For those of you not familiar with drugs and drug treatment, you may find yourself confused about the different terms that you see. This article will explain about the kinds of counseling typically available at rehab centers in the South Florida area.
Drug abuse often has roots in childhood. The client may have been abused or neglected. They may have suffered an emotional trauma too painful to face. Perhaps their parents used drugs or alcohol. As much as half of the drug abuse risk for an individual is genetic. If parents drank or used drugs in front of a child, that would be a contributing factor, too. Sometimes the emotional pain a person lives with is so intense that they will do anything to avoid it. Therapy strives to address these issues and eliminate or reduce them.
Types of Therapy Used in Treatment
Behavioral Therapy helps a client to understand the root causes driving them to use drugs. It also provides tools and methods for the client to fight back against the desire to cope by using substances. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy uses a type of play-acting to help patients learn to anticipate high-risk situations. By acting out a potential risky situation, the patient learns how to handle it before it occurs.
EMDR therapy helps the patient to be able to confront and process a painful memory. It involves using external eye movements to aid the brain in being able to think about the event without as much distress. Family Therapy brings the patient and his or her family together. Since the family forms a vital support network for the recovering addict, it’s critical that they understand substance abuse and how they can best help.
There is Functional Family Therapy, which seeks to address and correct unhealthy dysfunctions within the patient’s family. Many facilities teach the 12-step method, which is based on seeking help from one’s perceived higher power. This program forces the participant to face their past and attempt to make amends for their transgressions against others. The Community Reinforcement Approach counseling method is used to modify behavior with a reward. By maintaining their abstinence, the client can win tangible rewards, such as coupons for food, clothing and movies.
Depending upon the facility, you may also participate in art, music and dance therapy, acupuncture, yoga, botanical therapy, where you work with plants and flowers, and animal therapy. Animal therapy uses specially trained and tempered animals to encourage clients to face their feelings and to not feel so alone. There are many things someone might tell an animal that they would never reveal to another human.
Not all facilities will offer all of these. If you see one you really like, ask if your proposed facility offers it. We can help, too. We offer assistance with finding the right kind of treatment for you. We are here 24 hours a day at 800-419-8019. All you have to do is call to receive an expert treatment referral tailored just for you.