Therapies

Recovery is a process of moving into new and uncharted territory, leaving what we know behind and embarking on a journey towards wellness. This process can induce a lot of anxiety in people, as making the decision to abandon our familiarity is not an easy task.

“Our wounds are often the openings into the best and most beautiful parts of us.” – David Richo

There are a wide variety of approaches to recovery, with therapy remaining one of the most common methods for treating addiction. But why is therapy so popular? On this page, we will provide an overview of therapy, explaining what it is and why it is such a valuable tool on the road to life-long recovery.

Can addiction be treated?

Fortunately, addiction is a very treatable illness, though it is only possible to succeed if the individual is willing and motivated to overcome their condition. Getting well is possible, and many people have left treatment with the ability to live happy, healthy lives free from their addictions.

What is therapy

Therapy is a form of treatment which aims to help people work through and overcome their issues in a safe and controlled environment. Typically, you would meet with a therapist to address problematic behaviours, beliefs or feelings that may be causing you harm or distress. While each person’s experience with therapy is going to be different, there is a great deal of discussion involved, and the client will have an opportunity to talk through any goals or expectations that they might have for treatment over the course of their sessions.

The purpose of therapy for addiction

We firmly believe that therapy is a crucial step to recovery, as it allows you – and loved ones in family therapy – to get support from professionals trained to deal with the more psychological aspects of their addiction. It is important to remember that addiction is a chronic medical condition, one which leads to compulsive and self-destructive behaviours, despite the risk of damage to our health. Recovery is not as simple as quitting the behaviour; it is a process that requires a great deal of effort and understanding to maintain.

This is where therapy comes in. Therapy helps to facilitate life-long sobriety as it tackles the root causes of addiction so that you can better understand your condition. There is a wide range of therapy available to those suffering from addiction, with some aimed to directly address the more practical elements of sobriety, such as coping mechanisms to prevent relapse, and others more centred on reflection, with the client working to recognise the unhealthy thought patterns that may have led their addiction to develop.

How does therapy blend into our programme?

Therapy provides an outlet to truly face up to addiction, addressing the fundamental reasons why these behaviours began in the first place, which is essential to the recovery process. This is because addiction is not caused by alcohol or drugs – it is a coping mechanism for deeper issues for which drugs and alcohol provide temporary relief. Here at Primrose Lodge, we believe that therapy has a huge potential for healing, and addressing the cause of your behaviour is not simply a short-term fix but a long-term solution. Using the most effective therapeutic models, we see therapy as essential to our treatment programme.

Therapy comes in many forms

There are many different types of therapy, and it is not simply contained to one specific approach. At our facility, we believe that everyone’s relationship with addiction is unique and specific to them, which is why we incorporate a range of therapeutic models for them to work through, customising our programmes to suit each of our clients’ individual needs. For example:

 

Benefits of therapy

Therapy has plenty of benefits, which include:

Gaining a new perspective…

By looking inward and challenging some negative thinking that may have led the addiction to develop, we can then adopt new approaches and new attitudes to life that can make all the difference on our recovery journey.

Finding solutions not just in ourselves but through others…

Addiction can be a very lonely and hopeless affliction, and without the right support, it can seem impossible to navigate alone. We believe that community is not just beneficial but essential to recovery, as it offers hope and comfort to others during trying times.

Reducing the risk of relapse…

Therapy does not just target the negative attitudes that contributed to the addiction but also works in finding practical ways to approach recovery after having left our facility.

It helps us to understand more about ourselves…

Therapy helps us to understand how our minds work. It teaches us about the inner strength which we never knew we had, building self-esteem and confidence to truly reach our full potential.

Agreeing to seek help might at first seem daunting, but our dedicated team of skilled professionals has every tool necessary to make this journey as comfortable and natural as possible. From one of our therapists at Primrose Lodge:

“Addiction affects everything. It is like a darkness, a cloud which hangs over all aspects of our day-to-day lives. We may not recognise it, but addiction compromises our very existence. While it is possible to overcome, addiction requires a huge shift to truly see the other side. This is where therapy can really give you the resources to come out of that darkness, into the light.”

If you are interested in treatment for your addiction but unsure of the next steps to take moving forward, give us a call today and talk to one of our well-trained advisors.