There are a variety of components in the treatment of any type of addiction process and may include counseling, addiction treatment therapy, education, group meetings, secular and religious based models such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Celebrate Recovery, Inpatient (full residency, day treatment), Individual and family participation, intervention, and so forth.
Again, the first principle is to collaboratively determine a person’s immediate safety and welfare requirements. If the individual is not a threat to themselves or others and if they are willing to consider their risk factors as affects their mental and emotional health and wellbeing it will be appropriate to determine if they require an in house detox unit which will involve a safe facility and specific care to protect that person from any further health risk and/or return to accessible risk situations. It can sometimes require medical and nutritional knowledge and related support to prevent any further deterioration / self harm.
The initial meeting between the addicted person and their therapist or counselor is intended to be an evaluation as to these and other possible related circumstances from which beginning understandings of the development and the state of the addiction can be thoughtfully assessed. The more thorough this activity obviously the better for addictions often are or become a life or death matter.
Relationship well being, career effectiveness, financial sufficiency, self worth and many other areas of a person’s life are all vulnerable to destructive effects of addictions. In addition to the therapist/counselor/group interactivity, lifestyle changes will be necessary to achieve effective living patterns. Dealing with unhealthy behaviors requires complete openness involving replacing of denial and other cloaking self deceptions. Having a sponsor committed to availability with the addicted person is also highly advisable. Again, as in therapy, rewriting life scripts and transforming one’s life messages is essential to achieving and maintaining sobriety.