The Complete Guide to Substance Abuse Treatment Options

Explore individualized care with Mile High Recovery Center’s comprehensive guide to substance abuse treatment.

May 24, 2024

Mile High Recovery Center Staff

Comprehensive Guide to Substance Abuse Treatment at MHRC

At Mile High Recovery Center (MHRC), we believe everyone deserves a chance to heal and live a fulfilling life. Addiction and mental health challenges can feel overwhelming, but no one has to face them alone.

Our dedicated Denver, Colorado, team understands the complexities of these conditions, as well as their impact. Therefore, we offer a comprehensive treatment approach that goes beyond just treating symptoms.

Instead, we treat the whole person, considering the mind, body, and spirit. Our goal is to empower our clients to overcome their issues and thrive in all aspects of life.

Why a Holistic Approach Matters

Lasting recovery requires more than treating physical withdrawal symptoms. Addiction often stems from deeper emotional or psychological issues. A holistic approach acknowledges these underlying factors and creates a treatment plan that addresses them comprehensively.

This approach goes beyond just treating addiction. Instead, it focuses on promoting physical and mental well-being.

This might include:

Nutritional education
Exercise programs
Creative therapies

This comprehensive approach empowers people to develop skills and resilience. These are necessary to build a lasting foundation for a life free from addiction.

Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Treatment

Understanding Substance Abuse Treatment

Substance abuse treatment is a multifaceted approach that addresses the challenges of addiction. It encompasses a range of evidence-based strategies aimed at achieving several key objectives.

Among them are:

Detoxification
Relapse prevention
Addressing underlying issues
Behavioral change
Life skills development

Prevalence of Substance Abuse

In the U.S., 70.3 million people used illicit drugs in 2022.¹ Compared with 61.2 million last year, this is a 14.86% increase.²

Even more concerning is the fact that 94% of people with substance use disorders did not receive treatment in 2021.³

Co-Occurring Disorders

Substance abuse often goes hand-in-hand with mental health disorders. The condition called co-occurring disorder means someone struggles with substance use disorder and a mental health condition, like anxiety or depression, at the same time.

These disorders can worsen each other, making it difficult to address either in isolation. An estimated 21.5 million adults struggle with co-occurring disorders.⁴

Effective treatment programs address both addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders. This increases the chances of long-term recovery.

Types of Substance Abuse Treatment Available at Mile High Recovery Center

At Mile High Recovery Center, we recognize addiction is a complex issue with no single solution. That’s why we offer a variety of treatment options to address the multifaceted aspects of addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders.

Here’s a closer look at the treatment modalities we provide:

Residential Treatment

A residential treatment program provides a safe and supportive environment for people needing a structured approach to recovery. In this setting, clients take part in a variety of activities while living in our facility.

Typical activities include:

Daily therapy sessions
Group activities
Relapse prevention exercises

A dedicated staff member is present at all times to assist clients during their stay at our facility.

Who Residential Treatment Benefits

This mode of treatment is ideal for those:

Struggling with severe addiction
Needing a complete separation from their current environment to focus on healing
Who fell into relapse after completing outpatient programs

Outpatient Programs

Outpatient programs offer flexibility for people who require continued support. This allows them to manage work, family, or other commitments besides treatment. These programs may include individual therapy, group sessions, and relapse prevention workshops.

MHRC offers the following outpatient programs:

Partial hospitalization program (PHP)
Intensive outpatient program (IOP)
Outpatient drug program (ODP)

Aftercare Services

Recovery is a lifelong journey. Mile High Recovery Center offers a variety of aftercare services. These services aim to provide ongoing support once a client completes their treatment.

Individualized Treatment Planning

At Mile High Recovery Center, we understand that addiction affects everyone differently. That’s why we don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. Our team of qualified professionals conducts a thorough assessment to understand each client’s circumstances.

Based on this assessment, we develop personalized treatment plans tailored to each client’s needs. This ensures targeted support to overcome addiction and build a fulfilling life.

Comprehensive Guide to Substance Abuse Treatment: The Role of In-Depth Assessment

The comprehensive evaluation for substance abuse treatment often involves three key areas. This includes:

Medical Evaluation

Medical professionals conduct a physical examination to assess each client’s overall health. This assessment helps them identify any immediate medical needs.

This evaluation may include:

Physical health assessment
Substance use history
Screening for co-occurring disorders
Lab tests to check for the presence of drugs and alcohol
A review of any medications the client is currently taking

Psychological Evaluation

A qualified therapist conducts a psychological assessment to understand mental health. This may involve standardized tests and interviews. The purpose is to evaluate clients for co-occurring mental health disorders like anxiety, depression, or trauma.

Social Evaluation

Our team explores each person’s social background and environment. This helps us understand the factors that may have contributed to addiction.

This may include evaluations of:

Living situations
Relationships
Social stressors impacting recovery

Comprehensive Guide to Substance Abuse Treatment and Collaborative Treatment Planning

Our team develops a tailored treatment plan based on detailed assessments for each client. However, our client’s participation is essential to the success of this plan. We believe treatment plans are most effective when they are developed jointly between clients and providers.

This is why we work together with clients to review assessment results. During this process, we also consider their preferences. We discuss treatment modalities, considering factors like lifestyle and personal needs.

This ensures the chosen approach feels comfortable and promotes engagement in recovery.

Comprehensive Guide to Substance Abuse Treatment: Evidence-Based Therapy

Some of the most common therapies we utilize at MHRC include:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

CBT helps people understand the connection between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It targets the root of addiction by examining these connections.

Studies show CBT’s effectiveness in treating addiction to substances. A study found that 60% of clients in CBT treatment were drug-free after one year.⁵

Identifying Triggers

CBT helps people recognize the situations, emotions, or people that can trigger cravings. This awareness enables them to develop coping strategies to manage these triggers.

Challenging Negative Thoughts

CBT teaches people to challenge negative thought patterns that contribute to substance use. These patterns might include thoughts such as:

“I can’t handle this without drugs”
“I’m a failure”
“I’m a burden to those around me”

Developing Healthy Coping Mechanisms

CBT provides practical strategies to cope with stress. This helps deal with cravings and difficult emotions in healthy ways.

What is CBT?

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy

Dialectical behavioral therapy, or DBT, provides skills to manage overwhelming emotions, a common trigger for substance abuse relapse. This type of therapy focuses on four key areas:

Mindfulness

Dialectical behavior therapy teaches clients to be present in the moment. This helps them observe their thoughts and feelings without judgment. The increased awareness allows people to make conscious decisions instead of acting impulsively.

Distress Tolerance

Dialectical behavior therapy provides strategies to tolerate emotional distress without resorting to substance use.

These strategies might involve:

Distraction techniques
Self-soothing skills
Identifying healthy outlets for emotional release

Interpersonal Effectiveness

Dialectical behavior therapy promotes assertive communication and healthy boundaries. These skills reduce conflict and improve interpersonal interactions. This is a crucial aspect of preventing relapse triggered by social pressure or dysfunctional relationships.

Emotional Regulation

Dialectical behavior therapy teaches people how to identify and regulate emotions effectively. This empowers people to manage difficult emotions without turning to substance use for relief.

What is DBT?

Motivational Enhancement Therapy

Motivational enhancement therapy (MET) focuses on helping people explore their own desire for change and overcome ambivalence about recovery. This therapy helps by:

Building Rapport

The therapist creates a safe and supportive space where clients feel comfortable. This helps them express their thoughts and feelings openly.

Eliciting Change Talk

The therapist uses specific techniques to encourage clients to verbalize their own reasons for wanting to overcome addiction. This “change talk” strengthens their motivation and commitment to recovery.

Exploring Ambivalence

Everyone has mixed feelings about change. Motivational enhancement therapy acknowledges this and helps clients explore the pros and cons of substance use and recovery. This empowers them to make a conscious decision to live a healthier life.

Empowering Self-Efficacy

Motivational enhancement therapy focuses on the client’s strengths and capabilities. In this way, self-efficacy, a belief that one can succeed, is fostered.

A Comprehensive Guide to Substance Abuse Treatment: Holistic Treatment

At Mile High Recovery Center, we offer holistic therapies to complement our evidence-based practices. Some of the most common among them include:

Meditation

Meditation cultivates present-moment awareness and emotional regulation. These are crucial skills for preventing relapse and managing cravings.

Here are some ways meditation helps in substance abuse treatment:

Increased Self-Awareness

Mindfulness encourages a deeper understanding of a person’s:

Thoughts
Feelings
Bodily sensations

This self-awareness allows people to identify triggers that might lead to relapse.

Reduced Cravings

Through meditation, cravings can be reduced by focusing on the present moment. This allows people to observe cravings without judgment and choose healthier coping mechanisms.

Improved Emotional Regulation

Meditation helps manage difficult emotions, which are often triggers for substance use. These emotions include:

Stress
Anxiety
Anger

Enhanced Focus and Concentration

Regular mindfulness practice strengthens focus and concentration. It makes people less susceptible to distractions that could lead to relapse.

Art Therapy

Art therapy addresses the emotional and psychological aspects of addiction through creative expression. The therapy helps people by promoting:

Non-Verbal Communication

Art therapy provides a safe space to express emotions without words. This helps clients explore their experiences related to addiction in a non-threatening way through:

Colors
Shapes
Imagery

Self-Discovery and Processing Trauma

The creative process can unlock hidden emotions and memories. This allows people to explore past traumas that may be contributing to their addiction.

By expressing these experiences visually, clients can begin to process and heal from them.

Improved Self-Esteem

Creating art can be a source of accomplishment and pride. As clients develop their artistic skills, their self-esteem and confidence can grow. This newfound sense of self-worth can be a powerful motivator in recovery.

A Comprehensive Guide to Substance Abuse Treatment: Outdoor Adventure Therapy

Nature has transformative power. At Mile High Recovery Center, we leverage this power to promote:

Healing
Self-discovery
Lasting recovery from addiction

Here’s how outdoor adventure therapy at Mile High Recovery Center helps:

Challenge and Accomplishment

Outdoor activities provide physical and mental challenges that foster a sense of accomplishment. Overcoming these challenges builds confidence and self-esteem.

Teamwork and Collaboration

Many outdoor activities involve working together in a group setting. This encourages:

Teamwork
Communication
Trust-building skills

All of these are essential for navigating life’s challenges without resorting to substance use.

Stress Reduction and Mindfulness

Immersing oneself in nature has a calming effect. Taking part in outdoor activities promotes health and well-being while providing a healthy outlet for negativity. This can reduce stress and anxiety.

Connection to Something Bigger

Spending time in nature helps people reconnect with themself and the world around them. This can promote a sense of purpose and belonging while reducing feelings of isolation.

A Comprehensive Guide to Substance Abuse Treatment: MAT

At Mile High Recovery Center, we recognize that medication can be a powerful tool alongside therapy in treating addiction. This is why we integrate medication-assisted treatment (MAT) to address addiction and promote lasting recovery.

Managing Withdrawal Symptoms

The initial stages of detoxification can be physically demanding. For example, quitting alcohol can lead to withdrawal symptoms that range from mild to life-threatening.

The symptoms include:⁶

Anxiety and mood swings
Sleep disturbances
Physical symptoms
Cravings
In extreme cases, severe symptoms like hallucinations and seizures

Medications can alleviate discomfort associated with withdrawal symptoms. This makes the treatment process more manageable and promotes adherence to treatment.

Reducing Cravings

Medications can help to regulate brain chemistry and reduce cravings for substances. As a result, people are able to focus on therapy and develop coping mechanisms to manage cravings.

Treating Co-Occurring Mental Health Disorders

Many people struggling with addiction also have co-occurring mental health disorders like depression, anxiety, or PTSD.

Medications can effectively address these conditions, improving well-being and reducing the likelihood of relapse triggered by mental health challenges.

Medical Expertise to Guide Recovery

Mile High Recovery Center prioritizes the safety and well-being of clients throughout recovery. Our multidisciplinary team includes professionals collaborating to provide comprehensive medical oversight and support.

They carefully choose medications according to a person’s needs. The client’s safety is ensured by closely monitoring the effect of each dose. As needed, dosages are adjusted to optimize effectiveness and minimize side effects.

Comprehensive Guide to Substance Abuse Treatment: Family Involvement and Support

Addiction affects the entire family unit. Family members often experience a range of emotions, from worry and frustration to helplessness and anger.

At Mile High Recovery Center, we understand the importance of family involvement in the healing process. That is why we include loved ones in the recovery journey to create a strong support system.

MHRC offers a comprehensive family program. With this program, we strive to educate and support clients’ loved ones. Here are some of the resources available:

Family Education Workshops

These workshops provide information about:

Addiction
The recovery process
How to support a loved one in treatment

Family Therapy Sessions

Family therapy sessions create a safe space for open communication and healing. Therapists guide families in:

Setting healthy boundaries
Developing coping mechanisms
Creating a supportive environment for recovery

Educational Resources

We provide access to educational materials and online resources to help families stay informed about addiction and recovery.

How Family Involvement Strengthens Recovery

Family involvement in treatment isn’t just about supporting the client. Family education workshops, therapy sessions, and support groups create a ripple effect.

Loved ones learn to:

Communicate openly
Set healthy boundaries
Cope with their own challenges

This creates a supportive environment where the client feels understood and empowered. Ultimately, this also helps strengthen relationships and increases their chances of long-term recovery.

Comprehensive Guide to Substance Abuse Treatment: Exploring Aftercare Planning and Transition

Completing substance abuse treatment is a huge accomplishment. However, aftercare planning is also necessary to maintain sobriety and support ongoing recovery.

There’s a high rate of relapse after treatment ends. A study found a relapse rate of 45.33% in the inpatient group and 56% in the outpatient group.⁷

Aftercare planning helps bridge the gap between the structured environment of treatment and the realities of daily life. Our team works with every client to develop a personalized aftercare plan that addresses their specific needs and goals. This plan may include:

Alumni Programs

The alumni programs allow clients to stay connected with the supportive community through:

Alumni events
Online forums
Mentorship opportunities

Additionally, they can connect with peers who understand their journey and celebrate their successes.

Relapse Prevention Planning

We help each client identify their triggers and develop personalized coping mechanisms. This proactive approach equips them with the tools to navigate challenges and manage cravings effectively.

Community Resource Referrals

Our team connects the clients with the resources available in their area. This includes access to:

Sober living homes
12-Step groups
Vocational training opportunities

This ensures a seamless transition back into the community with continued support readily available.

Comprehensive Guide to Substance Abuse Treatment at MHRC

Mile High Recovery Center is committed to providing comprehensive and individualized treatment for substance abuse. We focus on the whole person—mind, body, and spirit—to address all facets of addiction.

A variety of treatment options ensure that each client’s unique needs are met with the most effective strategies for long-term recovery.

Get the Help and Support You Need Now

If you or a loved one is struggling with substance abuse, we encourage you to seek help.

Recovery is a challenging journey, but with the right support and treatments, you can succeed. The ability to overcome addiction and live a fulfilling life is within everyone’s reach.

Begin the Journey to Recovery with Mile High Recovery Center

Mile High Recovery Center invites you to take the first step toward healing and recovery. By embracing both evidence-based practices and holistic approaches, we offer a path to lasting change.

Reach out to us and learn more about our treatment protocols. Let’s start the journey on the path to a happier, healthier life.

Resources

Reach Out Today to See How Mile High Recovery Center Can Help You Heal

If you or a loved one are ready to regain autonomy over your lives and well-being, recovery starts here. Let us guide you toward sustainable wellness and sobriety through our personalized treatment plans tailored to your unique needs and experiences. We look forward to hearing from you!