At the beginning of addiction recovery, it’s likely that clients aren’t fully aware of addiction or how it’s completely impacted their lives. Holistic treatment is meant to consider these components and the history of each client.
Because each person is different and has unique needs, didactic group therapy can be educational and informative as a supportive effort for healing. Recovery should always consider a person’s mental, physical, and spiritual health. Didactic group therapy can serve as the glue to all of this when it comes to addiction recovery.
Defining Didactic Group Therapy
For individuals to gain a stronger understanding of addiction, recovery, and the nuances that occur throughout this lifelong journey, didactic group therapy is led by a facilitator who initiates meaningful discussions on some of the following topics:
- Adverse effects associated with addiction
- Relapse prevention
- Common beliefs about addiction
- And more
The idea behind didactic group therapy is that people will become more invested in their own treatment as they gain more knowledge about their own lived experiences. We can’t truly take action on things that we’re not aware of – and the more we know, the more power we bring.
Becoming Informed
Addiction is considered a brain disease because of the chemical manipulation involved in abusing substances. Still, many in recovery aren’t aware of this.
It’s easier for someone to understand why they pursued substances, lied to loved ones, and made otherwise unwise choices when they grasp just how strong a disease like addiction can be. There are many myths surrounding substance abuse, including the idea that a person can simply “quit” or that a person is “weak” if they relapse. Didactic group therapy can provide real information a person needs to get past these negative beliefs and begin working towards responsibility, healing, and empowerment.
Common misbeliefs about addiction and recovery include:
- Beliefs that a person is weak for seeking help
- Ideas that recovery is a “quick fix”
- Perceiving that addiction is all that matters – and that other aspects of a person’s life, like their health history, childhood upbringing, traumas and more don’t matter
- Believing that addiction is all that’s treated in recovery
- Having the idea that nobody can truly understand a person’s experience; that a person is all alone in what they’ve gone through
Education is power. Those who learn more about the biological processes of addiction and the psychology of relapse are more likely to adopt healthier coping mechanisms to fight against challenging situations.
Learning from Others in Didactic Therapy
Social support is a significant component of healing. Didactic group therapy can foster this support by offering a safe space for people to learn from one another. This type of treatment is focused on education, which could be structured as a classroom or group therapy session. In these sessions, people can associate their personal experiences with what is being taught.
Problem-solving skills are crucial in recovery because there will always be instances in a person’s life that are particularly difficult to deal with. We can learn how past substance abuse can influence our thoughts now. More importantly, we learn what we can do to get back on track and deal with our problems in healthier ways.
For example, a person may benefit from understanding that our thoughts are tied to what we eat, how we sleep, who we spend our time with, and what we do in our free time. With this knowledge, it becomes easier to recognize that substance abuse had a significant impact on our mental health and wellness. In turn, part of redeeming ourselves is developing healthier hobbies, surrounding ourselves with people who care about us, and actively using coping mechanisms we learn in treatment to push forward.
Skills like this may seem ordinary, but they require skills that take organization, time, critical thinking, patience, and more. That’s why recovery is considered a lifelong process – because it truly takes a lifetime of learning for a person to become stronger, wiser, and more resilient than before.
Didactic therapy is just one of many tools that can be used in a personalized treatment plan. A person may also pursue other holistic treatment methods such as massage therapy, art therapy, chiropractic services, nutrition management, and so much more.
If you’re ready to engage in a comprehensive treatment plan tailored to your specific needs in mental health and addiction recovery, speak with a professional from Rancho Milagro Recovery today. It’s never too late to begin pursuing the life you’ve always wanted. Group therapy is only one part of a recovery program. Most people in early recovery will also require additional support, including community, alumni groups, individual therapy, spiritual advice, and relapse prevention strategies. If this seems like a lot – that’s because it is! At Rancho Milagro Recovery, however, our goal is to make the entire process of recovery manageable. You’ll be able to fine-tune a program of recovery to uniquely suit your needs. Furthermore, you’ll be surrounded by like minded individuals. No matter which program or philosophy of recovery you subscribe to, support groups are integral to just about every person’s ongoing sobriety, and, at Rancho Milagro Recovery, you’ll find an incredible pre-existing group of people standing by ready to support your growth. Give us a call today at (951) 526-4582 to learn more about becoming part of the Rancho Milagro family! We can’t wait to welcome you.