Therapy vs. Treatment

Many people know that they need help with a substance use disorder, but not everyone follows through with obtaining that help. You may be wary of getting help for any number of reasons, and one may be because you don’t believe that therapy or treatment will work. The first thing that we must explain is the difference between therapy and treatment and then we can determine which one is right for you. 

Therapy or Treatment? 

Many people are unaware of the difference between the words “therapy” and “treatment.” Therapy is the tool that the medical community uses to rehabilitate patients. In this instance, rehabilitate means “to restore to a condition of good health…” The word “treatment” means “cure.” 

You may have heard people say that they are obtaining therapy for their addictions. Others may have said that they are in treatment. The truth is that there are several therapies that the medical community uses to treat people with substance use disorders. 

The Cure for Substance Use Disorders

Substance use disorders are classified as “chronic diseases,” and as such, they can be treated, but they cannot necessarily be cured. As treatable conditions, substance use disorders respond to therapy. Substance use disorders require that your physician or therapist develop the right therapy for you. Since the first treatment that your physician or therapist develops for you may not be the right one, the physician or therapist will continue to change your therapy until you are both satisfied that you have found the correct one. The treatment of substance use disorders is an ongoing, long-term process, so you can expect to be in therapy for your substance use disorder for several years. 

Detoxification Programs

Detoxification is a treatment because it is a method of curing the individual’s physical addiction. In this instance, the treatment is not curing the substance use disorder. It seeks to return the person to the level of health he or she was enjoying before the addiction occurred. Detoxification assists the body in eliminating all traces of the substances so that the person can engage in therapies that keep him or her from relapsing in the future.  

Therapy for Addiction

Therapy is a pathway rehabilitation centers use to “rehabilitate” substance users. The therapies are different, but they all have a few things in common. For instance, they all require that you attend sessions. Your therapist will set up a schedule in which you will attend several sessions that may last an hour or so. Each therapy teaches you skills that you need to remain sober. Most importantly,  you will learn strategies that you can use when you are in difficult situations that led you to use substances in the past. 

Therapies for the Treatment of Substance Use Disorders at Allure Detox:

Acupuncture Treatment 

When you are using substances, you may have been medicating the pain that past trauma has caused or the physical pain that you are experiencing. You may be unwilling to stop using your substance of choice because you will have to face the underlying reason for your substance use. Acupuncture is a treatment that can relieve your mental and physical pain. Once you are no longer in pain, you can devote your full attention to therapy for your substance use disorder. 

When you undergo the detoxification process and begin acupuncture treatment, you will experience the following: 

A reduction in your cravings

A new emotional balance

Less irritability and mood swings

Yoga

As your rehabilitation causes the underlying issues that you have been medicating to come to the surface, you may begin to experience physical pain and negative emotions. Yoga is one method that helps you endure the physical pain and the stress that comes with these new sensations. At Allure Detox, we incorporate yoga into your comprehensive treatment plan to effectively treat your addiction. 

Physical Therapy

Physical therapy is a great option during the detoxification process. If you are experiencing physical pain that caused you to use substances, during the detox process, you will not be able to medicate your pain away. At Allure Detox, we place you in a physical therapy program during the detoxification process so that we can help relieve your physical pain. Then, you can concentrate on working your way through recovery. 

Massage Therapy

As a massage therapist works your muscles and soft tissues, massage relieves stress and pain that you may be experiencing. The decision to get help overcoming your addiction may cause you to feel relieved, but it can also lead to anxiety. During the detoxification process, the underlying pain and emotions come to the surface and result in anxiety. At this time, many people begin to notice the physical tension in their bodies, but massage therapy relieves the stress that detox brings forward so that you can continue with the detoxification process.  

Chiropractic Care

During the detoxification process, we can offer chiropractic care. Chiropractic care aligns your spine so that your nervous system can function at optimal levels, and this has the effect of causing you to feel better. When you feel better, you have fewer reasons to medicate yourself with substances. It also relieves your stress so that you can continue to heal during your other therapy sessions. 

Treatment for Substance Use Disorders

At Allure Detox, we offer medication-assisted treatment or MAT. Along with the therapies listed above, you may also be placed in our MAT program to help you endure the withdrawal symptoms that will present themselves when you are no longer ingesting your drug of choice. 

According to the research, you have the best chances of overcoming your substance use disorder when you participate in the holistic therapies listed above as well as MAT. The medications will reduce cravings for your drug of choice and alleviate the withdrawal symptoms. Obtaining both of these therapies increases your chances of moving forward toward sobriety and preventing relapses. 

The Effectiveness of MAT

Some people are concerned that the medications clients receive in the MAT program are a substitute for the substances that they have been using. This is a myth. For example, if you are addicted to opioids, we will administer medications that treat opioid use disorder. The medication that we will administer is not capable of creating a high. Instead, it will reduce your cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Then, your brain has a chance to restore its balance while you work toward long-term recovery. 

If you are seeking treatment for your substance use disorder, contact us today at Allure Detox.