Is There a Difference Between Alcohol and Drug Addiction Treatment?
For the addict or alcoholic considering drug addiction treatment centers, and especially for their loved ones who don’t understand the disease fully, there can be some question as to whether alcohol and drug addiction treatment programs are the same or specialized. The quick answer is both yes and no. Most drug addiction rehab centers are equipped to deal with alcoholism simply because it is essentially a drug addiction as well and in general terms, addiction in any form has the same means toward recovery and specific drugs used aren’t typically mentioned other than for the sake of determining medications during withdrawal and as the specific drug comes up as to issues the addict must face.
Similarities
All addictions, including alcoholism, are either genetic or caused by something which happened to the addict. The event may be a tragedy or trauma the addict experienced which they were unable to accept, or it may be that extended social use of the drug led to physical dependency. Regardless, the treatment is the same in the sense that it takes each patients’ individual circumstances into consideration and develops a customized long-term plan toward maintaining an ongoing sobriety.
Every Addict is Different
Although the tools an addict learns at drug addiction treatment centers to find recovery are the same in the sense they provide healthy alternatives to drug use for coping with daily problems, the ways the addict arrives at the solution are as numerous as the number of addicts finding their way to recovery. That’s how the talent and expertise of a professional counselor come into play. They address each addict’s individual problems and base recommendations for treatment around them.
Treatments Often Overlap
Treatments for addictions to different types of illegal drugs and alcoholism tend to overlap. Often, addicts have used more than one drug so any drug addiction treatment is appropriate. Alcoholics and drug addicts tend to have experienced the same types of problems, so can provide each other with helpful points of view which in turn helps them each recover from their own addictions. Therefore, very few treatment facilities specialize in treatment for only one type of drug or alcohol abuse. As a final note, most addicts when sober have really nice, friendly personalities and are helpful to each other during the treatment process, which is why mixed rehab centers work so well.
