Addiction counseling is an essential element of any effective detox program. It builds a strong foundation for a life of sobriety, with strong coping mechanisms to avoid relapse. At our Durham recovery center, our therapists use science-based methods to help patients start on their journey to sobriety and stay firm on this path.
Here are some of the most effective addiction therapies we use to help our patients fight substance abuse and its long-term negative effects:
1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
This type of therapy helps the addict explore the underlying factors that led them to trying and then becoming dependent on drugs or alcohol. It also teaches patients how to deal with triggers and how to manage their negative emotions.
The goal of cognitive behavioral therapy is to provide the patient with strong coping skills, which are extremely necessary, especially during the first week and months after completing the addiction recovery program.
2. Contingency Management Therapy
Among various addiction counseling methods, this one has extremely good results on many types of patients. It is essentially a system of rewards for completing specific milestones in drug detox, such as:
- Attending a number of group therapy sessions
- Being able to correctly identify a number of triggers
- Providing a clean urine sample in an outpatient program.
The reason why contingency management works so well is because it reinforces the benefits of positive actions. In time, these positive rewards will regulate the dopamine release in the brain, putting an end to the unhealthy connection between drug use and experiencing pleasure.
3. Narrative Therapy
Many patients who start a drug detox program at our Durham recovery center say that they feel trapped in a vicious cycle. And that the vicious cycle tends to become their life story – something they are not proud of, but do not know how to put behind them.
The narrative therapy helps them do precisely this. Through addiction counseling they can change their life story. They can replace constant defeat with victory over substance abuse. They can admit that they were not themselves when they acted out under the influence of drugs. They can separate their identity from the actions of their brain on drugs.
Essentially narrative therapy helps every patient understand that the struggle with addiction does not represent them and they do not have to carry the burden in the future.
4. The 12 Step Program
When our therapists understand that spirituality is a powerful motivation for a patient, they apply the 12 Step Program in addiction therapy. This program was first developed in the 1930s and has several key principles:
- Admitting weakness
- Believing that a higher power can help
- Admitting the wrongs done
- Being accountable for one’s action
- Seeking forgiveness from those hurt by the behaviors while being addicted to drugs
This approach can also help mend relationships between the patient and their estranged family members and friends.
5. Family Therapy
Drug addiction does not affect only the person using controlled substances. It also takes a toll on their family members. Some people become enablers, while others prefer to go no contact with the addict. By including the immediate family in addiction counseling, we aim to help everyone heal and move on towards healthier relationships.
Choose a Drug-Free Life at Our Durham Recovery Center!
Choosing to fight addiction is one of the best and most courageous things you have ever done in your life. We know that it is hard, so we are here to support you at every step of the way.
The therapists at our Durham recovery center will create a personalized plan involving various addiction counseling methods to help you overcome the mental and emotional negative effects of addiction. Call us today to schedule your initial appointment at 984-223-5341!
