How Drug and Alcohol Treatment Centers Work


Photo by Lesly Juarez on Unsplash
Seeking help with a drug or alcohol addiction is an important, yet difficult, step toward building a better future for yourself. For many, fear of the unknown and worrisome precognitions about treatment centers can make taking that step even more difficult. But once you understand how a drug and alcohol treatment center works, you’ll feel more at ease going to one yourself. What you see in movies and on TV isn’t necessarily true, and drug and alcohol treatment has come a long way in the last few years.
Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center vs. Detox Center
At a drug and alcohol treatment center, you won’t be going through a stressful and painful detox. For most, detoxing is the first step before going to a treatment center. And for others, the treatment center can help wean them off the drugs or alcohol rather than stopping cold turkey.
However, stopping an addiction does still take a physical toll. Because your body has become dependent on the drug or alcohol, severe withdrawal symptoms can make treatment unbearable for many. But this doesn’t mean sobriety isn’t attainable. At your drug and alcohol treatment center, you’ll work with a team of medical professionals. They’ll help you manage your withdrawal symptoms and find healthy coping mechanisms as you begin to rely less on the drug or alcohol. While you won’t have access to the medical equipment necessary for a full detox, the slower pull away from addiction can be more beneficial to your overall health.
What a Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center Focuses On
There are different types of treatment programs at each center, each designed to help address specific concerns. But in all of these programs, the treatment will focus on the same key ideas. The centralized methodology of a drug and alcohol treatment center helps everyone build a brighter future, no matter what addiction they struggle with.
Science Backed Education
Not a lot was always known about drug and alcohol addiction. But modern advances in science and understanding of body chemistry have unlocked better treatment options. Addiction creates a change in your physical body that can have disastrous effects. But understanding the how and why of addiction can make overcoming it easier. At a drug and alcohol treatment center, you’ll learn about the science behind your own addiction. Why are certain people more predisposed to addiction? Why do some people suffer more or fewer withdrawal symptoms than others? What happens to your brain when it becomes dependent on a drug or alcohol? By learning the answers to these questions, you can both understand your struggles better and feel better equipped to fight them.
Co Occurrence
Addiction is classified as a mental health disorder, and it’s often accompanied by at least one other. Individuals who suffer from diseases such as bipolar disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorder, and ADHD have a chemical imbalance in their brains. Because drugs and alcohol change the chemical levels in your body, many turn to them as a form of self medication. Unfortunately, many people only see the addiction, not the underlying health reason for it. At a drug and alcohol treatment center, however, you can learn about these other disorders. You’ll discover healthy coping mechanisms that can help you not only stop your addiction but deal with your mental health in a safe manner.
Family Support
When you suffer through addiction, your loved ones are also often impacted. Family and close friends can struggle just as much as the person going through addiction and treatment. That’s why many drug and alcohol addiction treatment centers have support groups and educational sessions for family members and friends. These groups and lessons help those closest to you not only understand your struggles but find ways to help support your treatment without putting a strain on themselves.
Types of Treatment Plans
Each individual is different, and each addiction is different, too. A treatment option that may work for one person isn’t necessarily going to work for someone else. That’s why many treatment centers offer a few different options for treatment plans.
Intensive Outpatient
In an intensive outpatient program, individuals attend three-hour sessions three to five times a week. Sessions are held both during the day and in the early evening to accommodate a busy schedule. Individuals can maintain their jobs, help with their families, and still attend classes while seeking treatment.
Partial Hospitalization
In a partial hospitalization program, individuals attend two three-hour long sessions five times a week. They remain at the treatment center during the day and return to their homes or sober living environments at night. This treatment plan helps those who need a little additional monitoring and assistance with achieving and maintaining sobriety.
Chronic Relapse
Relapses are an unfortunate possibility with addiction, and special chronic relapse programs can help combat this struggle. The sessions for chronic relapse programs are held separately from other programs. This allows each meeting to focus solely on the struggles associated with maintaining sobriety. And once the program is complete, graduates have access to a special continuing care program for six months to a year to help them continue building the healthy future they deserve.

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Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center in San Diego
If you’re looking for a way to improve your life and find a healthy, sober future, The Bridges of San Diego is here to help. Our premier drug and alcohol treatment center in San Diego has the perfect treatment plan for every individual. Whether it’s your first time seeking treatment or your fourth, we treat everyone with compassion and understanding. For more information about our treatment options, give us a call at 619-639-1458.