It is not uncommon for individuals to believe that addiction recovery is completed once an individual effectively ceases their alcohol and drug use long-term. Contrary to this notion, however, it is necessary to recognise that addiction recovery is a lifelong journey, one that is never traditionally “completed.” While establishing initial sobriety is something worth celebrating, many challenges lie ahead in terms of maintaining recovery. Moreover, recognising the role of professional support and guidance in sustaining lasting abstinence from substance use is necessary to not only survive but thrive in sobriety.
We at PCP – The Perry Clayman Project understand that many individuals struggling with substance use disorder (SUD) and addiction wish they could effectively cease their alcohol and drug use without professional intervention. However, accepting the need for professional support and guidance is an essential step in securing lasting healing from these conditions. Maintaining recovery can seem like an uphill battle, but fortunately, our staff is prepared to help clients find individualised and effective solutions to cease addictive behaviours long-term.
Understanding the Need for Professional Support In Maintaining Recovery
When an individual gets caught in the grips of recurrent alcohol and drug use, it is only a matter of time before their use begins to inform various health, social, and other consequences. Most individuals who engage in chronic substance use will become aware of the harm that their substance use is causing to their lives, as well as the lives of those around them, at one point or another. In response, many will attempt to manage their SUD by slowing, moderating, or ceasing their substance use altogether.
For circumstances of mild substance abuse or SUD, individuals may be able to effectively moderate or cease their use on their own for a short period of time. However, due to the intense effects of alcohol and drug use on the brain, many individuals will experience triggers and cravings that tempt them to reengage in substance use. Likewise, those experiencing moderate to severe symptoms of SUD may experience severe and unmanageable symptoms of withdrawal, in addition to triggers and cravings, that enable continued substance use. Thus, it can be nearly impossible to fight off these challenges and maintain lasting abstinence without professional aid.
The Impact of Substance Use on the Brain
To understand why professional support is necessary for overcoming addiction, it is vital to understand the impact of alcohol and drug use in informing recurrent use as well as the development of addiction. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), “Addiction is a chronic disease characterised by drug seeking and use that is compulsive, or difficult to control, despite harmful consequences.” While most people’s initial decision to engage in alcohol or drug use is voluntary, recurrent substance use triggers notable alterations in brain structure and chemistry that make a person more vulnerable to continued substance use.
NIDA points out several ways in which alcohol and drug use impact an individual’s brain:
Impairs the Brain’s “Reward Circuit”
According to a video published by NIDA, “The reward circuit links together a number of brain structures that control and regulate our ability to feel pleasure.” When we feel pleasure, our brain associates the experience with the activity or behaviour we are engaging in. Further, our brain will motivate us to repeat such behaviours in the future. When we have a healthy reward circuit, it will motivate us to carry out natural behaviours needed to thrive, like socialising with loved ones.
Truth be told, all types of alcohol and drug use impair our brain’s reward circuit. This is because substance use triggers surges of dopamine – the neurotransmitter that allows us to feel pleasure. By simply being exposed to alcohol and drug use even one time, our brain will inform chemical cravings that tempt us to engage in recurrent substance use repeatedly. Furthermore, it is necessary to note that impairments made to the brain’s reward system caused by substance use can be long-lasting.
Informs Lasting Damage to Life-Sustaining Functions
In addition to impairing the brain’s reward system, long-term use of alcohol and other drugs can also cause changes in vital chemical systems and circuits. As a result, substance use can affect life-sustaining functions in detrimental ways. NIDA highlights the following functions that may also be impaired by continued substance use:
- Learning
- Judgment
- Decision-making
- Stress management
- Memory
- Behaviour
Thus, effectively maintaining recovery involves not only ceasing substance use but also working to reverse any damage caused to internal brain structure and associated functions. Unfortunately, this task is much too large for an individual to complete on their own. In this way, professional support and education are imperative to heal from the consequences of chronic substance use.
Maintaining Recovery: Understanding the Treatment Process
Those who are seeking to establish sobriety or maintain lifelong recovery can benefit from understanding the addiction treatment process. According to the book Treatment Improvement Protocols by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), substance abuse treatment exists on a continuum of care. A continuum of care is defined as “a treatment system in which clients enter treatment at a level appropriate to their needs and then step up to more intense treatment or down to less intense treatment as needed.” The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) coined the following five main levels in the continuum of care for addiction treatment:
- 0.5: Early intervention services
- I: Outpatient services
- II: Intensive outpatient program (IOP) and partial hospitalisation program (PHP
- III: Residential/Inpatient services
- IV: Medically managed intensive inpatient services
The Role of Professional Support During Detoxification
Most individuals seeking addiction recovery will begin their healing journey with detoxification (detox) services. Detox is considered a Level IV service in the continuum of care, as it offers medical support and often requires individuals to reside at the facility as they safely withdraw from their alcohol and drug use.
Simply put, detox is the process of ridding an individual’s body of the remnants of substances. Those with moderate to severe SUD or addiction will likely experience intense withdrawal symptoms upon the cessation of alcohol and other drug use. Detoxification provides clients with the medical and psychosocial support that they need to effectively manage withdrawal symptoms while they establish initial sobriety.
While some individuals may attempt to cease their alcohol and drug use at home without professional intervention, doing so can inform various complications. First and foremost, although withdrawal symptoms can range in type and intensity, some can be life-threatening. Professional support can ensure that every client remains as comfortable as possible during detoxification, offering medications to ease the process if necessary.
In addition, detoxing at home provides little to no outside accountability for continued sobriety. Professional treatment can foster accountability through healthcare professionals as well as through other peers in recovery, motivating individuals to move forward in their treatment journey following detoxification. Furthermore, maintaining recovery often takes a village, and professional support can equip individuals with the accountability that they need to prioritise continued abstinence in their daily life.
Maintaining Recovery With Professional Support During Treatment
Once an individual has completed detoxification, they must move to a long-term treatment program to ensure lasting sobriety. Again, if a person attempts to move forward in their recovery without professional support, they will not have the external accountability that they need to prosper effectively. Similarly, they may feel overtaken by personal triggers and substance use cravings, informing continued substance use.
While detoxification is meant to ensure client comfort during withdrawal, addiction treatment aims to help clients discover and overcome the root cause(s) of their alcohol and drug use. Without overcoming the root cause of addiction, an individual is much more likely to return to continued use even after a period of abstinence. Furthermore, individuals must also identify a deeper purpose and meaning for their sobriety during treatment and use it as motivation for continued abstinence.
All treatment programmes and therapeutic interventions are led by addiction treatment professionals. These professionals are trained to provide the most empathetic, compassionate, and individualised care to clients who are undergoing perhaps the greatest challenge in their lives. Professional support can offer clients a genuine listening ear and sounding board to work through challenging thoughts, emotions, and experiences. Additionally, professional support can help clients discover new techniques for stress management, which can actively work to prevent continued substance use in the future.
Some of the therapeutic opportunities that clients can utilise alongside professional support during treatment at PCP – The Perry Clayman Project include:
- 1-2-1 counselling
- Group therapy
- Equine-assisted psychotherapy (EAP)
- Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR)
- Yoga therapy
- Gym access
- Life skills development
- Education
- Safe housing
Maintaining Recovery Following Treatment: Transitioning Through the Continuum of Care
Despite what some may believe, the completion of a treatment program is not the end of the recovery journey. Rather, completing treatment signifies the beginning of a new chapter in recovery. Pertaining to the continuum of care mentioned earlier, once an individual completes one level of care, they will be suggested to step down to a lower level of care. For instance, those who have completed a residential or inpatient treatment program may benefit most from stepping down to an intensive outpatient program (IOP) or partial hospitalisation program (PHP). Similarly, those who have completed an IOP or PHP can consider participating in a general outpatient program.
Gradually moving through the continuum of care ensures that each client can transition through each level with greater ease and keep their sobriety at their utmost priority while doing so. Consider someone who has recently completed a residential program and is attempting to jump to a general outpatient program. While this transition may work for some, there are undoubtedly added challenges from this jump that may put a person’s recovery in jeopardy. For instance, they are faced with the task of navigating new environmental triggers, such as living with others who regularly engage in alcohol and drug use. In addition, they no longer have on-demand professional support in the comfort of their own living space.
Conversely, a person who moves from a residential program to an IOP can explore greater independence and accountability without too much freedom. IOPs provide intense structure and programming, similar to a residential treatment programme, without requiring residents to reside at the treatment facility. Moreover, this transition sets an individual up for greater success with lasting abstinence by offering more frequent treatment participation compared to a general outpatient programme.
Moving From Outpatient Programming to Aftercare
Once an individual completes an outpatient programme, what’s next for their recovery journey? At PCP, the answer is aftercare. Essentially, aftercare is the final phase in the addiction recovery journey, one that is never-ending. It is the least structured and most flexible form of continuing care that connects alumni of treatment programmes to one another as well as with treatment professionals. According to the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, aftercare is provided in several different formats, including, but not limited to:
- Group counselling
- Individual therapy
- Telephone or virtual counselling
- Brief check-ups and check-ins with therapists
- Self-help meetings
Those with addiction must recognise their increased vulnerability to experiencing substance-use triggers and cravings throughout their life – even decades after establishing initial sobriety. Although addiction is an incurable disease, it can be effectively managed with professional support. Therefore, aftercare remains an essential element of any addiction recovery journey because it fosters continued accountability and support long-term whenever an individual may need it the most.
At PCP – The Perry Clayman Project, some benefits of our aftercare program in maintaining recovery include:
- Facilitating continued engagement with other peers in recovery
- Remaining in contact with other peers can normalise hardships and foster peer support in overcoming them
- Utilising networking opportunities can be effective in sharing worries, concerns, and other emotions without fearing judgment
- Embracing lifestyle transitions and changes with the help of feedback and encouragement from addiction treatment professionals
- Identifying new ways for safeguarding personal sobriety, especially amidst unexpected life circumstances
- Exploring new perspectives of addiction recovery and sobriety alongside peers and professionals alike
Maintaining Recovery With PCP
We at PCP – The Perry Clayman Project offer a wide range of addiction treatment programmes across the UK, dedicated to helping individuals not only establish sobriety but also maintain it lifelong. Further, we are passionate about assisting our clients in overcoming the destructive effects of both substance addictions as well as behavioural addictions. Our treatment programmes focus on helping clients overcome the root cause of their continued substance use to ensure that re-engagement in alcohol and other drug use is not an option for their future. Additionally, each of our programmes is individualised to meet the unique needs and goals of each and every client in recovery.
From alcohol and drug detox to primary and secondary rehabilitation to third-stage supported housing and aftercare, we have a treatment programme for anyone seeking to further their addiction recovery journey. We highly recommend our 90-day (12-week) treatment programme for clients, as it walks clients through one of each of the Twelve Steps per week. Moreover, the Twelve Steps create a solid foundation for continued abstinence throughout long-term recovery.
Achieving abstinence and maintaining recovery requires professional support because the addiction recovery process is an ongoing challenge, and we here at PCP are empowered to help our clients thrive in sobriety. Not only will professional support aid individuals in building confidence in their sobriety, but it will also keep clients focused and engaged in the lessons that they are learning in treatment.
Many members of our staff uniquely understand the challenges associated with recovery because they are in recovery themselves. Leaning into the support of both professionals and peers alike during treatment and beyond can enable individuals to recognise how the use of alcohol and other drugs disrupts the otherwise healthy functioning of the brain and body. In turn, individuals can feel motivated and encouraged to develop new perspectives on sobriety and a sense of purpose for their unique human experience.
While you likely wish that you could recover from the effects of substance use disorder (SUD) on your own, professional support is often required for successfully maintaining recovery. Professional support can provide the education, accountability, and compassion that you need to understand that you are more than your addiction. Moreover, it can ensure that you have a variety of techniques and skills at your disposal to utilize for stress management throughout lifelong recovery. We at PCP – The Perry Clayman Project understand the challenges that often arise throughout long-term recovery. Fortunately, we offer a wide range of treatment programmes to meet you where you are at in your healing journey. Call 08000 380 480 to learn more today.
While you likely wish that you could recover from the effects of substance use disorder (SUD) on your own, professional support is often required for successfully maintaining recovery. Professional support can provide the education, accountability, and compassion that you need to understand that you are more than your addiction. Moreover, it can ensure that you have a variety of techniques and skills at your disposal to utilize for stress management throughout lifelong recovery. We at PCP – The Perry Clayman Project understand the challenges that often arise throughout long-term recovery. Fortunately, we offer a wide range of treatment programmes to meet you where you are at in your healing journey. Call 08000 380 480 to learn more today.