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Treating only the body for addiction is not sufficient. There is also an emotional piece that is equally important. Here are three components of psychological care in substance abuse treatment in St. Louis. Individual Therapy Individual therapy becomes necessary to address the underlying reasons for the abuse of substances. A psychotherapist or counselor will assess substance abuse history and work with the patient to discover what the “triggers” are. Triggers are events or memories that spur cravings and urges that could result in relapse. A counselor will also address coping mechanisms. When cravings arise, as they inevitably will, the addict needs to be prepared for how to cope. By devising coping strategies, the addict will learn not to panic or give into the urges to use, but will instead have a reliable repertoire of strategies to fight against the urges. Family Therapy Oftentimes there are family dynamics which cause stress to the patient, which can lead to binge drinking or drug use. In many cases, family members enable the substance user’s behavior, either inadvertently or because they don’t know what else to do. Many times, the addict thinks the addiction is only hurting him/herself and does not realize how his or her behavior affects the whole family. By incorporating family therapy into substance abuse treatment, the family learns boundaries and receives the tools to support the addict appropriately. Most importantly, family therapy begins the process of allowing the family to heal together. Group Therapy One of the greatest strengths of group therapy is that is provides a sense of community. These are individuals who can relate directly to each other’s struggles and triumphs, thereby eliminating the sense of isolation and or any stigma of the disease. Group therapy also creates a sense of accountability to each other as group members become invested in each other’s recovery. There is a sense of support, unity, and encouragement among group members throughout all stages of recovery. When an addict is ready to seek substance abuse treatment in St. Louis, it’s imperative to find a program that treats the mind as well as the body. While there can never be a guarantee that a patient will not relapse, treating the whole person, rather than just the physical symptoms, will set the patient up for the best chance of success.
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