Common Challenges Faced in Rehab
Everybody faces challenges in their lifetime, but, what’s important is how they face those challenges and overcome them to the best of their ability. Although treatment, support, strategic coping skills, and behavioral changes are needed to overcome drug abuse and addiction, in many cases, the stigma or fear of changes attached to rehab far outweigh the perceived benefits and willingness of entering it at any point in time.
Severities and Consequences
Addiction is recognized as a chronic, relapsing, brain disease that disrupts the functions, circuits, and systems of the brain involved with rewards, pain, stress, emotions, habits, and decision-making.  Some drugs are more addictive than others while the path to dependency or addiction is tied to the individual’s biological and psychological characteristics, the drug and its effects, patterns of use, and the experiences of the individual as they progress in associated drug seeking and use behaviors.
According to the Institute of Medicine (US) Committee for the Substance Abuse Coverage Study, “Drug consumption patterns and their consequences are extremely complicated and continually changing.” Weighing the severity of the associated problems physically, emotionally, or socially is often the driving indicator for rehab needs, but, all too often, these problems go unattended, as treatment is frequently bound to availability, timely access, and costs.
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Motivational Challenges
Many substance abusers are ambivalent about seeking help.
Determining who wants treatment is not the same as measuring actual demands as motivations for change will frequently waver and individuals will move in and out of various drug abuse and dependency cycles while trying to retain some sense of control over their life. The most frequently inhibiting motivations are in those who are just not ready to quit. They enjoy the effects that the drugs have in making them feel good or better.
According to the Institute of Medicine (US), “The positive motives are often not strong enough in themselves to initiate or sustain compliance with treatment, but, reinforcement through external pushes into treatment and therapeutic pressure within treatment may be effective in doing so.” It’s likely to take a crisis or imminent threat such as an overdose, obvious harm to self or others, facing imprisonment, or the potential loss of a spouse or child to induce any willingness to contemplate treatment for a substance use disorder (SUD).  Even then, many, including the most severely addicted, may remain ambivalent about seeking help despite the devastation and risks.
Treatment Needs
With a wide variety a drug rehabs available, it is important for the individual to participate in the program most suitable to their needs. This may be outpatient rehab where they can attend to obligations at home or work while benefiting from the safety of a detox program, counseling, and behavioral therapies that will help them recover.
The severity of their problems including anticipated withdrawals, co-existing physical or mental health conditions, levels of support in their home environments, and abilities to pay, are all general considerations in determining inpatient or outpatient treatment needs.  According to the SAMHSA, “Patients are more likely to engage in treatment if they believe the full array of their problems will be addressed, including those needs typically addressed by wraparound services (e.g., housing, vocational assistance, childcare, transportation).
Treatment Goals
There is a long list of goals and the variations within them for treatment including reducing illicit substance abuse or ending it altogether and satisfying personal needs versus those that align more broadly with the norms of society. The most basic goal is finding relief from uncontrollable cravings, seeking, using, and withdrawing from drugs which overrides instilled values and core personal principles. With progression, this often leads to brokenness in the person’s health, finances, confidence, spirit, and their ability to positively function at home, work, or in the community.
Setting and achieving realistic goals requires patience, guidance, and support of knowledgeable individuals. Comprehensive care to optimize recovery outcomes includes the integration of substance abuse treatment services with other disciplines which may include the use of medications, medical and psychiatric interventions, mutual aid participations, and family involvements that are proven to make a difference in sustaining recovery efforts.
Challenging Treatment Focuses
Beyond the focus of achieving abstinence and preventing relapse to drugs, focusing on competencies and strengths to achieve short-term goals leads to confidence and sustained abilities to continue growing and improving one’s health and wellness which is crucial. According to the SAMHSA, “A person’s recovery is built on his or her strengths, talents, coping abilities, resources, and inherent values. It is holistic, addresses the whole person and their community, and is supported by peers, friends, and family members.”
With a shift away from labeling and the confrontational approaches of counseling and treatment conformities in the past, outcomes and effectiveness of drug abuse treatments are measured by the person’s ability to make informed, healthy, lifestyle choices with consistent and long-term progression.
For help finding a rehab center that fits your needs, call 800-481-6320Who Answers?.
