Are you looking for a rehab centre for someone you care about? Mostly, desperate people in a crisis search through lots of websites for information on addiction treatment. Treatment Centres often don’t give out the right information about rehab and what it can offer. Finding the right information is confusing and difficult for someone calling in a crisis situation.
Eden Recovery Centre works in line with international standards. The information we give out is specific to each query that we receive. Each call is important to us and the service we provide is not limited to patients already admitted to Eden.
One of the ways to learn about treatment is to throw light on the myths that form the biggest barriers to people looking into treatment for the people they care about.
Myth #1: Drug and alcohol rehabilitation can cure addiction.
The Truth: Research has shown that addiction is a chronic health condition that cannot be cured. Our response to this is a goal of complete abstinence. We help those suffering from addiction to start the process of recovery, which like other chronic diseases, must be managed carefully. We offer help to families to help them plan for life with a newly recovering person. We look at long term support that lasts long after date of discharge.
Myth #2: Substance abusers must hit rock bottom before they are ready to accept treatment.
The Truth: Intervene, and intervene a lot. Studies show that the sooner a substance abuser begins the process of recovery, the better their chances are for staying clean and sober. It is better to intervene early, rather than to wait until the person you care about has lost everything; family, employment and relationships. Waiting for someone to hit rock bottom can take many years, and the risks to an addict and their families is high. Eden works with people who need help and don’t know what to do next. We can help you plan your intervention.
Myth #3: Substance abusers must really want to be in rehab for the process to work.
The Truth: At Eden we know that all the patient needs to do is be willing to commit to time spent in treatment for all the symptoms they are experiencing, addiction, depression, family problems and other problems specific to substance abuse. It’s our job to take the person you care about through the process of exploring their life situation. It’s then easier for them to understand that they need help with addiction problems.
Myth #4: Seeking help to overcome addiction or alcoholism is a sign of personal weakness.
The Truth: Addiction is a biological, social and psychological disease. Biological influences can be genetic predispositions or changes to delicate brain structures in addition to other factors. Social influences can be social support, family background, cultural traditions or poverty. Psychological influences can be perceptions, belief, stress management strategies. Addiction treatment is not a simple process. Recovery is also complicated.
Myth #5: When addicts really apply themselves, they can recover from chemical dependency in a relatively short period of time.
The Truth: If you keep doing what you’re doing. You’ll keep getting what you’re getting. Eden does not promise that patients can be cured in a few weeks. We help open the door to a new beginning holistically in our client’s lives. We inspire people to take full responsibility for their lives. Unable to stop on their own, we encourage our patients to relearn strategies to live and recover. There may be many bumps along the road, but by the time the day of discharge arrives, they know that there is a way out. We teach that what you put into our programme, you will get out. Just as there are no short cuts in life, there are none in recovery either.
Myth #6: When substance abusers who have been through treatment suffer a relapse, it will put them right back at square one.
The Truth: In reality, relapse is common during recovery. However, those who try to give up drugs and alcohol on their own will be much less prepared to handle relapse than those who have been counseled by professionals who understand all the trials and tribulations of the substance abuse treatment process. Knowledge always facilitates recovery from addiction, even if the recovery must re-commence after a relapse. Treatment provides substance abusers with tools for change that will stay with them forever, no matter how many setbacks they have to endure.
Myth #8: When other mental health issues co-exist with addiction (depression, anxiety disorder, OCD, etc.) they must be treated first or they will interfere with the drug and alcohol rehabilitation process.
The Truth: Exactly the opposite is true. Addiction is a life-threatening condition, and every attempt should be made to help addicts and alcoholics overcome this disease before their other problems are dealt with – although they will need to be dealt with eventually, in part because the continuing existence of other troubling disorders will make it more difficult to sustain sobriety in the long run.
Myth #9: Treatment for drug and alcohol problems follows a strict regimen, so it really doesn’t matter what rehabilitation center a substance abuser attends.
The Truth: A one-size-fits-all approach will not help very many addicts recover from their illness; treatment should be customized to the individual, and before checking into any rehab facility prospective patients and/or their family members should talk to staff and administrators to make sure their specific needs will be met.
Myth #10: Drug and alcohol rehabilitation usually fails.
The Truth: There is a common perception that rehab doesn’t work. Fortunately this is not true, but the biggest success factor is how you select treatment. Intervention must be specific to the patient’s needs. Treatment expectations must be communicated with family members. Too often, family members are left in the dark or they select treatment facilities that are inappropriate for their needs. Because of poor communication, families are often focused on the date of discharge, rather than the challenges everyone will face when the person they care about leaves treatment. There is sometimes little or no follow up, and the quality of aftercare is poor to nonexistent. Where a one size fits all approach is used, patients can fall through the cracks, and the system fails them.