Facing addiction treatment is a daunting task. Looking for quality treatment for addiction counseling in Salt Lake City doesn't have to be. Let’s look at the options.
Inpatient Treatment
A person seeking help agrees to live in a residential setting with other people in treatment. This removal from daily life can have a positive effect on maintaining sobriety while there, as there is simply no access to the drug of choice. The therapy sessions are frequent and intense. DATOS reports “a 67% drop in weekly cocaine use and 53% decline in heavy drinkers” in a study of patients one year after completing long-term residential treatment.
Inpatient residential treatment seeks to teach the person in recovery the skills to handle environmental triggers. However, when the person is actually in the environment and confronted with a trigger, they can succumb. Since the skill was not practiced in that location, it may not be an automatic response. Another challenge is that the person in treatment is not able to maintain employment. This increases the financial cost of the treatment tremendously. Finally, inpatient treatment can increase the stress on relationships that may already be fragile. The mate of the patient may feel left out and overburdened. Inpatient treatment centers usually include some relationship counseling, but it is limited.
Outpatient Treatment
Outpatient treatment can be a good alternative for people who can remain clean and sober. It can also be used as a step-down treatment after inpatient treatment to provide ongoing support for practicing the skills taught in the inpatient program. Intensive Outpatient Treatment (IOT) is a minimum of nine hours per week, and a course of treatment is 12 to 15 weeks long. In the groups where several people are actively seeking long term sobriety, alliances can form. People often seek this kind of treatment to fulfill an external requirement, such as legal or employment issues, or demand from a family member. The DATOS outcomes were reported as “a 57% drop in the number of weekly cocaine users, a 64% reduction in the number of weekly marijuana users, and a 52% decline in heavy drinkers.”
Intensive Outpatient Therapy is also burdensome to family members. While the patient is often still able to work, they are not available to their family. There is a financial cost in travel, and the freedom involved is often problematic.
Family Treatment
Pathways integrates the family to strengthen and repair current issues that may hinder the healing process. Pathways Real Life is a pioneer in this treatment. This innovative program is intensely focused on supporting the person to recognize and utilize their own inner resources, family supports, and help from beyond themselves.
This treatment modality offers support for the entire family. Loved ones are recruited and trained to be support agents. Since the behaviors, attitudes, and self-concept are changing in the home environment, there is less adjustment back to real life after treatment.
