Substance addiction is a chronic, recurring disease – one that affects an individual mentally, emotionally, and physically. It does not go away overnight; without proper treatment, addiction provokes a high chance of relapse. If you or someone you love has made an unsuccessful attempt at recovery, or has relapsed since your last stint of rehab, it may be time to reconsider your treatment approach. Perhaps that is why you are here. You may be considering residential substance abuse treatment.
Comprehensive residential drug treatment can teach a person how to maintain abstinence, live sober, and become a productive, healthy member of society. Here are nine reasons to consider a residential treatment center:
1. There is time to heal in residential treatment facilities.
Because addiction is a chronic, recurring disease, recovery is typically a long-term process. For this reason, most residential treatment programs offer long-term stays, so that clients can take the time they need to heal, learn, and grow. Typically between six months and a year, residential substance abuse treatment programs focus on the bigger picture: not only on drug addiction, but also on teaching patients to socialize, to cope, to be accountable, to be productive, and to achieve a lasting, long-term recovery. The National Institute on Drug Abuse has long indicated that individuals battling addiction will require at least 90 days of treatment to significantly reduce or stop drug use. However, the most successful outcomes come with even longer durations of treatment. According to the Journal of Drug and Alcohol Dependence, patients who stay in inpatient drug rehabilitation for long periods of time also have better rates of recovery.
2. There is structure to residential substance abuse programs.
One of the greatest reasons to consider residential substance abuse treatment is for the sheer structure and discipline that is offered in these types of programs. In a residential facility, there is little free time – meaning that clients are hardly ever bored. They do not have time to think about drugs or devise plans to obtain them. Rather, they are able to keep busy with things like tutoring sessions, sober recreational activities, team outings, sober sports leagues, volunteer work, group therapies and 12-step meetings.
Structure is a core component of Turnbridge’s inpatient drug rehab program. In the first phase of our program, we focus largely on routine by establishing intensive, regulated schedules for each of client. This regime consists of sleep, diet, exercise, recreation, and overall sober living. It is in Phase II of drug treatment that residents can start returning to their normal, daily tasks. Clients can start to develop their own schedules, attend meetings and classes on their own, while still joining in on the recreational activities of interest.
3. There is a safe, drug-free environment.
Perhaps one of the biggest challenges of recovery is finding the right healing place – a place where one feels safe and secure, a place that is calming and stress-free, a place that is removed from substance abuse, pressuring peers, and other outside relapse triggers. Even in outpatient treatment programs, this type of environment is difficult to establish. Without a residential treatment facility or sober living homes to retreat to, individuals must return to their own home environments and voluntarily abstain from substance abuse.
At Turnbridge, we believe it is most important to create a safe and supportive environment for young men and women in the recovery process. We believe that an environment that offers a place for healing, a place that nurtures the specific emotions and interests of young adults, is an essential treatment environment. For this reason, our residences and clinical facilities are designed to bring about tranquility, security, and peace of mind. All the while, they are equipped to make each client feel physically and mentally safe and in a place of positivity and wellness. With deliciously nutritious meals, in-house fitness and yoga centers, and art studios, our clients always have a place to create and fuel positive energy during their healing process.
4. There is around-the-clock, watchful support staff available.
During the early days of recovery, the days in which withdrawal symptoms are peaking and the resistance to treatment is highest, the risk of relapse is great. Residential substance abuse treatment centers are fully equipped with support staff and clinical assistance, providing watchful care 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to help prevent relapse.
5. In a residential treatment setting, there is a consistent social (and sober) network of peers.
Past studies of Alcoholics Anonymous members showed that 72 percent of participants stayed sober at least 90 days when they had abstinent friends supporting their recovery. Of AA members with substance-using friends, only 33 percent stayed sober this long.
One of the best known residential treatment models is the therapeutic community, a long-term drug treatment regime that focuses on the resocialization of addicted individuals. In this type of treatment approach, the whole community – other residents, staff, and the entire social context – is actively involved in the recovery journey.
Turnbridge’s residential substance abuse treatment program aims to facilitate this resocialization, by allowing clients to emerge, grow, and flourish in a drug-free community. Here, they learn to develop meaningful relationships (without the blanket of drugs and alcohol) and relate to others who have walked similar journeys. From day one of our drug treatment program, residents are encouraged to build a sober network of friends through group therapy sessions, 12-step meetings, and sober activities.
6. Residential treatment programs encourage healthy living.
Residential treatment programs promote healthy and active lifestyles, taking into consideration sleep patterns, nutritional needs, exercise, and overall well-being. At Turnbridge, we believe a balanced diet and healthful habits play very important roles in a person’s recovery. For this reason, we offer healthy meal options and exercise time for each resident in recovery, giving them the energy and nourishment they need to fight withdrawal symptoms and persist to long-term sobriety.
7. Alternative treatment approaches are offered in residential settings.
Detoxification is just one aspect of drug rehab. Because addiction affects a person’s psychology, as well, a long-term drug rehab program will go beyond standard treatments and focus on personal development and positive mental states. Residential treatment centers like Turnbridge typically achieve this through a blend of alternative therapies such as yoga and meditation, in combination with behavioral therapies like group and individual counseling and development services like education and career training.
By enacting therapies such as these, clients are able to build the skills needed to resist drug use and replace substance abuse with constructive and rewarding activities. Together, we work on building problem-solving skills, accountability, and interpersonal relationships that will help lead to long-term abstinence from drugs.
8. Residential treatment facilities are focused on preparing clients for the future, beyond drug treatment.
Residential treatment centers are not all about immediate success. At Turnbridge, we know that recovery takes time, and a lasting recovery requires the knowledge of longstanding life skills. For this reason, we focus on the long-term goals of our residents, who truly want to overcome their addictions for good. They want to maintain sobriety even after drug treatment has ended. They want to cut to the core of their addiction, recognize the root of the problem, and make the changes necessary to succeed. By teaching individuals how to cope with their emotions, to handle drug cravings, resist pressures and replace drug use with more rewarding activities, our extended care program achieves just this.
9. They are often equipped to assist co-occurring disorders.
Dual diagnosis residential treatment facilities have 24/7 clinical staff who are specifically trained in co-occurring disorders. If you or your loved one has a co-occurring mental disorder, such as depression, panic disorder, anxiety, or bipolar disorder alongside a drug addiction, know that a special kind of integrated drug treatment will be required. This is called dual diagnosis treatment, an approach that offers special one-to-one attention and specific behavioral therapy methods in order to properly heal a person mentally and physically. Co-occurring disorders typically require long-term drug treatment, which Turnbridge residential substance abuse treatment can offer.
To learn more about Turnbridge’s integrated residential young adult drug rehab, please do not hesitate to reach out. You may call us at 877-581-1793 to get started on your loved one’s treatment plan today.