There is little doubt that asking for help and entering addiction treatment is one of the strongest, bravest, and life-changing actions a person may ever take. There is also little doubt that addiction treatment can be very challenging, and building a stronger future takes work. However, as the iconic French playwright and poet Moliere said, “The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it.”
The Prevalence of Addiction in the U.S.
Addiction remains a serious and highly prevalent problem in the U.S. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), “In 2022, 48.7 million people aged 12 or older (or 17.3%) had a substance use disorder (SUD) in the past year, including 29.5 million who had an alcohol use disorder (AUD), 27.2 million who had a drug use disorder (DUD), and 8.0 million people who had both an AUD and a DUD.”
These are staggering statistics and are emblematic of the greater need for addiction treatment in the U.S. According to HHS and SAMHSA, “In 2021, 94% of people aged 12 or older with a substance use disorder did not receive any treatment.” Many of these people veered away from treatment due to preconceived notions about the challenges that they may face in recovery.
Understanding the Challenges of Addiction Treatment
The biggest challenge that people face when it comes to addiction treatment is reaching out for help. This is the number one challenge because until this happens, nothing can happen. This is also why it is so crucial to reach out to a loved one who may be struggling to see if they need help. This outreach may be exactly what they need to get their recovery journey started.
The next challenge that people face in addiction treatment is accepting help. Many people struggling with active addiction feel as though they are not deserving of help. This is because active addiction makes individuals feel helpless, hopeless, and worthless. It is the nature of this “cunning, baffling, and powerful” disease.
The third challenge that people face is doing the hard work that is necessary for recovery. However, the good news is that there are many supportive recovery professionals and treatment modalities that can make that work engaging, exciting, and worth it.
Embracing the Challenges of Addiction Treatment: Building a Stronger Future
Building a stronger future in recovery is all about setting goals and then striving toward those goals “one day at a time.” Once these goals are set, a well-balanced and meaningful recovery plan can be set.
This plan should be individualized and comprehensive. They should also include multiple means, methods, and modalities. These include experiential therapies, holistic healing methods, and treatments from the psychotherapeutic realm, like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).
Understanding Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
CBT is an exceptional therapy to help individuals take on the challenges of recovery. This is because CBT gets to the underlying issues that are often the cause of negative addictive behaviors. As is often said in recovery circles, “alcohol and substances are but symptoms of deeper issues.”
CBT is all about changing how one negatively thinks about oneself and the world around them to thus change their negative behaviors. According to the peer-reviewed journal Cognitive Therapy and Research, “Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) refers to a class of interventions that share the basic premise that mental disorders and psychological distress are maintained by cognitive factors… [T]hese maladaptive cognitions include general beliefs, or schemas, about the world, the self, and the future, giving rise to specific and automatic thoughts in particular situations. The basic model posits that therapeutic strategies to change these maladaptive cognitions lead to changes in emotional distress and problematic behaviors.”
There are also many holistic healing options that can help individuals face the challenges of addiction treatment. One of the more effective methods is meditation.
Understanding Meditation
Meditation is a great way to find balance in one’s life and bring focus to their goals. Of course, these two elements are essential for a healthy long-term recovery.
Meditation also offers many other benefits. According to the International Quarterly Journal of Research in Ayurveda (AYU), “During the process of meditation, accumulated stresses are removed, energy is increased, and health is positively affected overall. Research has confirmed a myriad of health benefits associated with the practice of meditation. These include stress reduction, decreased anxiety, decreased depression, reduction in pain (both physical and psychological), improved memory, and increased efficiency.” With a clear mind, challenges become much more manageable.
Building a Stronger Future With Rancho Recovery
Here at Rancho Recovery, we understand that addiction treatment can be challenging. But we also know that it is one of the most rewarding moves an individual will ever make.
Recovery is within reach. The key is to overcome the first challenge and reach out for it. There is a stronger future waiting, and it’s time for the wait to be over.
Making any change is difficult, and addiction treatment is full of changes. These changes can cause stress for clients. However, sometimes this stress can be worthwhile as it helps people to make changes in order to improve and build their future. If you feel like you or a loved one are struggling with issues of addiction or co-occurring disorders, we can help get you on the positive path toward long-term recovery right away. You don’t have to go through this process alone. For more information about why Rancho Recovery is the ideal place to heal, as its luxury accommodations and small treatment groups help to reduce stress as much as possible, please reach out to us today at (877) 484-1447.