In recognition of Recovery Awareness Month, the Link for Hope Coalition has offered information regarding hope and recovery. This is the last article of recovery to be featured during the month of September.
Treatment Works and Recovery Happens
The stigma around substance use is very strong. Some of this is based on the misconception that once someone becomes dependent on alcohol or drugs, there is no turning back. This is not true and every day in our community people are taking action to make changes in their lives to find and create their own personal recovery.
Clearly the issues of substance abuse in our community, state and nation are alarming and should be based on its impact to individuals, families and public safety. There is the public face of substance abuse played out in the paper and on the news daily, and there is the private face of recovery that the community as a whole rarely gets to see. Given this, some may be left with the impression that nothing is changing or different.
So how does recovery happen? It begins with a realization that something must change. Sometimes the realization comes externally from a family member, friend or the court; nonetheless recovery is a change in the person’s use of alcohol and other drugs based on a change in thinking and behaviors. Some individuals make these changes on their own using community supports such as family, church, Internet, self-help groups or other resources. Others seek out an intervention with a treatment provider.
One of the primary roles of treatment is to offer people a safe place to start the process; many people working to make any change need support strategy and structure to succeed. Treatment providers can meet these three needs in a variety of ways depending on the specific needs of the individual seeking services. All treatment providers strive to provide a safe, supportive, confidential environment for individuals and families to sort out the challenges of substance abuse.
Treatment providers have developed a number of proven strategies and skills to facilitate the recovery process. Providers work with clients to train and coach the individual in the use of these skills so they can navigate their own path to recovery. Some of these skills include ways to change ingrained thoughts, manage stress and impulse control and find the courage to develop and try new activities. One very important tool that is essential in recovery is the fact that we all need support to make change. Treatment providers will work very hard with the individual to develop these supports and learn how to use them.
Structure, depending on the needs of the individual treatment providers can provide a variety of interventions to support the person. This might be individual therapy, case management, group work or intensive outpatient (IOP) that meets three times a week for three hours a day or residential. Providers will tailor the level of support based on the needs of the person. Participating in treatment adds structure to a person’s life and counselors will also work with folks to help them develop a daily schedule as a technique to support personal change. Change does not happen by accident and the person needs to take action daily to make their recovery work.
In Aroostook County, there are a number of treatment resources for people to access. The phone number 2-1-1 is a great place to start your search or you could go online to http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/samhs/osa/. A number of churches in The County have recovery supports in place; AMHC, Life by Design, Hope & Recovery and other providers to name a few provide outpatient service.
There are also residential programs in Maine that provide 24-hour structure and support and intensive therapeutic interventions for individuals who need a very high level of oversight and support. For adults, there is The Farm in Limestone and Crossroads for Women that offer 28-day programs.
There are also halfway houses programs such as Wellsprings in Bangor and St. Francis House in Lewiston. These programs provide long-term support and transitional housing. For youth, there is Day One in Hollis and the Phoenix program in Augusta.
