Addiction is a unique journey for everyone, but generally, there’s always a root cause to it. Determining the root cause and learning to heal from past trauma can be time-consuming. Additionally, doing it alone can make it more challenging. That’s why professional support – specifically a high staff-to-client ratio – is critical. Unfortunately, some facilities are so full that there’s not enough help to go around. Some facilities are spread so thin that they’re forced to put individuals who require intensive outpatient care on a waitlist.
While that may be an unfortunate reality for facilities across the country, many are continually striving to increase their staff-to-client ratio. At least, they’re striving to increase it as much as possible. That’s because they realize what a difference it can make for each of their clients to feel supported along their recovery journey. Are you concerned about being put on a waiting list due to staffing shortages in the treatment facilities in your area? Talk to your therapist or ask a medical professional about other treatment programs to help you heal. If Rancho Recovery comes up when you search “rehab centers near me,” please feel empowered to call and begin your recovery journey today.
What Is Addiction?
Before healing from addiction, individuals must better understand it. People typically think of addiction as it pertains to drug or alcohol use. However, it’s a brain disorder that can also manifest behaviorally. In either case, addiction can be caused by childhood or adult trauma, toxic family relationships, biological factors, and other social situations.
Though different, an addiction to drugs and alcohol or behaviors can be harmful to a person’s overall quality of life. Let’s dive into these a little further.
Addictions to Drugs and Alcohol
An alcohol or drug addiction, typically known as substance use disorder (SUD), impacts millions of people across the country. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), SUD is chronic but treatable. It’s characterized by unhealthy patterns of substance use that lead to “impairments in health, social function, and control over substance use.”
SUD can wreak havoc on a person’s life, leading to the development of mental health disorders and physical health concerns. Unfortunately, it’s not the only common addiction people experience.
Addictive Behaviors
SUD describes an individual’s dependence on substances. Behavioral addictions are when a person is dependent on a specific action. Admittedly, the two are hard to compare. For instance, drugs and alcohol can cause physical harm to the body and put a person at an increased risk of overdose. However, behavioral addictions can become life-consuming, making it impossible for people to function throughout their day-to-day lives.
Thankfully, both have one thing in common – they’re both treatable. However, in order to heal from SUD or a behavioral addiction, individuals must get to its root cause.
Understanding the Root Cause of Addiction
Finding the root cause of addiction doesn’t happen overnight, but it’s possible with proper guidance and therapeutic modalities. By working with a therapist, you’ll begin discussing your past. Together, you’ll start analyzing your behaviors as they relate to emotional distress, past trauma, and addiction.
Along this journey, you’ll also understand the impact of trauma on addiction more. Many have yet to realize the role trauma plays in addiction. Sometimes, analyzing specific traumatic experiences — such as neglect, violence, or the loss of a loved one — can uncover root causes clients never even considered.
The next question you might have is how a high staff-to-client ratio plays into this process. What does this high staff-to-client ratio mean for uncovering your root cause during addiction treatment? We’ll consider that next.
What Is a High Staff-to-Client Ratio?
The term “staff-to-client ratio,” which you’ll often hear in a hospital, rehabilitation, or other medical setting, simply refers to the number of clients for each staff member. For instance, in a healthcare facility, many professionals believe a staff-to-client ratio – or a staff-to-patient ratio – of 1:4 offers a relatively manageable balance for workers.
Unfortunately, hospitals and other facilities have become notoriously understaffed in recent years. When the staff-to-client ratio is low due to understaffing, it makes offering the highest level of care more difficult. That’s why medical facilities strive for a high staff-to-client ratio. The higher the ratio, the more care can be offered to each patient who enters a hospital. That also goes for clients entering an addiction treatment center.
Does a High Staff-to-Client Ratio Help Clients Get to the Root of Addiction?
In short, yes, a high-staff-to-client ratio can better help clients get to the root cause of their addiction. That’s because more staff means more individual time that can be offered to each client as they uncover the root of their addiction and seek the appropriate treatment. With more hands on deck, clinicians can spend more time with you, analyzing the challenges you face, altering treatment plans, and creating individualized care that treats not just the addiction but you as a whole.
Part of our mission at Rancho Recovery is to provide care and support for lifelong recovery for all individuals we serve. We do this by offering several person-centered treatment services, prioritizing a high staff-to-client ratio, and ensuring our team is equipped with certified counselors and licensed therapists who can help with your unique needs. Call or visit our website to begin your journey with Rancho Recovery today.
The road to recovery can be long and tiring. That’s why having enough professional support is critical. Unfortunately, some addiction treatment facilities struggle to maintain a high staff-to-client ratio. This can sometimes impair the level of treatment offered to clients. A high staff-to-client ratio will help you better understand the root of your challenges with addiction through individual counseling, group therapy, and other modalities. With enough hands on deck, each client can have enough designated time to work through their trauma, understand their core challenges, and get on the road to recovery. That’s why we prioritize staffing enough professionals to help our clients succeed in their journey to healing and sobriety. Call Rancho Recovery at (877) 484-1447 for more today.