When an individual is struggling with addiction (also known as a substance use disorder), it is always recommended that they enter some form of rehabilitation. This could be in the form of reparenting therapy.
Drug and alcohol rehabilitation is the process in which individuals learn to manage and deal with the symptoms of their addiction which can vary from person to person and are dependent on many different factors.
Addiction can never be completely cured or treated, meaning that the individual will have to undergo a recovery programme that is suitable for them.
According to most studies, this is achieved by ensuring that the individual needs of the recoverees are met, and that boredom is avoided in inpatient rehabilitation centres (1).
There are several key elements that make a successful rehabilitation programme, and some of these are outlined across the following subheadings.
This is generally the first stage of rehabilitation that individuals are encouraged to undergo before engaging in any further stages of care.
This is because the detoxification stage prepares the body physically for further treatments – most of which focus on mental health and the mental wellbeing of the individual.
During a detox, individuals will withdraw from the substance that they were addicted to, either by going ‘cold turkey’ in a controlled environment, or through medically assisted treatments for more serious cases of physical dependence.
Rehab 4 Addiction never recommends that an individual should go through a detox by themselves, and it is always encouraged that these individuals should have the supervision of another person, preferably a medical professional.
Talking therapies make up the majority of what people consider to be ‘typical rehabilitation treatment’, and although these types of care do make up a large proportion of time within an individual’s rehab programme, this is not to say that other treatment forms should be discounted.
Talking therapies include popular and often-used therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT), as these forms of therapy are flexible when it comes to a wide range of issues and can be altered and adjusted when and where the individual requires it.
Some studies have shown that, with the involvement of talking therapies amongst other forms of treatment in a rehabilitation programme, CBT can be effective in the reduction of the risk of relapse when compared to individuals in programmes without CBT (2).
In some cases of recovery, especially during the detoxification stage (and beyond), it may be suitable to prescribe specific medications for the individual in order to reduce some of the negative impacts that they are experiencing as a result of long-term addiction.
This is most common among individuals who have been addicted to substances that are physically dependent.
This refers to the body’s response to the consumption of some substances such as alcohol and heroin in which it becomes dependent on the substance to continue ‘normal’ functioning on the everyday.
This can cause intense cravings and, in some cases, serious health risks in the long term. Some of these effects can be managed by additional substances.
For example, Librium is used in the treatment of long-term alcohol addictions (also known as alcoholism) and methadone may be used when trying to slowly transition an individual during a heroin detox.
One of the most common and recurring themes that an individual will face during their time in rehabilitation is the process of self-care and the development of this throughout care.
In many cases of addiction, the disorder can cause individuals to stop self-care practises, perhaps because they are unable to continue these habits, or perhaps due to the effects of their addiction making them feel unworthy.
In all instances, individuals are encouraged to practise self-care regularly throughout their time in rehabilitation, whether this is in a dedicated rehabilitation centre (inpatient care) or if they are partaking in rehabilitation as an outpatient.
Reparenting, as a form of talking therapy, is a therapeutic approach in which the therapist takes on the role of a parent for the individual.
This type of therapy is used to help individuals have experiences of positive parental contact, as well as provide them with positive interactions and experiences with a parental figure.
This is a therapy based on attachment theory, forming healthy attachments, and maintaining these healthy attachments in the long term.
There are many different cases in which reparenting may be considered a useful and beneficial treatment for individuals undergoing addiction treatment at the same time.
In many cases, addiction can occur as a co-occurring disorder, meaning that the individual may be struggling with additional mental health issues at the same time, and therefore will require treatment for both in order to effectively treat either.
The following subheadings outline some of the most common reasons in which an individual may benefit from reparenting, but please bear in mind that this is not an extensive list and that there are countless other reasons and situations in which reparenting may be an effective type of care in long-term recovery.
Addiction is considered to be a process which can bring about changes and progress in personal growth after dealing with trauma (3), and this suggests that this personal growth may be carried through to other areas of the individual’s personal development, not just to their recovery journey.
Not only may an individual learn to deal with their addiction in the long term while going through rehabilitation, but they may also have the opportunity to work on a number of other issues and mental health struggles that may be related to this.
Reparenting may be used as a way to encourage the individual on their path, as well as potentially providing some form of reassurance and recognition concerning their achievements and overall growth.
As another example, some individuals may benefit from reparenting therapy as a way to meet their emotional needs.
There are many reasons why an individual may feel as though their emotional needs are not being met, and this can be especially true when combined with struggling with an addiction.
Addiction can often lead to isolation and feelings of being alone – something which can seriously impact an individual’s emotional wellbeing and stability.
Patients with personality disorder may also fall under this category, though this is a complex disorder and can affect every individual differently.
Through reparenting treatment, these individuals could gain gratification and satisfaction in their emotional needs in a range of ways, though these are extremely varied from individual to individual due to the complexity and uniqueness of emotions and how they affect us.
As a final example, individuals who have experienced childhood trauma may massively benefit from reparenting therapy during their time in rehabilitation.
This is because, while growing up, these individuals would not have been able to have positive interactions and experiences with a parent figure, and this could greatly impact their wellbeing in the future, as well as their relations with others.
Reparenting can greatly help with childhood trauma, though it is not suitable for everyone. This is something that should be discussed before an individual enters any form of rehabilitation and is a factor of care that should be deeply considered before any treatment.
In the right situation and for the right individual, reparenting therapy can have many benefits.
Some of these are suggested below, but there are many other benefits that will vary from individual to individual and may not always apply to every case.
As core elements of reparenting therapy, individuals will actively be encouraged to increase their responsibility in the form of taking care of themselves.
This is a great responsibility, but one that many individuals can forget when struggling with addiction. First and foremost, an individual should always take care of themselves and their own needs, and this should not be overruled by the effects of addiction.
This is also an aspect that can be carried into many other areas of the individuals’ life, as it may encourage them to behave differently or change some of their daily habits in order to maintain their recovery journey.
As another benefit, individuals who undergo reparenting therapy as a part of their recovery journey are more likely to develop healthy relationships than those that they may have had during their struggles with addiction.
This occurs as a result of the positive interactions that the individual will have with the therapist during reparenting therapy.
By normalising these types of interactions and relations with others, the individual will be more likely to seek out these positive qualities with others, not just during therapy.
This includes platonic relationships, as well as romantic relationships.
The people we surround ourselves with are incredibly vital to our wellbeing, our health, and our interactions with the world, so by encouraging a greater and healthier connection with those around us, there are many further benefits that many individuals can experience in their long-term recovery.
To learn more about Rehab 4 Addiction and how we can help you or someone you know, take a look at some of our other webpages, check out our blog or give our addiction support hotline a call on 0800 140 4690 today.
We specialise in helping individuals seek and enter the most appropriate form of rehabilitation and support for them, so get in touch to find out how we can help you or someone you know, no matter how big or small the issues associated may appear to be.
[1] Sereta, B.N., Amimo, F.A., Ouma, P. and Ondimu, T.O., 2016. An assessment of effectiveness of drug rehabilitation programs in Kisii County-Kenya.
[2] Parvizifard, A., Haji Ahmad, H.J.B., Sulaiman, T., Binti Baba, M., Sadeghi, K. and Parsa Moghadam, A., 2016. Effectiveness of Cognitive-behavioral Therapy in the Treatment of Iranian Male Drug Addicts at a State Rehabilitation Center. Global Journal of Health Science, 9(1), p.94.
[3] Haroosh, E. and Freedman, S., 2017. Posttraumatic growth and recovery from addiction. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 8(1), p.1369832.
Boris is our editor-in-chief at Rehab 4 Addiction. Boris is an addiction expert with more than 20 years in the field. His expertise covers a broad of topics relating to addiction, rehab and recovery. Boris is an addiction therapist and assists in the alcohol detox and rehab process. Boris has been featured on a variety of websites, including the BBC, Verywell Mind and Healthline. You can connect with Boris online at LinkedIn or X.com.
