The Transformation of Recovery
There are many stigmas around addiction that can prevent you from seeking treatment. When untreated, drug and alcohol addiction leads to thousands of deaths every year. Over the past couple of decades, we have seen monumental advances in treatment. The culture of our mental health treatment has gone from sending individuals who are suffering from addiction to a drunk tank or asylum, to carefully planned treatments tailored to each person’s needs. These advances are effective tools for preventing the thousands of deaths experienced across the country. Yet, you might be unable to experience these useful tools due to the stigmas surrounding addiction treatment.
Along with the advances we have made in addiction treatment, we need to advance as a society and come to a place where there is no more stigma around seeking treatment. Seeking treatment and entering into recovery is a transformative process. Do not let stigmas deter you from treatment. Reach out to those of us at The Lakehouse Recovery Center and let your recovery transformation begin today.
Diving Deeper Into the Stigma
Before speaking on the transformative process of recovery, it is important to better understand what exactly stigma is. The Better Health Channel describes stigma as when “someone negatively sees you because of a particular characteristic or attribute.” Being treated differently for your mental illness is discrimination. The majority of the time individuals face discrimination because they are misunderstood. Often people become categorized as well. They may begin defining you as a person with mental illness or a person suffering from addiction. Instead of recognizing the humanity in you, they see only the part of you they do not understand.
These social stigmas are powerful. They can cause you to fear entering into treatment. In general, it is normal to be afraid of entering treatment. If those fears are derived from the unknowns of treatment that is to be expected. If you are seeking treatment, you should never have to be fearful of judgment. You may feel shame because of your illness, be reluctant to ask for help, or experience self-doubt in your ability to live a life of recovery. By letting stigmatization get to you, you will only further your substance use, and it will ultimately cause more severe suffering or increase the risk of overdose.
Is Recovery Possible?
Depending on where you are in your addiction struggle right now, recovery may not feel all that possible, but we can assure you it is. The Lakehouse Recovery Center is comprised of staff who are in recovery themselves, and multiple success stories can inspire you within our walls. Addiction can be treated, and thanks to science and research, more effective methods of treatment are being implemented every day. Now there may not be a cure, but your time at the Lakehouse will prepare you for a life of recovery. First things first though, you need to ask for and get quality treatment.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), can help guide and educate you on the principles of effective treatment and recovery. Keep in mind, however, that no treatment plan is the same. The Lakehouse prioritizes creating individual treatment plans for you. According to the NIDA, medication, in combination with counseling, can be an effective first line of treatment for opioid addictions. Medications are frequently used during detox as well. They help to manage the pain that is often accompanied by detox.
The bulk of treatment is in the individual and group therapy sessions you will attend. This is the opportunity to learn about and understand the root cause of your addiction while learning tools that will help you combat cravings or triggers during recovery. Much of the transformation process occurs during the treatment program. You learn that recovery is not just about abstaining from drugs and alcohol, it is about making a complete life change that improves your physical and mental well-being. Do not worry about the fear or stigma around addiction recovery. Keep in mind that you are not your illness and you can transform your life into the life you have always wanted to live.
Transforming Yourself at The Lakehouse
You will have ample time to transform yourself and your life during your time at The Lakehouse Recovery Center. In addition to individual and group therapy, our relapse prevention program is an excellent way for you to begin preparing for your life post-treatment. Your case manager will work with you on any goals you hope to achieve, creative ways to avoid triggers, and healthy ways to cope with relapse or potential relapse.
If you are suffering from addiction but are fearful of seeking treatment because of stigma or shame, we encourage you to look at recovery not as an admittance of failure but as an opportunity for transformation. The Lakehouse can help you on your path to recovery, all you have to do is reach out today.
Oftentimes stigma, judgment, and stereotypes prevent people from seeking the mental health treatment they need, specifically, when it comes to addiction treatment. While we as a society need to collectively diminish the stigma surrounding addiction and mental health treatment, it may be easier for some to seek treatment if they change their perspective on it. Admitting you need help is not an admittance of failure. It’s an important first step in realizing that you have a problem that you cannot face on your own. By viewing recovery as a process of transformation, you will soon see that it’s not just about abstaining from drugs or alcohol, it’s about completely transforming your life into a life you have always wanted to live. The Lakehouse Recovery Center can help you do that today. You can begin your path to recovery by calling us at (877) 762-3707.