Retreat Center for Healing from Addiction or Mental Health Conditions

Retreats for Addiction and Mental Health

It’s a brand new year, providing a fresh slate and the opportunity to finally take steps to break free from a substance use problem or mental health issue that has prevented you from enjoying a fulfilling and productive life. While it is never easy to initiate the recovery process, once that reticence is overcome and treatment is sought a whole new rewarding life awaits.

When seeking a retreat center for addiction recovery or mental health treatment it helps to have a general understanding of what kinds of services are provided. Aligning your unique recovery needs with the most appropriate treatment pathways is an essential first step toward obtaining a successful outcome. By gaining some basic information about the different types of treatment settings, treatment philosophies, retreat formats, and services available you are equipped with the knowledge to take that important step.

Addiction Recovery Retreat Center

A substance use disorder may have completely blindsided you, seeming to come out of nowhere to steal your life right out from under you. Whether your drug or alcohol problem is a recent development or the result of a long history of substance abuse, the result is the same. Addiction is addiction, period. Becoming enslaved by a substance use disorder will upend a person’s life on every level.

Finding an addiction recovery or depression retreat center that adheres to clinically proven evidence-based treatment modalities will get you on the road to recovery. Addiction treatment involves multiple disciplines that work in tandem to help the individual make the needed changes that will help them overcome the disease.

Additionally, any underlying factors, such as a mood disorder or trauma, will be identified and treated alongside the substance use disorder. It is crucial to address the contributing mental health issues when treating addiction or dependency. In many cases, the substance use is merely a symptom of the core issue that drives the addiction behaviors. A retreat center for addiction recovery will assist you in achieving realignment between the mind, body, and spirit.

Types of Substance Use Disorders are Treated

An addiction treatment retreat may specialize in a particular type of substance use disorder, such as alcoholism or opiate addictions. Most, however, will be equipped to treat individuals struggling from a variety of substance use disorders, including:

• Alcohol
• Prescription opioids
• Heroin
• Cocaine
• Methamphetamine
• Benzodiazepines
• Marijuana
• Poly-drugs

Each type of substance use disorder will have its own treatment protocol and anticipated withdrawal symptoms during the detox process. For this reason, it is beneficial to locate a retreat center that routinely customizes treatment plans to address the specific features of a certain drug or alcohol addiction, as well as any coexisting mental health disorders.

Psychotherapy Important for Addiction Recovery

Detox and withdrawal provides the launch point for a new life liberated from addiction, but that is only the first step. Learning to live your daily life without the substance that you have relied on takes a whole set of coping skills, as well as a shift in thinking. Assisting individuals in making these important changes through evidence-based psychotherapy is at the heart of addiction treatment.

Psychotherapists utilize a number of modalities that are effective for individuals recovering from addiction. The most commonly used therapies include:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT focuses on both the cognitive (thoughts) and behavioral (actions) of the individual by helping them modify thought-behavior patterns that are keeping them trapped in substance abuse. For example, someone may be convinced that they cannot function at work or at social functions without drugs or alcohol, therefore they continue to self-medicate in these situations. CBT teaches them to exchange that irrational belief to a positive statement.
• Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). DBT is centered on shifting negative self-messaging and self-criticism toward acceptance, while encouraging improvement in four specific areas, including mindfulness, emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and distress tolerance. DBT can be especially useful for individuals with a dual diagnosis, such as alcoholism and depression or anxiety, as it helps them learn to regulate emotions and mood swings.
• Motivational enhancement therapy (MET). MET is a short-term therapy that uses four steps to help the person identify feelings of ambivalence about giving up the substance. It is often used in conjunction with other types of therapies at the outset of a treatment program, helping to identify the reasons for hesitating to seek sobriety. MET helps persuade the individual to embrace recovery and to become self-motivated to embrace change.
• Contingency management. CM is an incentive-based type of therapy that provides small rewards in exchange for continued sobriety. Clean alcohol or drug tests will result in the individual receiving a reward, strengthening their resolve to remain sober and avoid relapse. CM is a classic behavioral psychotherapy.

Using these clinically tested psychotherapies, the individual works to overcome the addiction from the inside out.

Mental Health Retreat Center

Living with a mental health disorder can undermine daily functioning and erode quality of life. Far too many people attempt to manage their daily struggle on their own, never seeking the professional help that could make a real difference in their life experience. For some, the fear of the enduring stigma attached to mental health issues keeps them from taking that first step toward wellness. For others, a misdirected fear of appearing weak or incapable of dealing with life’s setbacks prevents them from seeking help.

As heroic as the effort to push through and handle it might appear, neglecting to pursue mental health treatment allows the illness to worsen. As the condition deepens, the impact on daily life also deepens, introducing serious consequences such as putting one’s job in jeopardy, damaging personal relationships, or elevating suicide risk.

Taking the time to address the mental health concern at a wellness retreat center can put you on a path to healing within a supportive, safe space. There are varying levels of care available depending on the needs of the individual, with retreat programs offering a short one-week stay up to an extended duration of several months if needed.

Mental Health Conditions Are Treated

While there are mental health programs that treat a wide array of conditions, the majority of concerns addressed at a mental health or trauma recovery retreat center revolve around the following:

Depression

Depression affects more than 17 million Americans each year, and has a variety of types including:

• Major depressive disorder
• Seasonal affective disorder
• Dysthymia
• Premenstrual dysphoric disorder
• Bipolar depression

Symptoms of major depressive disorder include the following:

• Loss of interest in daily life
• Feelings of sadness and despair
• Fatigue
• Change in sleep patterns
• Change in eating patterns
• Slowed movements
• Difficulty making decisions
• Feelings of shame or guilt
• Thoughts of suicide

Anxiety disorders

Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent mental health conditions in the U.S. impacting 40 million people. The types of anxiety disorders include:

• Generalized anxiety disorder
• Social anxiety
• Phobia
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder
• Panic disorder

Symptoms for generalized anxiety disorder include:

• Excessive worry
• Tense muscles
• Irritability
• Isolating behaviors
• Insomnia
• Sweating
• Palpitations
• Nausea
• Trembling

Trauma

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects 3.5% of the U.S. adult population, or one in every 11 people. A traumatic event that is experienced or witnessed can have long-term effects on health and wellbeing when its impact on the individual does not resolve in a timely manner. Symptoms of PTSD last more than one month and include:

• Flashbacks
• Nightmares
• Frightening thoughts
• Avoiding places, things, or events that could trigger memories of the trauma
• Avoiding emotions and thoughts related to the trauma
• Being tense and on edge
• Being easily startled
• Angry outbursts
• Insomnia
• Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed
• Distorted feelings of self-blame or guilt

Treatment Elements at a Wellness Retreat

At a mental health retreat center the clinical team will provide a diagnosis and customize a treatment plan based on the findings. While therapeutic treatment elements may vary across the spectrum of mental health providers, most retreats will include the following:

• Individual psychotherapy. Talk therapy sessions with a psychotherapist provide a safe, confidential space for patients to explore the underlying issues that may be contributing factors for the mental health disorder.
• Group therapy. Patients gather in small groups to share their personal experiences or mental health challenges. A licensed therapist guides the topics of discussion.
• Family therapy. Family therapy sessions benefit both the patient and the family members. These sessions help family members to become educated about their loved one’s mental health condition and how to be supportive of them as they are healing.
• Medication management. Medications can be prescribed to help manage and mitigate the symptoms of the disorder, or existing medications can be adjusted. These drugs include antidepressants, anti-anxiety drugs, anti-psychotic drugs, and mood stabilizers.
• Experiential or holistic therapies. Complementary holistic activities can further enhance the clinical effects, including mindfulness meditation, yoga, art and music therapy, deep-breathing techniques, aromatherapy, acupuncture, and massage therapy.
• Recreation and fitness. Exercise offers both psychological and physical benefits and is integrated into the treatment plan. These activities might include swimming, participation in group sports, cycling, exercise classes, hiking or walking.

Whether there is a need for a substance use disorder or a mental health condition, finding a retreat center that is aligned with your needs is the first step toward wellness.

Expert Guidance for Addiction and Mental Health Treatment

The Treatment Specialist provides free online resources for individuals in need of guidance for mental health or addiction recovery. Our specialists provide that essential information needed to be able to select the best retreat center for your particular recovery needs. In this New Year, make the commitment to seek out the professional help that can turn your life around. Call a Treatment Specialist today at (866) 641-7911.