Drug and Alcohol Treatment in California
The primary focus of a drug and alcohol treatment facility in California is to help addicted individuals to quit using drugs and or alcohol, uncover and handle underlying issues, develop new coping methods, apply necessary life skills and implement a plan for a new life that doesn’t include drug abuse. Before a person can receive the many benefits of attending a drug and alcohol treatment facility in California they first need to acknowledge the fact that they have a substance abuse problem that has grow to be out of control and professional assistance is necessary. This doesn’t mean that they must hit rock bottom, just that they need to realize that their situation is beyond their ability to control. While accepting treatment is ideal there are situations where individuals who did not want to attend treatment were able to receive great benefit from attending and completing a treatment program.
Once a drug or alcohol treatment program in California has been selected the next step is undergoing the withdrawal process. Because the withdrawal process varies in intensity depending on the type of drug that is being abused it is important that it be performed by trained professionals and not at home before going to rehab. Many rehab programs have detoxification services located on site to help their clients through this challenging process. Depending on the substance the individual is addicted to, medications and medical supervision may be necessary. This method of medically assisted withdrawal is commonly performed in a hospital or similar setting where medical professionals ranging from doctors to nurses are available to supervise the client through their detox process. Substances that do not require medically assisted detox can be dealt with privately in most drug treatment programs using trained withdrawal staff, nutritional supplements and therapeutic withdrawal techniques to minimize the client’s withdrawal symptoms.
When the detoxification process is complete it is now time for the educational portion of the rehab process to begin. Until the client’s withdrawal process is completed, trying to have the program participant absorb new information is unproductive because they are still experiencing withdrawal symptoms and are unable to truly focus on any other areas of their recovery. The educational part of the California treatment program may be different depending on which treatment program the individual attends. Generally speaking though, this component of the recovery program includes working with staff members and counselors on resolving the issues that drove the person to turn to drugs or alcohol as an answer to the problems that where going on in their life. While discovering and resolving these problems the client learns new ways to deal with these problems as well as others when they come up again in the future without resorting to drug or alcohol use.
Clients enrolled in a California drug rehabilitation program will learn and apply new life skills that they can apply in the “real world” when they complete treatment. These new life skills include improved communication, learning to stay focused in the present moment and not living in the past, how to identify positive vs. negative people, taking responsibility for their past transgressions and understanding that the future is up to them to decide and how to plan out their lives as a drug and/or alcohol free person. Attending a drug or alcohol rehabilitation center in California is more than just getting off drugs and alcohol; it is conquering one’s addiction issues and learning to live a happy, productive life as a sober member of one’s family and community.