Research statistics have shown that even after 6 weeks of inpatient treatment for alcohol and injected heroin addiction, that 90% of adult men will have relapsed within the first 12 months of their discharge. Often 50-60% of these relapses having occurred in the first 60-90 days from their release. It is then easy to reason that most drug treatment for substance addictions do not seem to work. An exasperating fact for the individual who suffers and the loved ones who have put so much of their time and their financial resources into drug treatment.
At Spirit Mountain Recovery, we work our hardest each day to assist the clients we treat in being able to beat these abysmal relapse statistics. We do it by engaging each client in a uniquely individualized treatment program that makes optimum use of evidence-based clinical therapies specifically tailored to their needs. By also engaging them in a variety of unique, proprietary, experiential recovery regimens that brings new, highly relevant, meaning to what it means to treat their mind, body and spirit.
And, if relapse should occur, we encourage them to come back and reengage with us, no judgment, just compassion. They learn that we are on their recovery journey with them. It is progress and not perfection that matters.
Why Is Drug Rehabilitation So Difficult
First, taking into consideration that the Medical Model of Addiction which defines substance addiction as a chronic, complex disease of the brain and that many of the individuals who struggle with it do not take their addiction or recovery seriously, there are typically 3 principal reasons why individuals’ relapse.
First Reason – Insufficient Time in Treatment
The first reason is that someone suffering with a substance addiction likely relapses is that they have had insufficient time undergoing professional treatment at whatever level of care. Most addiction treatment is typically completed in 30 days, if even that long.
In addition, most insurance companies do not authorize any more than 30 days of sustained medical coverage for substance addiction. Clients also typically return to work at 30 days as most employers most do not grant more than 30 days off for this type of medical condition.
At Spirit Mountain Recovery we recommend a minimum of 90 days of consistent, highly accountable, intensive, residential and outpatient addiction treatment. But, if 30 days in-residence is all you have available when you start your substance addiction treatment, we will do our absolute best to get you started on a program of sustained recovery. Then, outplace you to a highly accountable Intensive Outpatient Program either with us or in your local area after completion of your inpatient care.
Second Reason – Insufficient Level of Treatment
The second reason is that clients typically relapse in a short period of time is that the treatment center has likely been unable to discover and or treat a co-occurring mental health disorder, like depression, anxiety, mood disorders and trauma that have most often triggering the substance addiction.
Spirit Mountain Recovery is a Dual Diagnosis treatment program. Our highly qualified professional staff, specifically trained in addiction, not only assess, diagnose, and treat substance use addictions, but to the extent possible, any co-occurring mental health disorders that most typically accompany a substance use addiction as well.
Third Reason – Insufficient Focus of Treatment
The final reason as to why client’s often relapse is that most treatment centers give more time and attention to the recovery of an individual’s Mind and Body than the equally important vitally recovery of their Spirit. Attention to the Recovery of Spirit is what distinguishes our addiction treatment programs.
With only 8 beds available in our treatment residence our clients get a lot of highly personalized attention to healing their Mind, Body and Spirit. Not just the primary focus on their Mind and Body employed by other centers due to their larger size and number of clients.
Conventional Treatment of the Mind, Body and Spirit at Other Centers
Most substance addiction treatment centers profess that they treat the Mind, Body and Spirit in that order. However, practically speaking, most of their client care is focused primarily on the Mind and Body during a client’s initial 30 days of treatment. Treatment centers focus in on treating the Mind and Body by getting clients medically stabilized, started on an exercise program, back eating consistently, and getting their clinical therapy initiated.
Treatment of the Body, Mind at Spirit at Spirit Mountain Recovery – A New Approach
At Spirit Mountain Recovery we have changed the order of focus in treating adult men suffering with Substance Use and Mental Health Disorders from Mind, Body and Spirit to Body first, then their Mind and Spirit follow. Although we have changed the order in which treatment is engaged, we do devote an equal amount of time to all three areas of focus in our treatment.
Starting men off in their recovery with a focus of engaging them in a variety of daily physical activities like lifting weights, working out on elliptical bikes or a treadmill, or out walking and hiking in the mountains is transformational. It gets their natural dopamine and endorphins back flowing in their bodies. This creates the “I’m feeling good” attitude so important to men in early recovery.
A part of helping clients to heal their bodies is to assist them in getting a good night’s sleep and engaged in three highly nutritious meals per day as prepared by our Executive Chef. Feeling better physically gives rise to the hope that a better tomorrow is possible. It also begins to open their minds as well.
After having first engaged our clients in recovery of their bodies, we then get them started on the Recovery of their Mind. We do this by setting them up with their Clinical Therapist for an unprecedented amount of weekly individual and group therapy. We also tailor their clinical therapy to address their depressive state, acute anxiety, various mood disorder or trauma with which they struggle.
Mindfulness-Based Recovery of the Spirit
Recovery of Body and Mind having been well-established, we then move on to the vitally important Recovery of the Spirit. It is here where Spirit Mountain Recovery’s treatment program distinguishes itself from many others. The word Spirit in our name speaks to the importance we place on Recovery of the Spirit in addiction treatment and recovery.
The concepts of Spirit and Spirituality are often a highly contentious and greatly stigmatized. From what we have learned and witnessed in treating the most severely addicted individuals in our care, they will need to transform themselves, for there to be any chance of them being able to sustain their sobriety for the long-term.
A shift in consciousness must occur from being solely identified with their past self-destructive ego-centered behavior to a new state of being where they become more consciously aware of their thoughts and feelings that works for them and not against them. An observer of their mind and not a captive of it.
A New Focus on Recovery of the Spirit
So, if you believe, like we do, that for the most severely addicted clients, their very lives will be at stake if they cannot find sustained sobriety. Then, we all need to get past the fear and trepidation of what spirit and spirituality mean conceptually or as words. What we are interested in is how the essence of what Recovery of Spirit means to our client so they can internalize the concept in way that is most useful to them in being able to abstain from drinking and drugging.
Let Spirit Mountain Recovery and its Mindfulness-Based Spirit Mountain Awakens Program™ help you to transcend life’s challenges faced during drug and alcohol addiction in a positive and constructive way. Visit our website at www.spiritmountainrecovery.com for more details. Or, better, Contact us today.
