Individualised Addiction Therapy – why you see the experts at The Recovery Lodge
Individualised treatment plans have quickly become what most modern health services strive for, especially within neuroscience and mental health disciplines but can they be applied to addiction therapy? Or should they?
In some areas of modern medicine, individualised treatment refers to a medical treatment plan that is specifically tailored to a patient’s individual genetic make-up. All the medication, surgery, diet, psychotherapy, interventions, or recovery support would be completely tailored to, and take advantage of, each patient’s unique biology and other medical factors.
When it comes to addiction recovery and addiction therapy, individualised treatment programs refer to tailoring the addiction recovery journey and treatments to a person’s needs, history of addiction, symptoms, and triggers.
A one-size-fits-all approach to addiction recovery does not work
A blanket approach to a number of health problems (especially mental health) is a common issue in the UK today. It seems to be the norm for many patients to be given the same treatment for what is actually a very complex and individual issue the first time they seek help.
Take depression or anxiety for instance. Many people seek help from their GP for their depression or anxiety and are given the same medication to help with the symptoms. Now, as part of a wider treatment plan, this would not be an issue. Much of the time, however, patients are left feeling like they’ve just had a plaster put over a large, gaping wound. The medication they’ve been prescribed only treats the symptoms and not the route cause.
As both depression and anxiety are recognised as a mental health condition, they require ongoing treatment. It would be beneficial for the person with the condition to be taught coping mechanisms or receive therapy to help manage the condition.
A more holistic approach to addiction recovery and mental health problems is best
However, this more rounded, holistic approach to a person’s recovery needs to be specifically tailored to each individual. What works for one patient, may not work for another. We all have different upbringings, we’ve all experienced different traumas or been affected by them in different ways, and we’ll all have different triggers and behavioural responses to triggers and trauma. As a result, the approach to rehabilitation and therapy needs to be unique to each person.
Individual therapy can take many forms
Therapy for addiction recovery and mental health problems like anxiety, depression, and stress can take many forms and is fully dependent on the stage the person is at in their recovery journey.
For example, someone with a very severe addiction to alcohol will need medical, psychological, and emotional support and a complete detoxification program to help them through their alcohol detoxification. If they do not receive this, their alcohol withdrawal symptoms could be dangerous to their health.
This approach would be very different if the person had already given up alcohol but were going through a difficult time in their lives, were close to relapsing as a result, and were seeking help to prevent a relapse.
The overriding issue is the same – alcohol dependency – but the approach to these two patients would be very different, otherwise either one or the other may not succeed; possibly neither.
Individualised therapy tailored to the person not the problem
Yes, the issue needs to be at the forefront of the therapy, whether it’s alcohol addiction; drug addiction; stress, anxiety, or depression; or a behavioural addiction; and this will dictate a large portion of the type of therapy required, or the approach.
Just as important, however, is the person with the addiction or mental health problem.
Some people respond well to therapy in a group setting, whereas for others, it could be a potential trigger. Some prefer or respond better in a one-to-one client and therapist session, whereas others close up and struggle to express themselves with such a close environment and being the centre of attention.
What works for one client may not work for another, even if they suffer from the same problem.
Because people are fundamentally different, so too must be the approach to their recovery journey.
Triggers for addiction, relapse, trauma, or mental health problems need to be identified without being triggered. The only way to do this is to be mindful of the person and treat them as an individual rather than the addiction itself. This can only be done via an individualised approach.
The Recovery Lodge offers individualised addiction therapy and stress, anxiety, and depression rehab
This is why, at The Recovery Lodge, we believe that every person who calls us, talks to us, or walks through our doors is unique, and we aim to offer each and every one of our residents an approach to their recovery journey as unique as they are.
We focus on the person over the addiction or mental health problem. We believe that addicts are not defined by their addiction and those with anxiety, stress, or depression are not defined by their mental health problem either.
Our services are delivered by our highly trained staff in a highly personalised manner to help you manage your addiction or mental health problem, identify your unique triggers, and develop a coping strategy to help you manage it and reduce the risk of relapse.