In 2020 alone, 40.3 million people in the United States had a substance use disorder. Of those, only a small percentage received effective treatment.
Substance use disorders are chronic, relapsing conditions that can turn your life upside down, impacting your relationships, careers, and goals. The nature of the disease can also make it incredibly difficult to break away from substance-seeking behavior for long enough to get help. Even if you do manage to seek help, you may struggle to maintain long-term sobriety if you don’t choose a treatment option that suits your needs.
One significant factor that can help you complete treatment and achieve your sobriety goals is having a program that is uniquely tailored to you. This is where personalized addiction treatment plans come in. When you opt for addiction treatment that addresses your specific struggles and goals, you can enjoy an enhanced recovery in many ways.
Here is what you need to know about targeted treatments for substance use disorders and what benefits they offer.
Understanding the Diversity of Addiction
To understand the limits of a one-size-fits-all approach to addiction treatment, it’s important to have a clear idea of the variety of underlying factors that can lead someone to fall into a substance use disorder in the first place. Genetics can be one of these factors.
Scientists estimate that genes account for at least 50% of a person’s vulnerability to drug addiction. Addiction is considered an inheritable disease in which even minor genetic differences can make someone more likely to experience a problem with addictive behavior.
There are many genes that impact addiction, however, which means that there may be countless ways that those genes affect the brain in each individual and trigger different reactions.
Added to that challenge are environmental factors. Your experiences and home life all play a role in the development of a substance use disorder. If you were exposed to adverse early life experiences or you live in an area where drugs are available, your chances of developing an addiction can be much greater.
Furthermore, many people suffering from substance use disorders have other mental health conditions. These comorbidities need to be taken into account during treatment, especially when deciding on which medications are appropriate for the detox process.
When you consider all of the factors that can play a role in the development of a substance use disorder, you can see why finding one treatment option that addresses the needs of everyone struggling with addiction is almost impossible. The best option, then, is to offer personalized addiction treatment plans. But what exactly do these plans involve?
What Are Personalized Addiction Treatment Plans?
Personalized addiction treatment plans refer to treatment programs that combine many interventions and therapies, implementing them as needed to offer the best possible outcomes for each patient. These plans are designed to meet each individual’s unique needs, and they take into account a number of factors, including:
- Substance involved
- Length of the addiction
- Physical health conditions
- Presence of co-occurring mental health conditions
- Personal goals
- Family dynamics
- Home environment
Generic treatment programs can’t address all of these factors for everyone, which means that they won’t allow you to receive the targeted support you need. Not being able to address key issues that led to the addiction can mean that you’ll be more likely to relapse or even quit your recovery program. You won’t have all of the tools you need to achieve lasting recovery.
With personalized addiction treatment plans, however, you can expect every aspect of your life to be addressed. Your care team can make adjustments as needed by performing regular assessments, ensuring that your program remains relevant and effective. As your needs change, so does your plan.
Key Components of a Personalized Addiction Treatment Plan
A tailored treatment program for substance use disorders will have a few core components. Some of those components can include the following:
Diagnosis and Full Assessment
To create a program that suits your needs, your care team will need to give you a full assessment so that you can have a clear diagnosis. This can make a huge difference for people who are facing co-occurring disorders.
Because many of the same factors that can lead to the development of an addiction can also affect your chances of having a mental health concern, co-occurring conditions are very common. Addressing one without addressing the other is detrimental and can even increase the risk of a relapse. That’s why having a thorough assessment before beginning treatment is vital.
The assessment will ask you about your substance use disorder, including details of how often you use and when you started using. You’ll need to provide a medical history to give your team an idea of your physical health, as well as a family history.
Your team will also likely ask about your home environment, the kind of support you have available, and whether you’ve tried getting sober before.
Customized Therapy Sessions
Using all of the information gleaned from the assessment, your team can structure your therapy sessions to ensure you receive the exact support you need. One aspect of this is finding the right treatment modalities.
Although cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most commonly used therapeutic options, it’s not the only one. Some people may do better with more holistic approaches, while others can benefit from traditional talk therapy. A combination of both may be helpful to others.
Remember that your plan is flexible. That’s the point of having a personalized treatment program. If something doesn’t seem to be working, your care team can make the necessary adjustments.
Your therapy will typically involve individual and group sessions, along with family sessions. All of these sessions can be customized, and some may even take place online.
Treatment of the Underlying Cause
It’s not enough to remove traces of the substance from your body and stabilize you physically. An effective treatment program also has to provide that same balance for your psyche. To do so, it must tackle the underlying cause of the addiction.
Your program has to help you pinpoint what may have led to the substance use disorder and what may be keeping you from recovering. If that trigger isn’t addressed, it can easily lead you down the path to addiction once more.
For example, if mental health concerns like depression or anxiety led you to drugs to manage symptoms, your recovery isn’t complete without getting treatment for the mental health condition. If the problem began because you lived through a traumatic experience, then that’s what needs to be a key focus during therapy.
Medication Management
An important part of your recovery plan is ensuring that you’re comfortable and that withdrawal symptoms or cravings are addressed as you recover. As with the rest of your treatment, a personalized program ensures that you receive the exact medications and dosages that your unique body chemistry requires as you detox.
Aftercare Planning
Your personalized addiction treatment plan also needs to have a clear aftercare path. The transition from treatment to regular life can be fraught with dangers that are specific to your circumstances.
If your home environment doesn’t promote sobriety, for example, your plan should offer alternatives to going back to your routine. This can mean sober living homes, further treatment, or whatever provides the right support.
Relapse Prevention
Your personalized addiction treatment plan needs to include relapse prevention strategies that meet your exact needs as well. This means helping you recognize the stressors that could pose a danger to your sobriety.
By considering your support system, your care team can plan a relapse prevention strategy that you know you can rely on.
Benefits of a Personalized Addiction Treatment Plan
Personalized treatment plans provide a wealth of benefits, including increasing your chances of achieving long-term sobriety. Take a closer look at how this kind of plan can make a difference in your recovery journey.
Addresses Unique Needs
All aspects of your life impact your recovery, from your family history to your genes and life experiences. The length of your addiction, the substance you use and how you use it, and whether you have any mental health conditions can also impact your recovery. A plan that addresses all of these factors can make long-term recovery more attainable.
Increases Motivation and Engagement
When a program is tailored to your needs, you are more likely to remain engaged with the process. Being motivated and fully invested in your treatment is vital to achieving the results you want. Another important aspect of these personalized programs is that they empower you because you have a say in the process.
Promotes Cultural Sensitivity
People from different backgrounds can struggle in diverse ways when going through recovery. Some cultures see asking for help and beginning a program as a sign of weakness, which can be a significant problem if that’s what you’ll hear at home once you return to your daily life.
Your treatment program can keep these elements in mind and offer psychological tools to help you avoid the triggers that you face. There may also be cultural issues that need to be considered during therapy sessions. A plan that tackles these issues with respect can offer a greater chance of success.
Improves Outcomes
Personalized programs help to better prepare you for the exact stressors you will face when you return to your regular life by offering tailored strategies and coping skills. Because these programs are so flexible and can meet your changing needs, they can help you face new challenges with confidence.
Another aspect of a personalized plan that can make a significant difference in outcomes is offering both in-person and online care. This can help with retention for people who have transportation issues or can’t take time off to get care. With more options for care available to suit different lifestyles, patients can stick to treatment for longer.
Begin Your Sobriety Journey With a Personalized Plan at APN Lodge
The challenges you face on your path to sobriety might be wholly different from the ones of the person sitting next to you. Offering identical treatment plans would likely not help in either case. To help you make the changes in your life that can promote long-term sobriety, you need a treatment plan made just for you.
At APN Lodge, we offer personalized addiction treatment plans that combine traditional modalities like cognitive behavioral therapy with holistic options like experiential therapy. We know each person who comes to our facilities is unique. By offering a wide selection of treatment programs, from residential care to online services, we can support every step of your personal recovery journey.
Call us at 855-510-4585 or message us to learn more about the services we offer at APN Lodge today.
References
- National Institute of Mental Health. “Substance Use and Co-Occurring Mental Disorders.” National Institute of Mental Health, Mar. 2024, www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/substance-use-and-mental-health.
- Price, M. (2008, June 1). Genes matter in addiction. Monitor on Psychology, 39(6). https://www.apa.org/monitor/2008/06/genes-addict
