4 Factors to Consider Prior Enrollment in Professional Assistance Programs

Professional assistance programs are meant to provide a therapeutic environment to high profile executives. Licensed professionals struggling with depression, chronic relapse, substance abuse, alcohol addiction and behavioral problems undergo treatment, which is conceptualized as per individual needs. Therapies are meant to apply recovery skills for preventing relapse, promoting personal responsibility, improving emotional functioning, reintegrating the individual for a normal life and developing adaptive skills. Having said this, it is important to understand and evaluate treatment centers prior enrollment. When privacy is at stake, confirm the following things to make a successful recovery.

Complete confidentiality and trust

Confidentially is a vital component of professional treatment programs. As a licensed professional, a fear of medical information being made public resists you from seeking and receiving quality medical treatment, which results in untreated illness progressing to a fatal stage. In addition, the real threat of professional consequences and public discipline may provoke you to avoid formal treatment and alternate care. As a result, it is important to ensure that the healthcare system has stringent policies for maintaining privacy and trust.   

Individualized program

Individualized program is a key factor that accelerates recovery and provides precise care to the patient. Addiction and causes of addiction vary from person to person. There are cases where extreme addiction abandons individual from the society, leaving them stranded in severe depression. Also, there are cases where depression leads to compulsive dependency on drugs and alcohol. Under these circumstances, individualized treatment programs provide the necessary impetus while undergoing treatment.

Thorough evaluation

Prior enrollment, ensure that you undergo a thorough intake process. To begin with, medical director carries out an intensive psychiatric evaluation. Also, there is an initial meeting with the assigned therapeutic expert that kickstarts the treatment. The initial meeting and evaluation process are important as they help design the treatment program. There are occasions where patients are misdiagnosed, which is also the reason for such a high recidivism rate in the treatment industry. So, ensure that your professional assistance program or interpersonal therapy for depression has an evaluation process.     

Treatment from experienced therapists

Alcohol addiction, substance abuse, depression, anxiety and other chronic illnesses can only be handled by experienced psychiatrists, doctors, and master's level clinicians. Ensure that the treatment staff has years of experience in curing patients with severe disorders. Experts must be multi-disciplinary with an ability to set priorities and realistic achievements that helps in quick recovery. There are cases of negligence towards patients, which disorganizes treatment programs without any fruitful result. As a result, confirm that the team is balanced in terms of experience and expertise. Together, the team can meet your needs in the road to recovery.  

Professional treatment programs, interpersonal therapy for depression and other addiction programs can sincerely fuel your efforts toward a sober life. However, it is important to thoroughly evaluate the treatment center to avoid false treatment promises and unyielding treatments therapies.   

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4 Key Pain Areas Addressed by Behavioral Modification Therapy

Addiction problems can be devastating. Severe inclination towards substance abuse and alcohol dependency gives rise to negative thinking patterns that affect every space of human interaction. Addiction problems ruin professional and personal life; throwing addicts in the blacklisted world of mental retardation, depression, social anxiety and unrecoverable state of mind. During these challenging times, behavioral modification therapies come to the rescue. These therapies provide realistic and effective solutions for overwhelming addiction problems. Behavioral treatment therapies possess the capability to address following pain areas of an addict.    

Therapies overcome social stigma of addiction as a moral failure

An addict is always believed to be a person of compromised morals. This is common in every layer of the society. People conclude addiction by relating it with individual’s lack of morals and value. This happens repeatedly; as a result, addicts fail to fightback addiction. To overcome this nuisance, mental illness treatment programs have been introduced. Qualified therapists guide individuals to overcome addiction by exposing addicts to behavior modification therapies that positively influence thinking, perception, ability to determine right and wrong and realize different responsibilities.

Reinforces motivation by setting realistic and achievable targets

Behavioral modification therapies reverse negative patterns of thinking. Right from the outset, realistic goals are determined, and strong reasons to achieve those goals are specified. This restricts you from deviating off the schedule and staying focused on targets. During this process, you tend to develop abilities to overcome obstacles and develop a sense of pride after achieving targets. As a result, you get the much-needed impetus that accelerates recovery from addiction.

Develops a great sense of relationships

Drug abuse and alcohol addiction is an attack on supportive relationships. It abandons peer, family and professional relationships. Under these circumstances, behavioral modification therapy helps bridge the gap between you and your family. There are treatment programs that seek family intervention on a consistent basis; thus, improvising recovery. Mental illness treatments modify and dispel your tendency to avoid healthy relationships.

Improves physical health

Addiction takes its toll on your mental and physical health. On one hand where mental illness treatment is positively shaping your mental health, group activities and regular exercises benefit your physical health. Regaining mental stability allows you to incur healthy eating habits, which in return gives you a physically pleasing personality rather than a pale and weak appearance. 

You can count on behavioral modification therapies for addressing the aforementioned pain areas. Mental illness treatment offers realistic and practical solutions for complicated addiction problems. Behavior modification had been applied to a broad spectrum of risky health behaviors, from substance abuse to smoking, from alcohol addiction to compulsive gambling. These therapies are developed on the idea that if destructive habits can be learned, they can also be overcome by using behavioral modification treatments, precisely aimed at addressing your pain areas.  

So, it is never too late. Never allow addiction to negatively influence your life. Take charge of your life and set the tone right with behavioral treatment therapies.   

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Residential Treatment Centers: Its Efficient Role in Society

A residential treatment center (RTC), is a live-in health care treatment facility that provides therapy for mental illnesses, substance abuse, behavioral problems and chronic pain relief. Such a center can also be termed as a rehab center. Each facility that offers such therapy programs is designed to facilitate their patients with their own individual or group living quarters, depending on the reason for them residing there.  

A residential rehabilitation center is an integral part of any drug or alcohol addiction system. It gives some people a vital option by offering treatment programs for drug and alcohol dependence, as well as for chronic pain relief and other behavioral problems. Those individuals that need such services should have easy access to rehab, whether close to home or further away. There are numerous reasons why time spent in rehab works better as an integrated part of a local treatment system.

Why Residential Treatment?

Studies and research from different treatment approaches have found that this form of treatment is highly effective for individuals with a long history of addictive behavior and disorders. What makes it so effective is that you can be removed from your current triggers in your environment and social circle. Besides this, you will also be surrounded by a fantastic support group of counselors, therapists, and friends who all want the same thing: your success.

Efficient RTC’s offer a variety of structured programs designed to address the specific requirement of each inmate. There are a variety of different centers catering to such ailments. Some facilities isolate and remove most of the modern day amenities and distractions so that you can focus on your wellness. There are also others facilities that take an opposite approach, which provides all of the amenities you could want so that you can focus on that.

Patients who suffer from chronic pain often become disabled in the pursuit of gaining relief from their pain. Such patients have mood changes, lose the ability to remain calm, lack coping skills, attention, experience sleeplessness, hopelessness, and other issues that affect one's overall outlook toward life. For this reason, a rehabilitation facility will offer chronic pain relief to all patients as therapy programs for such pain is treatable.

The centers are usually structured for varying levels of the intensity of symptoms. Some of them are just meant for substance abuse while others accommodate behavioral illnesses such as psychosis. Any individual can find whatever they require and opt to further up the scale. The success rates for these programs are highly phenomenal. Many patients discharge from their chosen facility never to return to the illnesses and behavior issues that caused them to require treatment.

Those patients that experience a relapse later in life have gathered the skills required to help combat the problem they face before it develops and disrupts life. A successful residential center should be judged by the number of people that complete the treatment process and sustain their recovery, and not just by how many people leave the rehab center, having completed one segment of their journey.

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Overcoming Dual diagnosis and Chronic Relapse

It’s easy to stand aside and talk about the issues of addiction and psychiatric conditions. But what’s really essential is to handle the situation carefully. It is important to know that there is proper care and treatment available to overcome this condition.  Medical science is well aware that comorbid conditions are very common and treatment approaches vary.

Drug rehabilitation centers today believe in administering comprehensive treatment programs where the patient is treated for both the addiction and the underlying mental disorder. Statistics show that the co-occurrence of a mental illness alongside substance abuse is very common and that very few people actually admit to it. On an average, almost 50 percent of people having a mental illness also have an addiction problem.

One of the major setbacks in dealing with dual diagnosis and chronic relapse is that one condition often goes untreated as those symptoms go undetected under the influence of the other. Also, in some cases, the similarities in symptoms make it even easier for it to go undetected.

What usually starts out as a means of self –medication to overcome intense emotional/ physical pain, stress or any other mental condition; may go out of hand leading to substance abuse or addiction. Unfortunately, alcohol and drugs interfere with a person’s thought process enabling them to cope with hallucinations, pain, stress, etc. This is one of the major stimuli to substance abuse.

Whereas those already abusing drugs or alcohol for extended periods of time become addicted to it. They then develop symptoms like agitation, aggression and other psychiatric symptoms. These changes in a patient have to be taken seriously and treated as these individuals are suffering and are in distress as they are seriously disabled.

Under the influence of dual diagnosis, the patient’s judgment is seriously impaired and they are often not aware of their actions.

Most drug rehabilitation centers offer specialized treatment programs to deal with dual diagnosis and chronic relapse. As opposed to common belief treatment does not see relapse as a failure; in fact, it works as an intimation to start treatment again.

When dealing with chronic relapse, medical practitioners work in a different way; they believe in designing a treatment regimen that is complete. To do so doctors and counselors begin by gathering as much information as possible about the relapse.

There are several contributing factors that actually lead to relapse and these factors are usually identifiable.  Doctors today redefine relapse to not just the stage where patients return to substance abuse, but also the process during which this happens. This way, they are able to discern certain indicators which help them design an effective treatment regimen. Studies have shown that patients with a history of relapse episodes have undergone treatment which results in log-term abstinence and in many cases, complete recovery from addiction.

Common factors that contribute to a relapse are:

•    Inability to deal with social pressures to abuse drugs or alcohol
•    Frequently being exposed to high risk conditions that have led to substance abuse in the past.
•    Psychological or physical reminders of substance abuse in the past
•    Inability to deal with interpersonal conflicts or negative emotions
•    Recurrent thoughts or the physical urge to use drugs
•    The urge to test personal control over alcohol and drugs

Besides proper treatment, Dual diagnosis and chronic relapse patients require a lot of support and care from their family and friends. This plays a major role in encouraging them to successfully complete their treatment and overcome addiction.  Drug rehabilitation centers also provide patients with extended support system through networks and support groups like the Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, etc. to help the patient cope with the treatment regimen and abstain from addiction.

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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: An Essential Requirement

(CBT) Cognitive behavioral therapy techniques are those that help an individual, or patient, understand the feelings and thoughts that influence behavioral patterns. CBT is a highly effective for the treatment of a variety of conditions that include personality, anxiety, mood, eating, psychotic disorders, substance abuse, and chronic pain treatment. Most therapists that work with patients dealing with chronic pain treatment utilize a blend of this healing method.     

This method of treating a patient is generally short-term as it is focused on helping patients deal with a very specific issue. When the treatment begins, the client will first be taught to identify, and then change the disturbing thought patterns that have a negative impact on their behavior. CBT will not just remove the problems of the patient, but it can also help the patients manage their conditions in a more positive manner.

A key benefit of this treatment method is that it tends to be short, taking just a few months for most emotional and psychiatric problems. During the process of treatment, the client and therapist will work together to understand the problems they face. Through this, they can develop a new strategy for tackling the issues. This method encourages the patient to examine how their actions can affect how they think and feel.

The main objective of such therapy is to teach its patients that while they have no control over every aspect of the world around them, they can take control their very own thoughts, and the ways in which they can deal with and interpret things in their own environment. Cognitive behavioral therapy can also teach the individual how to change their negative patterns to improve the way they feel.

Cognitive behavioral therapy techniques have gained tremendous prominence in recent years amongst both health care professionals and mental health consumers. Since this mode of therapy is usually a short term option, it is often more affordable than various other types of therapies.This method aims to break down factors that make an individual feel bad, scared or anxious so that they are more manageable.

This method is also beneficial in helping individuals prevent relapse and achieve a remission of their disorder. The therapists will have to be collaborative and be able to function as a team with their patients. They even provide rationales and seek their patient’s approval while undertaking interventions. They explain their interventions along with a treatment plan to help patients understand how they will be able to fulfill their objectives and feel better.

One of the greatest benefits of implementing cognitive behavioral therapy techniques is that it can help its patients develop coping skills that can be useful in treating them now and in the future. The technique is focused on highly specific goals and results that can be measured relatively easily. Even though such self-analysis can be a difficult task, but it is a great way for them to learn more about how their internal state of mind can have a drastic impact on one’s outward behavior.

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Get Ready to Reclaim Your Life with Addiction Treatment Services

The decades of scientific research and clinical practice have yielded a variety of effective approaches to drug addiction treatment. Researchers determined several treatment programs, aimed at modifying patient’s behavior and inspiring change. These treatment programs serve as a foundation for overcoming treatment complications while curing severe cases of drug abuse and alcohol addiction. Different therapies and clinical practices are based on tested techniques and proven methodologies 

Addiction treatment services vary from patient to patient, and are designed considering the severity of addiction. There are numerous treatment aimed at modifying your behavior and motivating you to incline towards a sober life. Some of the most effective addiction treatment programs are:

Intensive outpatient program

This program has intense characteristics aimed at empowering individuals to live a sober life. You participate in 3-5 days a week of intensive therapies that feature group activities, fitness sessions, counseling and family interventions. Experts assist you throughout to nourish your mental and physical stature that was affected due to addiction. Though, it is an outpatient program, IOP staff ensures that continual and consistent care is extended on every stage of the program that enables you to begin the process of living more confidently and independently. Successful completion of this program makes you productive in both personal and professional life.

Dual-diagnosis and chronic relapse

Dual-diagnosis is a severe condition where you suffer multiple disorders that work together to deteriorate your mental and physical health. Depression provokes drug abuse and drug abuse lead to depression. Under these circumstances, the chances of relapse propel. This is where experience doctors and clinicians treat you for co-occurring disorders. Professionals define critical components for effective programs, which include a comprehensive long-term staged approach to recovery. The program asserts on motivational interventions, provision of helping you in acquiring skills and supports to manage both illnesses and pursue functional goals.

Inpatient addiction and alcoholism treatment

If you have a history of drug abuse and have undergone treatment previously, then this program is for you. In this program, you are enrolled in an intensive program where you are required to stay for 30, 60 or 90 days in a rehab center. Depending on the severity of addiction, treatment program is designed that addresses different dimensions of addiction. Therapies continue throughout the week, and you are consistently under the scanner of experts. This is just to ensure that you are strictly following the routine that has been developed for your treatment.

These are some of the most effective and proven addiction treatment services. These services are provided by professional and experienced treatment centers. Apart from targeted treatment, they also influence other auxiliary concerns for a speedy recovery. These services prevent individuals from using drugs and achieve productive functioning in the family, at work, and in society. 

HARP provides addiction treatment services that are capable of curing your dependency on substance abuse and alcohol. Their professionals have decades of experience in behavior modification programs with continual care and requisite medication.

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Overcome the– double demons Substance abuse and depression

As opposed to popular belief substance abuse and alcoholism cannot be strictly classified as a social problem, neither can you shun people with this condition to be morally weak. Addiction is a brain disease that is characterized by chronic or often relapsing behavior, wherein the subject suffers from compulsive drug/alcohol seeking conduct.

This is a delicate condition that needs to be handled with care and proper guidance. Medical science advises a holistic approach to rehabilitating patients. If you are worried about a friend or someone you know, it’s important to understand that help is available. There are several professional programs conducted by experienced medical practitioners/organizations that help patients overcome this condition. The treatment method basically deals with a thorough understanding of the nature of the drug abuse. It would cover various aspects like how the tendency develops, the various symptoms and why it has such a powerful hold on the patient.

Another challenge to treating substance abuse is dual diagnosis and chronic relapse. Addiction is a brain disease; continuous substance abuse causes drastic changes in the structure and function of the brain. Though use of drugs and alcohol is initiated voluntarily by individuals, over time the brain begins to function differently resulting in an intense impulse to take drugs repeatedly.

These very changes in the structural and functional aspects of the brain make it even more challenging to overcome addiction. It affects an individual’s self-control and the ability to make rational decisions. That is why it’s important to understand addiction as a whole and provide an integrated approach to treating the condition. The patient would require all the support and care from his/her family and friends to battle this disease. Treatment centers focus on both behavioral therapies and on counteracting the disruptive effects of addiction. 

As per the Epidemiologic Catchment Area Study conducted by the National Institute on Health one-third of individuals diagnosed with depression had a comorbid substance abuse disorder. Rehabilitation centers now deal with dual diagnosis and chronic relapse as integral facets of their professional program.  Treatment approaches today vary depending on individual patient requirements that cover the patient’s addiction pattern, other medical conditions as well as psychiatric and social problems that have a role in the patient’s recovery.

There are several misconceptions that revolve around addiction and its treatment. Most people assume that overcoming addiction wholly depends on the will power of the patient. But the significant changes in the brain that drug abuse results in, cannot be reversed by sheer force of will. That is exactly why it is important to treat patients as early as possible. The recovery process is better when diagnosed early because - the stronger the addiction, the more difficult it is to treat. Another popular myth is that the patient wouldn’t recover, unless he /she voluntarily want help.  This is not at all true, as when the patient is under the influence of drugs/alcohol they are unable to judge or make rational decisions. But once the treatment begins and they sober-up, most of them realize that it is eventually for their good.

Another frequently discussed issue is that of Relapse. Most friends and relatives of the patient don’t always respond well to relapses. It is important to understand that recovery from drug addiction is a long process that involves several setbacks. Research shows that 54 percent of patients are expected relapse. Also of the patients susceptible to relapse 61 percent would show multiple periods of relapse. During treatment relapse should be seen as a symptom of drug abuse as it is preventable. Social adjustment is key to preventing chronic relapse and the patient should be put back on treatment under such circumstances. Relapse should not be seen as a failure but as a signal to reinstate treatment.

Professional programs that most rehabilitation centers provide encompass different approaches to treating addiction. Most of them have separate Inpatient Addiction and Alcoholism treatment and Intensive Outpatient Programs. Some establishments also provide employee assistance programs to incorporate treatment methods without disrupting your profession and professional life. These centers tailor a healing therapy that takes into account dual diagnosis and chronic relapse to ensure superior medical care and guidance.

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