Addiction treatment providers use a range of methods to deliver treatment. One of the hallmarks of the recovery process is individual therapy. The exact therapy used in an individual setting can vary between numerous methods, one of the most common categories being behavioral therapies. The more you understand the benefits of individual therapy programs for addiction, the more likely you are to fully engage in treatment and experience life transformation.
Discover Midwest Detox Center’s individual therapy program and how it can benefit you or a loved one by calling 833.647.0392.
Benefits of Individual Therapy Programs For Addiction
Individual therapy for substance abuse is one of the best treatment options. The one-on-one attention inherent to individual therapy provides space to overcome the many challenges that addiction presents. Therapy requires openness, vulnerability, and honesty. Some people find it hard to bare their soul with a therapist. Nonetheless, individual therapy remains a tried and true method for achieving sobriety, overcoming addiction, and working toward long-term recovery goals. Here are three benefits of an individual therapy program for addiction.
1. Know Yourself and Your Addiction
One focus of individual counseling for addiction, especially in the early days of treatment, is education. Addiction professionals are experts in how addiction impacts a person’s life, brain, and body. The more you understand your addiction, the better equipped you will be to combat triggers and cravings. Expressing emotions and being vulnerable are also healthy behaviors that are encouraged as rapport is built with your therapist. Individual therapy for substance abuse is also a great source of motivation. Your therapist can act as a champion for you during recovery as well as being an accountability partner.
2. Improve Mindfulness and Communication
Addiction treatment often spends time teaching mindfulness. This practice encourages an acceptance of who you are and what your circumstances are. Mindfulness is also an essential tactic for avoiding triggers and stress that could lead to using substances. Individual therapy is also great for improving communication and social skills. Addiction often damages a person’s ability to relate to others in healthy ways. Regaining sobriety means relearning who you really are as a human. Individual counseling for addiction aids in that process.
3. Identifying Triggers and Learning Coping Mechanisms
Understanding the genesis of your addiction and how it impacts you is important. It is also important to understand what addiction triggers are most prevalent for you. Individual therapy offers the space and dialogue necessary to identify these triggers and gameplan about how to deal with them. The most common addiction triggers include:
- Stress
- Loneliness or isolation
- Hunger
- Anger
- Relationship problems
- Major life changes, such as getting a new job or moving
- Environments or social settings associated with previous drug use
Triggers can be unique to each individual. To combat triggers, therapy teaches how to use coping mechanisms.
How Does Individual Therapy for Substance Abuse Work?
Hopefully, the benefits of individual therapy programs for addiction are now clear. If you’ve never attended therapy in the past, you may still be wondering what therapy is like. Individual counseling for addiction is best thought of as a partnership between therapist and patient. Most therapy is delivered in 45 to 60-minute sessions.
Therapy typically begins with an assessment to establish a baseline of where you are at the beginning of treatment. The majority of therapies employed by addiction treatment facilities are talk therapies. That means they largely rely on meaningful discussion between patient and therapist. Sessions focus on the patient’s mental, emotional, and physical needs as difficult topics and emotions are discussed, processed, and worked on. Therapists may assign homework between sessions to extend the progress of an individual session.
Confidentiality as Bedrock to Therapy
Therapy also relies on confidentiality to build trust and rapport. That means whatever you share with your therapist stays between the two of you. There are a couple of notable exceptions to this. For instance, a therapist is no longer bound by confidentiality in cases where they judge someone to be in danger of harming themselves.
Experience the benefits of an individual therapy program for addiction by reaching out to 833.647.0392.
