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No two people are exactly the same. In fact, according to an article in the New York Times, even identical twins aren’t exactly alike, as they have different loops and whorls lining the ends of their fingerprints. The environment a person lives in, as well as the memories and opinions a person carries throughout life, can bend and shape the way a person thinks, feels and behaves. It’s what makes people beautiful, but it’s also what makes treating an addiction such a challenge.

In most cases, addiction care is provided on a voluntary basis, meaning that people can walk through the doors when they feel they need help, and they can walk right back out again if they feel that the care they’re receiving doesn’t quite meet their needs. Affiliation is vital, as people who feel connected and listened to are more likely to stay enrolled, and they’re more likely to learn from therapy and stay sober as a result. But people are very different, and what one person finds appealing and interesting, another might find alienating. Alternative drug rehab programs can help, as they cater to the needs of individuals, providing them with a sense of affiliation, by tweaking the services they provide or the environments in which the addiction is treated. These are just a few examples of alternative drug rehab options that are currently available.

Focusing on Alternative Medicine

Many addiction treatment facilities utilize straightforward therapy techniques, as well as medications to soothe cravings and ease mental distress. While these treatments can be intensely helpful for some people, there are others who feel drawn to alternative therapies to alleviate suffering, including:

According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, about 38 percent of adults in the United States use some form of alternative therapy, and while many of these adults blend these treatments with the therapies they’re already receiving, there are some people who would rather lean on these methods on an exclusive basis. There are some treatment facilities that do just that, and they might provide their therapies in lavish environments full of deep and relaxing spaces. For people who have a deep love of all things alternative, these facilities can be powerfully appealing.

There are some treatments used in these facilities that might not be used anywhere else, because the science doesn’t support their universal inclusion. Acupuncture, for example, might be a common part of alternative therapy treatments for addiction, but not all studies have shown that this procedure is helpful for people in need. One study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, for example, determined that there was no measurable difference in acupuncture in the ear for cocaine addiction when compared to random needle placement or simple relaxation. There are other treatments, however, that do seem to have widespread support, including meditation and massage, and these aspects of care might be included in treatment programs at traditional centers.

Removing the 12 Steps

Traditional addiction treatment programs ask clients to utilize the help of 12-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous. These programs ask clients to follow a series of steps that are intended to lead to long-term sobriety, including supplication to a higher power. While some people find the idea of giving up control appealing, as it allows them to tap into a larger source of strength when they need it, there are some people who find the concept a little disconcerting. They may not be comfortable with the taint of religion that can cling to these programs, or they may simply want a different point of view to infuse the work they do.

Help for Women

While some women benefit from programs that also allow men, there are situations in which women need specialized care. For example, some women have small children that they care for on a daily basis, and they may not have any sort of child care options they can tap into in order to allow them to receive care for their addictions. This lack of resources could keep them from enrolling in treatment programs, but some programs do offer care for small children. According to a study in the journal Addiction, women who participate in programs like this are able to achieve sobriety, and they tend to tap into social service programs that can help them improve the lives of their children. It can be an excellent way to help the entire family to improve.

Women might also have a history of trauma or abuse that makes them less likely to feel comfortable in the company of men. In a mixed program, these women might clam up or feel frightened in group sessions that include men, or they might simply leave the programs altogether because spending time with men is just so uncomfortable and frightening for them. Segregated programs might be incredibly helpful for these women, as they’ll have access to care while they achieve a bit of separation from the triggers that make them relive traumatic experiences.

Christian Consciousness

A study in the Journal of Religion and Health suggests that substance abuse isn’t common for those who participate in fundamentalist religious groups. In fact, participants of groups like this have low rates of substance use. There are some people, however, who do begin to tap into abusive substances even while they attend services on a regular basis, and they may find that the language of spirituality provides them with a reasonable path back to robust health. For people like this, a Christian drug rehab might be an excellent option.

Programs like this can give religious people a framework by which they can understand their addictions, and perhaps they can draw upon the strength of the religious community as they work toward healing. When the program is complete, these people might lean on their church communities for support, and they might even access help through specialized 12-step support group meetings held in the community. Christian rehabs often keep a list of such meetings, and they help people to find the right meeting to attend as they heal.

Making a Choice

Finding a rehab program as individual as a fingertip isn’t always easy. In fact, there are many different facets that make up the needs of an individual person. Someone might be a woman and a Christian and an executive all at once, for example, and all of these facets might seem just as important to long-term healing. It can be enough to make anyone feel overwhelmed and just a little lost. Thankfully, solutions are available.

Even when a treatment program offers alternatives right off the bat, that program might also tailor the treatments provided to meet the needs of individual clients. A specialized treatment program that takes a person’s needs, medical history, mental health history, personal preferences, support systems and more is often created at the outset, and the person who needs care is encouraged to weigh in and provide input as this planning takes place. This deep level of customization could ensure that the program is helpful, and that it addresses all of the many aspects of a person’s addiction and path to wellness.

At Michael’s House, we’d like to talk with you about how we customize the care we provide. We can discuss our individual housing for men and for women, for example, and we can discuss the holistic treatment options we provide to people who enjoy that type of care. We are happy to answer any questions you might have, and ensure that you make the right kind of treatment choice to meet your needs as an individual. Please call us to find out more.

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