Why Is Flexibility Important During Treatment?
There are many different treatment options for substance use disorders. Finding a facility that best suits your needs can be overwhelming. However, finding a treatment facility that offers flexibility in treatment options means you don’t need to know exactly what type of treatment you need. Instead, you can find out what works best for you along your recovery journey.
A flexible treatment program allows mental health professionals to tailor treatments to your needs specifically and makes it easier for your recovery needs to be met. Everybody heals at different rates and has different mental health needs. Flexibility is one of the best tools that help facilities cater to all their different client’s needs.
Advantages of Flexibility in Treatment
Flexible treatment is when a program offers multiple options for psychotherapies, complementary therapies, length of stay, and more. An adaptable treatment program prioritizes individualized treatment for each of its patients. It leaves room for your needs to change as you grow during your recovery.
Length of Stay
There is no standard amount of time for the recovery process. Everybody comes into treatment with different wounds that take different amounts of time to heal. Being able to extend your stay in a facility gives you extra time to heal in a setting that is already familiar.
A change in your environment can cause stress. For example, when you’re pushed out of a treatment facility before you’re ready, you have to manage the added stress of finding a mental health professional or new program where you’ll feel comfortable, and your needs will be met. You also have to rebuild relationships with mental health professionals from the ground up. In addition, the stress from the processing of finding a new treatment can worsen your substance use and mental health symptoms. Finding a program that has flexibility for how long you stay allows you to avoid that added stress and focus on healing.
Unexpected Diagnosis
During the course of your treatment, your diagnosis may change. A mental health professional might assess that you have a mental health disorder you didn’t know you had. As you learn more about yourself through psychotherapy, your needs and your treatment will change.
Mental health disorders should be treated alongside your substance use disorder as they will both affect one another. Upon discovering that you have a dual diagnosis, your treatment should change to be sensitive to these needs. This might mean a mental health professional being sensitive to a trigger, changing prescription medication, or reevaluating the type of therapy they’re administering. For instance, if you’re diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD), a mental health professional might switch from utilizing cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to dialectical behavior therapy (DBT).
Recovery Growth
Flexibility in your treatment will mold itself to your needs as they change. As you grow in your recovery, you will gain better control of your emotions and have a better understanding of your goals. In doing so, your needs may change. You might have a different focus during your talk therapy sessions and may seek additional complementary treatments.
Mental health and substance use symptoms can be debilitating, limiting your participation in complementary activities. However, as you heal, you may be interested in trying new activities to soothe your symptoms or promote better overall health. You also might find that a treatment option that was helping you is no longer. Flexibility in treatment options allows you to learn various tools for managing your symptoms.
You Need Options for Flexibility
For a treatment program to be flexible, it must provide multiple options. If you enter a program that doesn’t have many options for different types of therapies or complementary treatments, then the program will be less customizable to your needs.
During your recovery, you might realize that a treatment option no longer supports your needs, and you’ll need other options to replace it with something new. You don’t want to be stuck in a program that doesn’t satisfy your needs.
Dangers of One Size Doesn’t Fit All
Flexibility allows for a customized treatment plan, so what are the dangers of a treatment plan that doesn’t have that flexibility? The most significant danger of an inflexible treatment program is that you might feel discouraged by a program that is not the right fit for you. An inflexible program can make you nearsighted. You might be convinced that you’re “incurable” when the program doesn’t give you the flexibility to find what treatments work for you.
An inflexible program leaves you less prepared for the post-treatment world, where you’ll be forced to adapt to your surroundings. On the other hand, a flexible program gives you more tools to work with that you can apply in your everyday life.
A flexible treatment program will give you the space you need to grow during your recovery journey by providing you with options for your changing recovery needs. Restoration Recovery Center prides itself on the flexibility present in its programs. We believe in allowing all of our patients to stay as long as they need and offer a variety of complementary treatments that can help you meet your recovery goals. Our mental health professionals will work closely with you to ensure your needs are met. If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use, please call (888) 290-0925 to learn how we can help you achieve long-term sobriety through treatments that focus on the body, mind, and spirit.
