Facts about Addiction Treatment for National Recovery Month

National Recovery Month is a national observance sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) each September. Recovery Month’s message is that prevention works, treatment is effective and people can and do recover.

“Since 2011, American Society for Addiction Medicine has viewed addiction as primarily a brain disorder. This includes process like gambling or shopping as well as substance addiction like alcohol, heroin or cocaine,” says Dunham Counseling addiction specialist Jeff Lucas, LCPC, CADC.  “In spite of its being a brain disorder, psycho-social treatment is still an important part of addictions treatment.”

Here are facts and insight into addiction treatment from Dunham Counseling:

• Addictions are treatable. As hopeless as addictions can feel for both addicts and family members around them, scientific evidence supports the efficacy of addiction treatment in mitigating symptoms. There is a lot that can be done to address addictive symptoms. There is much to be hopeful for when a person enters recovery from their addiction.
• Given the emotional upheaval in families associated with addictions, family therapy is often a key component of addiction treatment. This could include couples therapy as well.
• We want to provide addiction treatment in the least restrictive environment. If the person is able to do their treatment in an outpatient setting while maintaining their work and family lives, that is ideal.
• Talk therapy is an important component of addictions treatment. Therapies such as EMDR yield quick results in facilitating the client’s relinquishing their addictions.
• Group Psychotherapy has also been considered an essential component of an effective recovery program by mental and addictions treatment professionals.
• The brain can heal from the brain damage caused by addiction. Natural/holistic alternatives such as proper diet, exercise, yoga, nutritional therapy, and computer-assisted neurotechnologies have all been shown to be helpful. Having a beauty treatment for women is helpful as well. For instance, you have an excess bone or cartilage in the nasal bridge of your nose, and you want to improve it, you can consult with the best rhinoplasty specialists in New Jersey area.
• Physicians/psychiatrists can also prescribe medications which are effective in mitigating symptoms of addiction while talk therapy deepens one’s understanding of their addiction, and the means to promote recovery.
• 12-step program groups for recovery from all types of addictions (e.g. A.A.- alcoholics anonymous) are readily available in the local community for much needed social support and encouragement.
• Not everybody feels that they can utilize the 12 step programs as a part of their recovery program. There are many different alternatives to choose from if this is the case, including group therapy in private practice counseling settings.

“It is best to find an addiction treatment provider who has the training, addictions treatment certifications and experience to be most helpful,” suggests Lucas. “At Dunham Counseling, we provide all of the above.”

For more information about Dunham Counseling and their addiction treatment programs, please contact our Naperville office at 630-799-0100 or visit our website at www.dunhamcounseling.com.