Most rehab programs in California will admit that there are facets of alcohol and drug addiction which are not completely understood. What causes one person to become an addict while another remains a casual user? Drug treatment programs have many different ways of treating people with alcohol and drug addiction, and with the variety of treatment approaches out there, a person should explore and research all of them in order to get the help they need. To help understand the different treatment modalities, and schools of thought regarding drug and alcohol rehab, here is some general information on the three generally accepted concepts of addiction. Most California drug treatment centers utilize the first.
Addiction is a Disease:
Although it may be the most debated of the three concepts, it’s the most often used. The foundation of this concept is the idea that there is an altered state that exists in the central nervous system of some people which causes their inability to stop using drugs and alcohol. This altered state of the mind in the addict cannot be altered or changed and the only workable approach for them is total abstinence. The main debate around this school of thought is due to the fact that some people have a hard time seeing a self-inflicted problem such as alcohol or drug use in the same light as other diseases such as cancer. Even so, most do refer to addiction as a “disease” when discussing treatment.
Addiction is a Choice:
Some other programs are based upon the idea that people develop addictions because they have chosen to. They also believe that the choice to quit is also up to each person, and once this choice is made, the problem will simply vanish. Treatment from this approach usually looks back into a person’s personal history and then address some of the social or behavioral situations that caused them to make this poor choice. A rehab center utilizing this concept will mostly focus on cognitive behavioral therapy, and changing the addict’s behavior.
Addiction is a Product:
This approach focuses only on factors which caused the addict to start using. The drug rehab treatment will take a probing look (sometimes using hypnotherapy) into emotional and psychological factors that are fueling the current addiction. Childhood trauma, medical factors and psychiatric disorders are commonly blamed. The belief is that a person is driven to use alcohol and drugs to suppress the feelings which stem from these issues.
So is addiction a disease, a choice or the result of various traumatic experiences?
In our alcohol and drug addiction detox rehab we work with individuals, not generic concepts. Everyone has different needs and thoughts when it comes to their addictions. When you decide it is time for rehab, you should look for an addiction treatment in an affordable rehab that best meets your needs. Above it All is a 12-step based program which has also incorporated additional therapies to help individuals address and explore all the factors in their lives that have contributed to their struggle with addiction.