According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), 46.3 million people meet the criteria for substance use disorder (SUD). However, of those 46.3 million, 20.9 million are recovering or in recovery. Therefore, understanding and supporting life in recovery is invaluable to helping people reintegrate into their lives and communities. Through continuing care found in an alumni program, resources and services like the value of therapy become apparent.
At Driftwood Recovery, we recognize that ideas about recovery come with a complex set of predispositions and assumptions. Those predispositions and assumptions about recovery can impede your ability to reintegrate and build the courageous life in recovery you deserve. We are dedicated to providing education and guidance through connection and service to meet your physical, psychological, and sober needs to maintain recovery.
Yet, you may question how therapy can continue to support you in recovery. You already went through therapy in treatment, so what could therapy offer you now? Understanding how therapy functions can provide greater insight into the value of therapy for recovery.
Types of Therapy Offered During and Post-Treatment
Challenges with addiction are complex, and treatment needs to be tailored to meet the individual needs and experiences of each person. Thus, there are various therapy options utilized to support and treat a variety of challenges with addiction. As stated in Addiction Psychotherapeutic Care by Han Yue and Eduardo Pena, psychosocial interventions like therapy are crucial to addiction treatment. Through psychosocial interventions, a greater understanding of the social, environmental, and psychological factors that contribute to SUD is found.
Listed below are some of the psychosocial interventions that can be utilized during and post-treatment:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Dialectal behavior therapy (DBT)
- Individual therapy
- Group therapy
- Family therapy
While everyone’s needs are different, the value of therapy can provide a foundation for healing and managing daily life. Despite the benefits of therapy experienced in treatment, many people avoid or see no value in therapy beyond treatment.
The Why Behind Therapy Avoidance in Recovery
Awareness of the prevalence of mental health disorders among the general public has grown substantially. Greater awareness of mental health disorders is made clear in the growing number of people living with one or more mental health disorders. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), among adults in the U.S., 58.7 million are living with a mental health condition. Further, the CDC notes that another 14.6 million people are living with serious mental health conditions like major depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.
For those in recovery, post-treatment therapy is often recommended as a part of continuing care. Yet, many, including those in recovery, continue to have unmet mental health needs. Unmet mental health needs in recovery can stem from several factors, but avoidance is a common barrier to the value of therapy in recovery. Some of the reasons why you may avoid therapy in recovery include:
- Feeling certain that you have overcome all mental health challenges
- Believing the tools you learned in treatment alone can resolve any challenges you encounter
- You are convinced that you have too many responsibilities and obligations to go to therapy
- Feeling certain that additional treatment would not be helpful
- Post-treatment life can amplify reminders of mental health stigma
Avoiding therapy post-treatment can be detrimental to your well-being. Thus, expanding your awareness of the value of therapy can highlight the importance of continuing care in recovery.
Value of Therapy for Sustained Recovery
Many recognize the value of therapy in treatment due to the prevalence of co-occurring SUD and other mental health conditions. Yet, the value of therapy is often overlooked as an invaluable continuing care tool for sustained recovery. As noted in Alcohol Research: Current Reviews, continuing care is an important component of a dynamic recovery process. Some of the ways continuing care tools support recovery include:
- Maintain abstinence
- Relapse prevention
- Access to other support resources
- Linking community support
- Address interrelated recovery challenges
- Employment
- Housing
- Support network
- Sober recreation
- Meaningful and fun hobbies and activities
- Skill building
- Self-management
- Goal setting
- Identifying barriers to goals
- Methods for overcoming goal barriers
- Mental well-being
Therapy can be another continuing care component to support your life goals and long-term wellness. Listed below are some of the benefits therapy can offer in recovery:
- Provide education about addiction, relapse, and recovery
- Develop healthy coping and communication skills
- Build a support network
- Greater self-awareness and self-understanding
- Increase self-esteem, self-confidence, and motivation
- Improve sense of purpose and belonging
- Manage mental health symptoms
- Provide accountability
Looking at the value of therapy alone highlights continuing care as vital to recovery. Despite the value of therapy, individual avoidance or overconfidence are not the only barriers to therapy in recovery.
Addressing Barriers to the Value of Therapy
There are external barriers to therapy that attempt to impede your access to resources for sustained recovery. Some of the other barriers to resources like therapy you may encounter include:
- Stigma
- Shame
- Fear of judgment
- Concerns about confidentiality and trust
- Poor access to resources
- Transportation
- Geographical isolation
- Financial insecurity
- Structural inequalities
- Sex and gender identity
- Race and ethnicity
- Lack of inclusive support services
- Trauma-informed
- Gender-responsive
Despite the presence of structural barriers, access to a strong alumni program can help overcome barriers to thrive in recovery.
Finding the Value of Therapy in Alumni at Driftwood Recovery
With a vibrant alumni program, you not only have access to therapy. You can access a range of continuing care services and resources that more effectively integrate community for enjoyment and a sense of meaning and purpose in recovery. At Driftwood Recovery, we are dedicated to providing a peer-driven network where you can find compassionate support, accountability, and guidance to maintain recovery. We provide a wide range of services and resources like recovery education and weekly meetings and events no matter where you are on your recovery journey. With support, you can build a courageous life in recovery.
Overconfidence, avoidance, and structural barriers often impede investing in the value of therapy for sustained recovery. However, more awareness of continuing care can showcase the value of therapy in recovery. Access to continuing care supports relapse prevention, skill building, goal setting, and addressing other recovery challenges like unemployment and unstable housing, among other support tools. Further, continuing therapy post-treatment can specifically support recovery education, healthy coping skills, self-esteem, and building a support network. At Driftwood Recovery, we are dedicated to providing a peer-driven network where you can find compassion, service, accountability, and guidance to meet you where you are on your recovery journey. Call us at (512) 759-8330 to learn how therapy can continue to support your recovery.