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The Importance of Support Systems in Addiction Rehabilitation

Addiction is a chronic and recurring mental illness defined by obsessive substance seeking and use despite the adverse repercussions this behavior has on one’s health. A person’s job, relationships, and health may all suffer when they have a substance abuse issue. A study published in the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment found that individuals who participated in 12-step programs, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA), had better treatment outcomes than those who did not participate in these programs.(1)

Addiction treatment is a difficult and time-consuming procedure, thus it’s important to combine medical, psychological, and social therapy. Social support networks are critical to the patient’s effectiveness in maintaining sobriety over time, in addition to medical and psychological care.

Definition of Addiction and Rehabilitation

Addiction is a disease that may develop in people who engage in harmful behaviors, such as excessive drug or alcohol use, over a lengthy period of time. Addiction results from the changes in brain structure and function that accompany drug use. Rehabilitation may help restore a person’s physical, mental, and social health when substance misuse has wreaked havoc on those areas. Medical treatments, psychological counseling, and social support groups are only some of the methods included in addiction rehabilitation to help reformed addicts remain sober and improve their quality of life following treatment.

Importance of Support Systems in Addiction Recovery

Addiction is a multifaceted disease that has far-reaching consequences on the addict’s circle of influence. Treatment for addiction that is really successful will have to take a holistic approach. This method must provide a supportive environment for long-term abstinence and treat the biological and psychological causes of addiction. People in recovery from addiction depend significantly on their social support networks, which are invaluable resources. Maintaining sobriety and improving one’s quality of life may be aided by having a solid network of loved ones and friends who care about them.

Types of Support Systems for Addiction Rehabilitation

Throughout the process of beating an addiction, a person may rely on either personal or professional support networks.

  1. Professional Support Systems

    • Medical Professionals

      Treatment and monitoring of a patient’s emotional and physical health by medical specialists is essential to the success of addiction recovery. Medication-assisted therapies, which are delivered by doctors and nurses, ease withdrawal symptoms and cravings, making it easier for patients to maintain abstinence. They maintain checks on the patients’ mental and physical health throughout rehabilitation and intervene if required to prevent setbacks.

    • Counselors and Therapists

      Those in recovery may find it emotionally helpful to work with a therapist or counselor who may provide insight into the causes of their addiction and teach them coping mechanisms to use when cravings and relapse triggers arise. Sessions in both individual and group counseling and therapy may range in length from somewhat quick to quite lengthy, depending on the individual’s or group’s need.

    • Psychiatrists and Psychologists

      Psychiatrists and psychologists, with their specialized training in this field, are well-suited to treat those suffering from mental health issues including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that often co-occur with addiction (PTSD). Symptoms of mental illness are managed with medicine and therapy sessions designed specifically for each patient.

    A study published in the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment found that having social support from family and friends was positively associated with treatment engagement and retention, as well as with better treatment outcomes.(2)

  2. Personal Support Systems
    • Family and Friends

      When someone is trying to overcome an addiction, support from family and friends may be invaluable. Support, drive, and a feeling of belonging are all things that might help those in recovery feel more connected to others and boost their overall sense of well-being. In addition to being there for you emotionally, your loved ones may also be able to provide a hand with day-to-day tasks like traveling about town, making ends meet, or resolving legal issues.

    • Support Groups

      Support groups may be helpful for people in recovery because they provide a secure place for members to share their experiences with one another, get empathy and understanding, and gain insight from others who have gone through similar circumstances. Peer support groups may meet in-person or virtually, and their sessions can be facilitated either by professionals or by members of the group themselves.

    • Religious or Spiritual Communities

      Participants in religious or spiritual organizations often report increased motivation to maintain sober. Members of these communities might find others who share their values and aspirations and draw strength from their company.

Benefits of Support Systems in Addiction Rehabilitation

  1. Emotional Support

    • Encouragement and Motivation

      Having a support system made up of individuals who believe in you and want you to be successful in your sobriety path may do wonders for your drive and confidence. Those in recovery may benefit from having loved ones remind them of their accomplishments and provide words of encouragement.

    • Sense of Belonging

      Sometimes, those who are trying to mend feel all alone in the world. People in recovery may gain a lot in terms of self-respect and satisfaction if they work on establishing a feeling of community among themselves. This is just one of many benefits you’ll get when you reach out to folks with similar interests.

    • Positive Reinforcement

      A person’s motivation to maintain sobriety may benefit greatly from the support of loved ones. Complements, awards, or simple recognition of the individual’s efforts toward recovery objectives all qualify as positive reinforcement.

  2. Practical Support

    • Assistance With Daily Tasks

      Those who are working on their sobriety seldom face the day-to-day challenges that many others do, like as concerns about their physical or mental health or a lack of money. An individual’s ability to concentrate on their rehabilitation and make progress toward their objectives is enhanced when they have a support system in place to help them with mundane activities such as cooking, cleaning, and moving about.

    • Help With Financial and Legal Issues

      It might be difficult to handle one’s finances and legal obligations on one’s own while working through the process of recovering from an addiction. Some individuals may fare better in the face of adversity if they have a support system made up of people who care about them and are ready to help them through the healing process.

    • Support with Employment and Education

      Due to their history of addiction, people in recovery sometimes encounter roadblocks in the areas of work and advancing their education. It may be difficult for persons in recovery to re-enter the employment or pursue further education without the support of family and friends.

    A study found that family therapy, which involves the participation of family members in the addiction treatment process, can improve treatment outcomes and reduce the likelihood of relapse.(3)

  3. Relapse Prevention

    • Coping Strategies For Triggers And Cravings

      Struggling to overcome cravings and triggers throughout recovery may be quite difficult. The members of a support group may help those in recovery discover new techniques for dealing with triggers and cravings.

    • Identifying High-Risk Situations

      Friends and relatives of those in recovery may need to assist them recognize triggers for relapse. Identifying and understanding one’s own relapse risk factors may aid in the creation of effective coping mechanisms.

    • Building Healthy Relationships

      It is essential to keep up positive connections throughout recovery. Individuals in recovery may boost their health and decrease their risk of relapse by cultivating positive connections with others.

How to Build a Support System for Addiction Rehabilitation?

Having a solid support system in place throughout drug treatment is crucial, despite any difficulties that may arise. Here are some steps you may take to set yourself up for success throughout your recovery:

  • Identifying Potential Support Sources

    The first stage in creating a support system is to locate possible sources of assistance. People like family and friends, as well as groups like churches and medical experts, may fall within this category.

  • Communicating With Potential Support Sources

    Those in recovery should make their needs and objectives known to prospective support services when they have been identified. This might be reaching out to friends and family for encouragement, going to professionals for help, or consulting experts on how to avoid relapse in the future.

  • Setting Realistic Expectations

    The best way to maximize the benefits of your support system is to have reasonable expectations of it. As not everyone in one’s support system will be able to give the same amount of aid, those in recovery may need to readjust their expectations.

  • Creating A Support Plan

    People in recovery may benefit from creating a support network to help them maintain their motivation. It may include things like attending support group meetings, maintaining consistent contact with others in one’s support network, and formulating plans to avoid relapse.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) reports that cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and other behavioral therapies can be effective in helping individuals build social support networks and develop coping strategies to manage triggers and cravings.(4)

Conclusion

Becoming sober is challenging, but it may be accomplished with the support of experts in the disciplines of medicine, psychiatry, and social work. People in recovery from addiction depend significantly on their social support networks, which are invaluable resources. Support from loved ones has been shown to increase both sobriety motivation and a feeling of belonging, two factors vital to long-term sober success.

People in recovery may benefit from practical assistance in areas such as budgeting, dealing with legal concerns, searching for work, and continuing their education. It’s possible that a support group may teach people how to deal with cravings and triggers, as well as how to spot potentially dangerous circumstances. By using these strategies, it is possible that the occurrences will occur less often.

Recognizing possible resources for recovery, engaging with those resources, establishing reasonable goals, and putting a support plan into action are all steps in building a support system for addiction rehabilitation. If persons in recovery follow these guidelines, they will have a higher chance of building a solid support system, which in turn will boost their chances of a successful recovery.

During the ups and downs of the recovery process, having a support system you can lean on for motivation and guidance is essential. Having the moral and logistical backing of a community, as well as relapse-prevention resources and a feeling of acceptance, dramatically improves a person’s chances of making a full and lasting recovery. People in recovery may be better able to achieve their recovery goals and improve their well-being as a whole if they create a support structure for themselves.

References:

  1. Garrett SB, Doyle SR, Peavy KM, et al. Age differences in outcomes among patients in the “Stimulant Abuser Groups to Engage in 12-Step” (STAGE-12) intervention. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2018;84:21-29. doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2017.10.012https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5726800/?report=classic
  2. Greenfield SF, Brooks AJ, Gordon SM, et al. Substance abuse treatment entry, retention, and outcome in women: a review of the literature. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2007;86(1):1-21. doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2006.05.012https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3532875/?report=classic
  3. Hogue A, Becker SJ, Wenzel K, et al. Family involvement in treatment and recovery for substance use disorders among transition-age youth: Research bedrocks and opportunities. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2021;129:108402. doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2021.108402https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8380649/?report=classic
  4. Abstract Supplement Abstracts from AIDS 2022, the 24th International AIDS Conference, 29 July – 2 August 2022, Montreal, Canada & Virtual. J Int AIDS Soc. 2022;25 Suppl 3(Suppl 3):e25935. doi:10.1002/jia2.25935 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9344833/?report=classic

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Team PainAssist
Team PainAssist
Written, Edited or Reviewed By: Team PainAssist, Pain Assist Inc. This article does not provide medical advice. See disclaimer
Last Modified On:March 13, 2023

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