There’s not one of us on this earth that’s exactly like another. Even identical twins– though they may share the exact same chemical makeup and physical characteristics as each other– have drastically different personalities, thoughts, and opinions. As human beings, we’re all unique– with unique talents, skills, and issues to deal with. Our different experiences are what makes us who we are.
When it comes to addiction treatment, cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all programs simply don’t work because they don’t cater to our own unique needs. That’s why here at Thrive Treatment℠, our programs are tailored to the individual. We believe that individualized treatment plans allow our clients to recover in a way that’s best for them spiritually, mentally, and physically.
What is individualized care?
Addiction isn’t a blanket illness– it’s as individualized as the people who go through it. Care for addiction treatment should be equally as individualized. There are many types of individualized care plans, but the goal of all of them is always the same– breaking down the classical treatment process and restructuring it to get the best results to meet each client’s individual needs.
One of the more common forms of individualized care is dual diagnosis treatment. As the name suggests, dual diagnosis treatment is the process of treating both addiction and another mental illness simultaneously. Oftentimes, a person that’s been battling the mental illness of addiction for some time will have other issues that have either stemmed from the addiction itself, or been one of the contributing factors to the addiction. A dual diagnosis treatment program doesn’t necessarily isolate each illness and deal with them separately, but instead finds a way to treat all of the illnesses holistically. Dual diagnosis treatments may include working with medical professionals as well as counselors and therapists, and introducing a regimen of counseling and medications to help us conquer our illnesses as efficiently as possible.
Another way treatment facilities personalize care is by offering different treatment options that cater to various treatment needs. Here at Thrive Treatment℠, for instance, we offer a number of options, including a partial hospitalization program, an intensive outpatient program, and more. When you enter a treatment facility, the intake process usually involves our therapists, nurses, and counselors helping you and your loved ones figure out which plan is right for you.
Why is individualized care so important?
Whether we’ve been through addiction or not, we’ve all dealt with situations, thoughts, and ideas that we weren’t sure how to handle. We go through life on a daily basis and don’t know what to expect out of it. We don’t always have control over what happens to us, nor the impact it may have on our lives. If we can accept that we are often unsure of what we’ll encounter even on a daily basis in our own lives, then we, too, should be able to see just why treatment needs to be personal enough to mean something to us, and to work the way it should. Life is complicated, and unpredictable, and it’s through individualized care that we learn to prepare ourselves for the unique experiences we may face after we graduate.
The Big Book suggests that addiction is broken down into three parts: the spiritual, the mental, and the physical. An individualized treatment plan helps us get to the bottom of each of those three parts to resolve their underlying causes.
If we take another look at the dual diagnosis treatment plan, we can see just how this works. When a client is given more than one diagnosis, a plan is set in place to address the physical components of the diagnosis. This means health care professionals and therapists will work together to ensure the proper medications are prescribed, the proper nutrition is given, and that the client gets the right amount of exercise and sleep. Next, the mental component is addressed, including making any additional provisions for the client– things like additional one-on-one therapy sessions, if needed. Finally, the spiritual side is addressed– in the form of helping the client build a support system, making them feel comfortable expressing their opinions throughout the treatment process, and developing methods to help them boost their confidence and embrace the treatment journey. As well, clients are directed toward developing a spiritual manner of living which works best for who they are, whether that is through religion, meditation, developing new spiritual beliefs, and discovering a relationship with a higher power.
This one particular treatment plan will be repeated and altered in-depth for every other person with a dual diagnosis. Other plans are conducted just as thoroughly for every single additional client that walks through the door.
Individualized care is so important because addiction is a fiercely personal mental disease. In fact, it’s one of the only diseases that displays itself differently in just about everyone fighting it. Just as addiction is personal, the way we fight it must be as well. Every person is unique, and needs unique assistance to make treatment work for them. Here at Thrive Treatment℠, whether it’s dual diagnosis treatment, partial hospitalization treatment, or another form of treatment, we take the time to make sure our clients are truly getting the specific help they need.
Thrive Treatment℠ of Santa Monica, California is an outpatient treatment facility that specializes in individualized plans designed to help our clients get the most out of treatment. We don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all solution to treatment. Everyone is unique, and they deserve a unique team that will help them get to the bottom of what’s caused their addiction in order to fix it. We are that team. Call us at (888) 975-8474 to get started today.
