Getting the Best Drug Treatment in Maine

Maine is a state that has historically had issues with drug usage. In fact, in fairly recent years, the rate of usage was higher than the national average. Further, as the 21st century continued on, drug overdoses became a major cause of premature death, particularly in men. In addition to adding years to your life, going to rehab can have a number of other positive effects on your body, mind, and relationships.

Benefits of Rehab

Understanding the many benefits of enrolling in a treatment program can encourage you to take the next step on your journey. The advantages of treatment can better your life in virtually countless ways.

Professional Guidance

While you may have come to the realization that stopping your drug usage is critical, you might not necessarily know how to do so. Also, different people have varying needs. A method that worked for someone else might not have the exact same effect on you. Getting professional drug rehab in Maine means that you’ll work with a team to develop a plan customized to your needs and to the type of addiction that you’re struggling with.

Furthermore, freeing yourself from an addiction to drugs isn’t easy. Along the road to recovery, you are likely to feel tempted into using substances. If you’re trying to end your addiction without professional guidance, you may succumb to these temptations. A rehab program will provide tools and techniques to aid in the prevention of a relapse.

An Understanding Atmosphere

Trying to relieve yourself of drug addiction at home can be difficult for multiple reasons. One issue is that the people who are around you may not understand your addiction. While these individuals might care about you, they can struggle to come to terms with why you are addicted in the first place and what the necessary steps to recover are.

At a treatment facility, you’ll work with specialists who have dedicated their lives to helping people with addiction. In fact, some of the specialists might have struggled with addiction themselves earlier in their lives. On top of working with caring team members, you’ll also be in a community of people who are experiencing similar struggles. When you have a difficult day, you don’t need to feel judged. The people around you know what battling an addiction feels like.

Improved Health

Drug usage can harm your health in many ways. Physically, you might encounter struggles with your heart or lung health. In terms of mental health, you may face depression. Therefore, going to rehab can help you with these issues. Once the drug has been eliminated from your system, you might start to physically feel better. If you previously struggled to have the energy to get through a day at work or even to enjoy a leisurely hobby, you may now feel that motivation.

Another benefit of professional treatment in this regard is that medical experts can identify any potential physical health issues that may have already begun. While confronting the news that damage has been done to your heart or lungs is jarring, it is better to know this information so that you can take steps to reverse the damage if possible and employ preventative strategies to reduce the odds of the problem growing.

In terms of mental health, you might learn that you have a comorbidity, which is the presence of more than one disorder simultaneously. Counseling sessions or other programs at the treatment facility can reveal this information. At first, you might be shocked to learn that you suffer from another mental health issue in addition to your drug addiction. However, knowing this information allows the professionals to work toward alleviation. You may even learn strategies that can address both your drug addiction and other mental health issues simultaneously.

Positive Behaviors

Many people use drugs in order to feel good. In fact, the release of dopamine caused by certain drugs can encourage you to continue in this dangerous behavior. The release of dopamine might trick your body into thinking that the consumption of drugs is good, which can encourage you to seek out these substances.

In treatment, you will learn about activities that are actually healthy for your body and mind. For example, if you enroll in a program that infuses principles of art therapy, you can employ your creative skills. You might make drawings or paintings that express how you’re feeling. Other programs might encourage you to participate in physical exercise or to explore nature. Regardless of what treatment facility you choose, you can feel confident that the daily schedule will include activities that help you learn about healthy ways to feel good.

Types of Programs

Treatment centers are going to vary in the approaches that they take toward addiction recovery. While you want to speak with representatives at the facilities in which you’re interested to learn the specifics of those programs, going into the research phase with a general sense of treatment types is helpful.

Medically Supervised Detox

One smart option is to choose a medically supervised detox program. This type of treatment is intended to help with the withdrawal phase. When you are withdrawing from a drug, it’s possible that you’ll experience mild to severe side effects. The fear of withdrawal keeps some people from pursuing recovery at all. Medically supervised detox can alleviate some of these fears.

In this type of program, you’ll go through the withdrawal process with professionals around. In the event that you begin to experience side effects, the staff members can reassure you that this situation is a normal part of the process. If you need further physical or emotional support as you go through withdrawal, the team members are there. You might choose to go through a medically supervised detox as a stand-alone experience, or you may choose this option before entering into an outpatient or inpatient program.

Inpatient Treatment

If you’re enrolling in a residential treatment program, you are then starting inpatient treatment. Inpatient treatment simply means that you live at the facility with other clients. This type of program can be suitable in the case of severe addictions. Also, if you’ve tried outpatient treatment in the past and relapsed, consider how a new type of program might be the right answer. Other people can benefit from inpatient treatment too.

Think about the ways in which your home environment affects you as well. For example, you might not have a great support system at home. It’s also possible that you’re constantly surrounded by your triggers in the neighborhood. Even when these issues don’t exist at home, being in a new environment can provide you with the mental clarity and space to recover.

You’re likely wondering how long your stay at the treatment facility will be. The amount of time depends, and both short-term and long-term programs are available. Your personal history with drug usage, for example, can play a role in how long of a program is recommended.

Outpatient Treatment

In some cases, outpatient treatment is more appropriate. You might have a strong support system at home. You also may have responsibilities, such as caring for children or working, that you simply can’t leave behind. An outpatient program means that you won’t live at the facility. The program will involve regular meetings. This type of treatment can be powerful in terms of learning how to fit recovery into your daily schedule.

Some people enroll solely in outpatient treatment. Others, however, go to outpatient treatment to continue with their inpatient program. If it has been some time since you participated in an inpatient program, talk to a counselor about whether you should try inpatient treatment again or start attending an outpatient center.

How to Get Treatment

Now that you know about the different types of treatment available, you may be wondering how you can actually take the next step.

Think about What You Want

While you don’t need to decide exactly what type of treatment you want right now, you should start to get a sense of whether you’d prefer inpatient or outpatient treatment. Try not to be closed off to any options, though. For example, if you think you want to enroll in inpatient treatment, make those centers the focus of your research. Still, though, you can put a couple of outpatient treatment programs on the list too. Getting a sense of what the different programs have to offer is a helpful way to decide which treatment is the best fit.

Get Recommendations

Trying to find a treatment center on your own can feel overwhelming, especially during a time that is already difficult. Your doctor or therapist can likely recommend both inpatient and outpatient centers that could be a good fit for your needs.

Speak with Representatives

Asking questions about treatment centers can feel intimidating, particularly when you’re in a vulnerable state. Remember that the team members at treatment centers want to help you. These individuals expect that new clients are going to have questions. Think about what you want to know before meeting or speaking with the representative. Writing down your questions is an effective strategy so that you don’t forget what you want to ask.

Ask for Support

Letting your relatives and friends know that you’re going to start treatment for your addiction can feel scary and overwhelming. Keep in mind that your loved ones may already know that you have an addiction. They are likely to feel happy and relieved that you’re going to take this step toward recovery.

Ask your loved ones for their support. If you’re enrolling in an inpatient program, you may ask relatives to take care of your pets while you’re away. If you’re attending outpatient treatment, you can ask your friends to understand that you may not have as much time to spend with them in the near future.

Talk with the staff members at the facility to find out how you can continue to have support from loved ones, particularly if you’re going to inpatient treatment. In other words, you may want to know if you can talk with your relatives on the phone or have friends visit you at the treatment center. When visitors are allowed, do realize that there will probably be some limitations. Recognize that you have to focus on yourself and get better.

Commit to Your Treatment

Starting treatment and committing to treatment are two different things. When you walk into the facility, you want to ensure that you’re fully present. If you’re concerned about your ability to focus on the treatment program, consider talking with a counselor regarding this issue. A different type of treatment might be more suitable.

Another possibility is that the counselor can talk to you about strategies for focusing on and committing to your recovery. For example, you might learn strategies for meditating or grounding yourself. You can also learn about what it really means to commit to treatment and the dedication necessary to do so.

Ultimately, remember that you deserve to recover from your addiction and have a healthy life. This realization can be a difficult one to come to terms with. By doing so, however, you can better commit to the program.

Taking the next steps to start researching programs and then enrolling might seem scary and overwhelming. However, know that support is available for you every step of the way. If you simply want to ask some questions or if you want to sign up for a program as soon as possible, representatives are available to talk through the options with you.