Addiction never starts as addiction, in other words, a person may begin by the recreational use of illegal drugs, take prescription medications, or begin drinking alcohol. What happens if there is a potential for abuse or addiction within the individual takes place over a period of time. Typically the addict is addicted long before it is realized. Even if they suspect they are taking too much of a substance, it may take years for him or her to admit they need help.
At A Forever Recovery the goal is to treat the addict two-fold. First, the addicted person has a psychological dependency that must be addressed and secondly is to find a treatment track that works best. When treating both of these at the same time, the addict has a much better chance of not only getting off the substance but staying off of it. Psychological dependency happens when the mind of the addict believes that the substance helps alleviate something negative, be it physical or emotional pain. The mind can then relay this message to the body that is physically addicted and cause addiction to become greater.
Finding the right treatment track for the individual is key since it is not necessarily a one size fits all when it comes to what works. Many people have been helped by the well-known 12-step program, but this is something that may not work for some people and finding the right path is the only way success can be reached. For instance, if the addict does not have Christian beliefs or is somehow opposed to it, trying to put him or her in such a treatment program will interfere with treatment in a negative way.
At A Forever Recovery they also have a holistic approach to treatment, which consists of meditation and some imagery and is not related to faith. This works well for many people. Additionally, there is a special treatment track that has a combination of the 12-step program and traditional Native American teachings that work for many especially if the addict is of Native American decent or simply is drawn to the belief system.
