Science and Support Are Keys to a Successful Recovery from Addiction
Very few people SET OUT to become alcoholics or drug addicts. Further, very few people who find themselves snared by addiction and who seek inpatient or outpatient treatment for it SET OUT to relapse. The bottom line: Overcoming addiction, whether it’s the first time or subsequent to treatment, is a challenge that is often underrated and almost always misunderstood. George Joseph has devoted his life to creating an environment of change – permanent change. And the chief operating officer of The Right Step family of alcohol- and drug-treatment centers has identified two key factors that affect the recovery process: science and support. “I realized that, many times, treatment providers expect people to understand how drugs and alcohol affect a person’s physiology and psychology. Addiction is a disease,” Joseph says. “We forget that most people do not know about addiction, and that they surely don’t believe it has symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease, heart disease or cancer.” By tapping scientific information that helps the staff communicate with its patients and adapt treatment protocols to improve success rates, The Right Step tackles “the disease” upfront – through the part of the body that is ill: the brain. “Addiction has the potential to produce cognitive deficits that are irreparable,” Joseph says. “When the brain is addicted to a substance, the behavioral components become increasingly prominent. Most addicted persons get to the point where they have the desire to stop using drugs or alcohol, but don’t have the ability to stop on their own.” The staff at The Right Step drug treatment centers has spent the past two decades teaching them how. But that’s only the first leg of the journey. Initial treatment rids the body of toxic substances and PREPARES an addict to recover mentally. To complete the process, something almost as important as “The Science” is needed: “The Support.” “Statistically speaking, national relapse rates for addictive diseases range from 50 percent to 90 percent,” Joseph says. “And relapse is much more likely to occur, even after initial treatment, when a person in recovery tries to ‘go it alone.’ A community of recovering alcoholics and addicts is key to a successful life-long recovery.” The Right Step aftercare programs feature not only state-of-the-art, proven-effective methodology. They also involve fellow alums who are traveling the path of recovery. These are people who know how it feels to be tempted to relapse because they’ve experienced that temptation and overcome it – sometimes after falling, but always with a support team in place to help them get back up. ”Our Alumni Program provides our clients a social support network that is especially effective in helping them grow friendships and bonds that, in turn, help them stay the course to recovery,” Joseph says. “Clients in the program are much less likely to experience a relapse, and, when they do, they have an empathetic, supportive community to help them get back on their feet and back on the road to a healthy life.” To speak with a The Right Step counselor, please call 844-877-1781. Or visit The Right Step’s website for a comprehensive look at our treatment programs and facilities, which are located throughout the Southwest.
