There are many new trends taking place in the field of addiction treatment. Addiction treatment today focuses on much more than treating an addiction alone. Addiction treatment will help individuals treat their bodies as well as their minds. Treatment focuses on the whole person and includes motivational techniques that can be used to help aid in the healing process. One example is the new trend of motivational interviewing which involves expressing empathy without criticism during the initial interview process.
Technology is growing as well. People are relying on the web for treatment purposes and guidance. This new trend forces old-school type of recovery programs to embrace technology in a way that has never been before. With the power of facebook, twitter, and text messages, information is much obtainable than ever before.
Diet and exercise is also becoming more popular as integration with counseling and other psychological approaches. Due to the overwhelming amount of research that has been done recently, it is critical for people in recovery to eat healthier and exercise more. This in combination with other methods has been a growing trend.
Having counselors become more culturally competent is also a newer trend. It is being known that different cultures require different approaches for addiction treatments to be successful. This is why many addiction counseling programs provide culturally related material to understand before obtaining certificates in the field.
There are many more categories that involve current trends and the above are just a few. The field of addiction treatment is constantly changing and requires professionals who are not resistant to change. With technology, research, and clinical trials, it is important for chemical dependency professionals to have an open mind all the time and not get stuck practicing the same way every time. Everybody will have different needs especially with age and cultural differences. Chemical dependency professional must adapt to their needs and use their knowledge to embrace differences.
Know your rights.
It is important to know that there are certain laws that have been established to protect you. Substance abuse disorder can be classified as a disability. Because of this, you may be protected by the ADA (American Disability Act).
The WIA (Workforce Investment Act) prohibits employers from discriminating against those who are in recovery or treatment as long as you are able and qualified for the position. Also, current employees are entitled to FMLA if they need to use the time for treatment. The FHA is similar. It protects discrimination of those who are in recovery or treatment.
There are loop holes to consider though. If you are currently using illegal substances, they would not be protected, except for health care. For example, employers and landlords can prohibit the use of illegal substances to qualify for employment or housing.
Other areas that must not discriminate include government assistance, health care and private education. Discrimination happens often and will continue until more people understand the specifics. Many times, people of authority do not even realize that they are discriminating. Knowledge is power and it is up to you to know and understand your rights in order to protect yourself.
Counselor, Peer Mentor, or Sponsor?
If you are thinking about going into recovery there is a lot to consider. Having support though is something that is highly recommended. Not everyone will want or even need the same support system and what works for someone else may not work for you. Know your options and try them all! You may not connect right away but give it time. Below is detailed information about what a support person can do for you.
A counselor is a person with a professional license that allows them to give guidance to individuals or groups who are seeking support. A counselor will have a combination of education, training, and licenses all of which will vary depending on the state that they will practice in.
A peer mentor is someone who is can provide mentoring to individuals not at an authoritative level. A peer mentor typically has encountered similar situations as the person they are mentoring. For example, a peer mentor in the chemical dependency field is typically someone who is in recovery themselves. Peer mentors are able to be empathetic to their peers. Every person who receives mental health help or services has different needs. While some individuals thrive with their counselors, others may thrive with a peer mentor. Oftentimes, people will open up to somebody who has “been there, done that.”
A sponsor is part of the 12-step program and is somebody who has completed the program. Sponsors work hand in hand. For those who are sponsors, helping someone else keeps them on track and provides confidence. It is their way of giving back to the community. For the person who is being sponsored, a sponsor is someone who can guide them, help them, and be there for them through the difficult times that they face during sobriety. Sponsors often develop lifelong friendships with those who they sponsor and the idea is to keep the program in full circle.
The Disease Model of Addiction vs Existential Therapy
The disease model of addiction is obviously the more favorable model of addiction as the majority of chemically dependent individuals utilize this approach. It’s been proven over again that this model of addiction is effective and true in regards to encouragement.
My own personal belief is that will power and determination play a much bigger role in determining one’s fate. One example is Existential Therapy. I like this approach because of the freedom counselors and therapist have in implementing techniques. They are able to adapt the techniques they know to help the client in the realization of their unique identity. Therapists and counselors are also able focus more closely on the individual needs of the client, bringing out their identity.
Some critics however, claim that using existential therapy limits proper treatment due to the fact that they do not diagnose or properly or assess. There are other methods that work in addiction and in the end it’s really up to the client to find a program that uses approaches in which they believe will work for them. If the disease model of addiction leads someone to a life without addiction at all then by all means it’s effective. Each counselor should be choosing their own treatment methods for their clients and if that is the disease model of addiction then so it should be. However it is important that one not stick just to one specific idea in order to ensure the clients get the best possible care.
Common problems during treatment
Dealing with problems when you are seeking out help for your addiction is something you are going to have to get used to. The process of sobriety is never a straight line. However, there are some problems that are caused by the actual choice of treatment itself.
Many traditional treatment programs or 12-step meetings struggle with these problems because are they are self caused. The introduction of these problems is a major issue because they can cause unneccessary relapse even if the main addiction treatment process is working ok for the individual.
Common problems that can occur in treatment:
- Recovering individuals as counselors
- Confrontation as a treatment strategy
- The use of medication
- Controlled use
Recoverying individuals
Recovering individuals as counselors can only be good if they have the interpersonal skills and education to back it up. Often times counselors in recovery don’t have this and then they try to mold the client into their own way of thinking because they simply believe they know it all because they have been through the experience themselves.
Confrontation strategy
Confrontation is not always beneficial in counseling or at least thought that way anymore. The success rate of recovery is much lower when confrontation is involved. The solution? Have empathy and compassion and avoid confrontation as much as possible.
Medication usage
There are medications that are prescribed for addicts that may be counterintuitive; meaning trading once addiction for another. A successful treatment plan will eliminate all drugs, even if they are assumed to help.
Controlled use approach
Some users and abusers believe that they can go through treatment with controlled use. This doesn’t work as it’s merely the client’s perception of what is controlled. A treatment plan should only include eliminating the drug of choice completely.
If you are currently getting help for your addiction then you need to be careful to avoid these problems. Alternatively seek out an online addiction recovery program like Live Rehab which can help you recovery without dealing with what we’ve mentioned in this article.