If you are using drink or drugs to help you cope with your problems, this is one of the signs that you have developed a substance dependency. While getting drunk or high can seem an easy way to help you forget your troubles, doing so places your health at risk and can seriously disrupt your life. However, if you can acknowledge your habit has become destructive, you can access professional treatment for substance misuse that can help you free yourself from its hold. In fact, Steps to Recovery has treatment centers within reach of Swarthmore, allowing you to benefit from specialist addiction help close to home. When you enroll in one of our programs you can start your journey to a brighter future in which alcohol and drugs have no part.
Understanding the Dangers of Your Habit
Although you may be well aware that alcohol abuse can damage your liver and there is a risk of overdosing on heroin, if you use cannabis, party drugs or prescription drugs to achieve a high in the belief that they are a safer option, this is far from the case, as all drugs, illegal or otherwise, carry risks. Just some of the dangers include:
- Susceptibility to low mood and anxiety after a high, as well as a greater likelihood of mental health problems in the future. Marijuana and LSD are among the drugs that can damage your mental wellness.
- Organ damage is a real possibility with long-term substance abuse. For example, opiate abuse may damage your liver and kidneys, while amphetamines and cocaine can harm your heart.
- Increased risk of infection. If you inject heroin or cocaine and share needles, you may contract hepatitis B or HIV. Smoking cannabis and crack can also make you vulnerable to lung infections.
- Taking part in other risky activity such as drink or drugged driving, or engaging in unprotected sex.
Looking beyond the dangers to your health, abusing substances also makes you more likely to struggle with school or work, your relationships and other commitments you have. Equally, you may find that your habit causes you financial or legal problems. When in the grip of addiction it is difficult to see a way out, but with our support you can successfully leave your destructive habits behind you.
Choosing Substance Abuse Treatment Near Swarthmore
Once you decide to seek specialist therapy for your addiction, there are a range of substance dependency programs open to you. Firstly, if there are concerns that the initial withdrawal poses a danger to your health due to your heavy use, you will need to participate in a supervised detox. Steps to Recovery offers medically monitored withdrawal programs close to Swarthmore, but you can also access addiction rehabilitation in the area too, which is the next step on your journey to abstinence. When it comes to rehab you can choose between an inpatient stay, partial hospitalization and outpatient treatment. Each carries its own advantages, but for an intensive and fully supervised program of care, you should choose residential rehabilitation. Meanwhile, partial hospitalization offers you a similar intensity of therapy, but allows you to still stay at home if you are well supported. Finally, outpatient care is the most flexible option for treating substance dependency, as you do not need to attend therapy every day, so can keep up your other commitments while you receive treatment for your habit.
Specialist Therapy Tailored to You
As we always give your needs first priority, we make sure that everyone who enters addiction rehab with us receives a therapy program devised around their needs, allowing you to benefit from personalized treatment. By customizing care in this way, you can receive the therapy that is most likely to help you quit your habits in the long-term. This approach to care is supported by scientific evidence and the high success rates of our clients are further proof that this style of therapy program is effective.
Central to the therapy you receive is counseling, which is delivered on a private and group basis. With a counselor during individual sessions you will focus on your own needs and how you can develop strategies for managing factors such as triggers for substance abuse and cravings. Then during interactive sessions you will take part in group discussion around issues that are relevant to many of you and problem solve with your peers. Through these group sessions you will also benefit from the support of your fellow clients, which will put you that step closer to achieving your goals. Family therapy is additionally available to help you restore the bond with your loved ones and make sure that they are ready to offer you encouragement and the strength you need to stay sober.
There is also increasing interest in using complementary treatments as part of addiction programs, as the likes of yoga and acupuncture are helpful for promoting good mental well-being and for providing relief from cravings.
Preparing You for Your Onward Journey
On top of the coping mechanisms you develop through therapy sessions, you will also need other help to adjust to life after alcohol and drug treatment near Swarthmore. For instance, if you are a residential client and have chosen this option as you struggled to care for yourself properly, you will need to make sure that you can confidently manage at home after therapy. While sober living is available to ease the transition back into independent living, you will learn skills such as managing a budget and how to prepare nutritious meals for yourself while you are an inpatient. However, if finding work is also a worry for you, we can help you develop skills that will give you a better chance in the jobs market. This may mean helping you to build on your existing communication and team working skills, but we can also offer practical tips for writing your resume, completing applications for work and how to shine at an interview. With these skills at your disposal, you will fair much better after rehabilitation and are less likely to resume your old habits.
To hear more about the range of drug and alcohol treatments close to Swarthmore that we offer, speak to our welcoming staff who are always happy to tell prospective clients all about our programs.