How Addiction Recovery Works

How Addiction Recovery Works

professional showing how an addiction recovery program works

Table of Contents

Substance abuse is a chronic and incurable disease that changes the chemical makeup of your brain. It has serious and potentially life-threatening consequences that are best addressed in partnership with an addiction recovery program. The purpose of an addiction recovery program is to help individuals stop their use of drugs or alcohol, understand the forces that brought them there, and help them build skills to keep it from happening again. Addiction treatment programs in Maine, such as the ones at Liberty Bay Recovery, have helped thousands heal from their substance abuse problems and move toward a brighter future.

Going Through Detox

In most cases, the first step of an alcohol rehab program in Portland, Maine is detoxification, also known as detox. It is fundamental to the success of recovery. If you have developed a serious dependence on drugs or alcohol, you do not want to try to break that dependence alone. Substance abuse literally reworks the chemical recipe in your brain, convincing your body it needs the drugs or alcohol to survive. When you stop using these foreign substances, you will probably experience physical and/or emotional withdrawal. Signs of withdrawal include:

  • Sleep disruption
  • Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
  • Increased heart rate or blood pressure
  • Dizziness
  • Fatigue
  • Poor appetite

During your time at a medical detox center in Portland, doctors monitor your condition to make sure these reactions do not pose a danger to your health.

Addiction Counseling

The next phase of your addiction recovery program is attending an individual therapy program. The idea behind counseling is to help you get to the root of your problems.  Most of your time is spent in individual therapy. Counselors will help guide you to understand the forces that led to your addiction. They also work with you to build coping skills that you can integrate into your daily life.

Group therapy comes as part of this phase as well. Discussing your challenges with others going through the same experience builds bonds and reduces a sense of isolation and loneliness. You may also be a candidate for family therapy. Addiction has an impact on the family unit and discussing issues together than help speed recovery and healing. Sometimes counseling can extend to complementary activities, such as an addiction rehab program built around music, art, or the outdoors. Counseling is fundamental to rehab, and a vital part of addiction treatment programs in Maine at Liberty Bay Recovery. We’ll work hard with you to provide the motivation you need for positive change.

Importance of Aftercare

Graduating from counseling represents a tremendous accomplishment. But it’s typically not the end of a residential addiction treatment program. Like many chronic diseases, substance abuse can return. Relapse happens at a high rate, especially in the first year after rehab.

Your addiction recovery program will include the potential to take advantage of the services of aftercare. Every individual is different, so the types of services will vary. But generally, they can involve ongoing counseling appointments, maybe some medication, and participation in 12-step anonymous programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous. These types of offerings provide peer support in dealing with the many temptations of modern life. 

Addiction Recovery Program

Substance abuse to the point of addiction represents a tremendous threat to your physical health, your mental health, and even your freedom. Breaking the cycle is not easy. It requires the support of our professional staff at our addiction rehab program who is trained in addiction medicine. Liberty Bay Recovery will stand with you through the entire process. Our goal is to help you end the addiction and rebuild your life with an emphasis on hope. Count on us to provide residential, outpatient, and aftercare programs that motivate change. Start today and explore our addiction treatment programs in Maine. Contact Liberty Bay Recovery at [Direct] for an initial consultation.