to take preventative measures to avoid triggers and find other ways to cope with stress and cravings you may have for the substance.

Aftercare may involve routine therapy sessions for accountability, however frequent or infrequent you deem necessary, and follow-up programs to ensure that you are staying on the right track.

If you or a loved one are struggling with addiction and want to make a permanent change, call 800-430-1407Who Answers? to speak with a caring specialist who can answer any of your questions or concerns.