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Benefits of Social Support in Drug Treatment Centers

Did you know that your support system can make all the difference when you enter into drug treatment? The social support systems that are integrated into drug treatment programs can have dramatic effects on the success of the overall treatment program, especially for those whose addictions are highly psychological in matter. A strong social support system can help prevent relapse and build strong relationships in drug treatment centers.

How Social Support Systems Prevent Relapse

Social support such as that provided by your peers during drug addiction treatment can help to prevent relapse by providing you with a trusted avenue to work through your problems without having to worry about being rejected, frowned upon or laughed at. Peer support is emphasized in group activities throughout drug treatment including group meetings and counseling sessions, trust building activities and a range of other treatment modalities. Influencing social support as a means of teaching addicts how to work with others to overcome stressful situations and other problems can reduce the likelihood of an addict relapsing when they exit treatment by providing them with the life skills necessary to overcome stress on their own.

Building Social Support Systems Outside of Drug Treatment

Social support systems don’t just help the addict during drug treatment, most treatment centers now help addicts to rebuild their social support systems outside of treatment so that when inpatient treatment is over there is still adequate support to help the addict maintain sobriety. The family support system can help to alert addicts when they are doing the wrong thing and commend them when they are doing a good job. Positive reinforcement can be a very beneficial part of the family support system.

Drug treatment centers provide family counseling and relationship therapy as a means of helping those in drug treatment to effectively rebuild their social support network so that when they leave treatment they still have the guidance and support that they need to continue to remain sober. Families suffer greatly as a result of drug addiction and many times the family support system becomes damaged to a point that the only way to recover and rebuild is with intensive counseling and therapy. Family support systems are vital to the long term recovery of an addict.

The Role of Support Systems in Drug Treatment

We see support systems being used throughout drug treatment in a number of ways. Individual counseling and therapy is provided by a counselor whom the addict can grow to trust and confide in. Group counseling provides the opportunity for addicts to work together and build peer relationships that are based on trust and the similar fight that each of them are going through in an effort to overcome addiction. Family counseling and therapy is offered to help rebuild or replenish the support system outside of drug treatment.

The social support system is vital to the successful recovery of an addict. Drug treatment centers continue to offer new ways and tools for building the social support system within friends, family members and other acquaintances both during and following treatment.

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