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By Abhilash Patel
Every year, the stress of daily life seems to grow more
complicated. Cell phones constantly ring; palm-pilots overflow
with demanding schedules. Personal lives become complex and
unmanageable. The self becomes lost within this whirlwind of
relationships, commitments and deadlines. Eventually,
pressures
become overbearing for both body and mind. This is a major
reason why personal health and fitness are so crucial.
However,
health food and personal trainers are incapable of reaching
deep-rooted problems. Addictions are common manifestations of
society’s never-ending stress. Luckily, inadequate methods are
things of the past. Dependency issues are finally understood,
and treatment is possible. A healthy life is now truly
attainable.
Rehabilitation of substance abuse strictly relies upon
individualism. “Text book cases” and generalized treatments
proved inadequate. Everyone is an individual with a different
life. Likewise, addiction begins and affects each person
differently. Successful treatments first address the pain of
each person’s unique experiences; then, they continue by
restoring the individuality inevitably lost by addiction. The
desperation of feeding addiction usually dulls a person’s
unique personality and interests. As healing takes effect,
people regain the very identity that made them individuals in
the first place.
Dramatic advancements have greatly improved treatment
programs/centers. Today, quality rehabilitation centers
provide
caring, individualized, and holistic treatment. However,
memories of past rehabilitation centers and the continuation
of
outdated programs deter many from a better life. Incorrect
treatments of the past proved not only ineffective but also
detrimental. An awareness of past programs will assist in the
identification of an ideal center.
Past Treatments:
For the majority of the nineteenth century addiction and its
treatment was extremely misinterpreted. Largely influenced by
Prohibition movements and religiously fueled treatment
programs, ideas of addiction as a moral weakness continued
until the 1970s. The first modern treatment facility was
developed in Cleveland in the late 30’s/early 40’s. When the
American Medical Association called addiction a “disease” in
1955, the still existing “medical model” to treatment
developed. While “moral model” advocates locked addicts away
to
prevent the feared debasement of society, proponents of the
“medical model” institutionalized people to be “cured.”
However, “medication” merely numbed addiction and destroyed an
individuals’ identity. An atmosphere of hopelessness and
intimidation permeated prison-like quarters. Abusive and
unsanitary conditions were common. While these methods failed
to treat addiction, they merely intensified the damage that
addiction had initiated.
As a “social model” view of addiction developed,
community-based programs slowly appeared across the country.
Medication became eliminated from treatment programs. No
longer
viewed as a chemical ailment, addiction became attributed to
environmental causes. Finally factors such as family issues
and
peer pressure were brought to attention. The civil rights
movement outlawed abuse, and caring approaches developed.
Since
negative surroundings were believed to be the cause of
addiction, treatment focused on providing positive social
settings to bring counteracting effects. Programs became group
focused. The actual concept of rehabilitation centers
appeared,
and out-patient programs developed. Nevertheless, this sole
focus on group therapy also proved unable to meet specific
needs. The individual still became lost amidst “treatment.”
Opportunities to talk about past experiences increased, but
counseling and self-exploration remained largely reserved to
group sessions. While conditions were no longer dangerous,
irrelevant and intimidating activities, such as the cleaning
toilets, remained. Although a more humane version of the
“medical model” and group-focused “social model” exist today,
they still fail to accomplish complete treatment. Permanent
recovery is never assured.
Treatment for Today:
In 1985 New York became one of the first to combine addiction
and mental illness into one treatment. More and more instances
of joined treatments appeared in the 1990s. Now in the
twenty-first century, although both the “medical” and “social”
models of substance treatment still continue, so does
evolution. Modernized facilities provide people with
unmatchable, long-lasting effects. Grounded in the most
up-to-date research, progressive programs stay directly
aligned
with practices of good health. Past treatments have helped
some.
But as the combined approach of individualized and holistic
methodologies galvanizes the concept of rehabilitation,
treatment is not only more effective than ever, but everyone
can also achieve outstanding success. Taking California Drug
and Alcohol Treatment by storm, evolution has empowered
rehabilitation to new frontiers. Wellness can now thrive in
all
aspects of life.
Finally, rehabilitation not only recognizes, but also places
full attention on patient individuality. While medicine and
community may be utilized, programs now use a wide variety of
approaches to achieve ideal individualized treatment plans.
Beginning with the process of detox, psychiatrists,
neuropharmacologists, and nurses provide one-to-one
twenty-four-hour assistance. Addiction causes the body to rely
upon poison. Highly skilled professionals stand ready for both
the effects of substance withdrawal and arising individual
complications. As detox enables the body to return to normal
functioning, attentive individualized care makes this
necessary
time as short and painless as possible.
After drug detox frees the body of its dependency, the mind is
ready to start its healing journey. Individualized and
holistic
methods are critical. Programs based on team counseling offer
numerous one-on-one sessions from a variety of counselors and
constantly revised personal therapy programs. As psychotherapy
and hypnotherapy enable the crucial awareness of behaviors and
repressed memories, a wide variety of specialized therapies
enable further individualized care. Services include
marriage/family, spiritual, life purpose, nutritional, image,
yoga, and music/art therapy. No longer forced to share
personal
matters in a group setting, people also benefit from this
array
of therapy services. With holistic programs, catered to the
individual, treatment becomes an unquestionable reality.
Weaving all components of life into recovery, the complete
healing of a person’s entire existence can be achieved. During
the period of intensive counseling, physical attention
furthers
the simultaneous mind and body rehabilitation process.
Physical
training, massage/bodywork, and acupuncture treatment prove
extremely effective. While hypnotherapy also works to reduce
anxiety, the lulling effects of a luxurious and an outdoor
setting rejuvenate the spirit. Eventually, this holistic
individualized approach reconnects the body and mind into
harmonious wholeness.
Finally treatment is able to eliminate the devastating effects
of alcohol and drug abuse, and the everyday concerns of
prescription drug addition no longer have to remain part of
daily life. The historical development of treatment has come a
long way. Recovery does not have to bring further
complications
or merely touch surface issues. Treatment has the ability to
eradicate problems at their source and restore each person’s
individual existence to complete health. It is about time.
About The Author: By Abhilash Patel for Passages Malibu
Treatment Center. Residential substance abuse treatment for
alcohol and drug addiction is provided through the Passages
Malibu Drug Treatment Program: www.passagesmalibu.com/
.
Article reproductions must include a link to
www.passagesmalibu.com/ .
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