How Do You Know If You Need Help
How can someone tell if they need help? One of the strategies to consider is CAGE screening. Four questions are included in the CAGE screening.
- Have you ever felt you should cut down on your drinking?
- Have people annoyed you by criticizing your drinking?
- Have you ever felt bad about your drinking?
- Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or get over a hangover?
It is commonly agreed that if you answer yes to two or more of the questions, it would be beneficial for you to options for treatment. Deciding to ask for help isn’t easy, and quite often people will delay seeking treatment because of shame in admitting to having a problem with drug or alcohol use. If you or a loved one is experiencing this, speaking with a counselor can help with getting past that issue.
Getting Started
The first step to recovery is often the hardest to make. Quite often, the first element in rehabilitation is detox. This is not a service we provide directly, but we can help make a referral to a provider that does this. The majority of people will then opt for some type of outpatient program after the detox phase, in order to continue down the road to recovery and continually reinforce new habits and behaviors. It is important to find a well-balanced program that meets both short- and long-term goals – a structured program should be put together specific to meeting individual needs. A program tailored to meet a person’s individual needs is far more likely to succeed than any of the one-size-fits all program out there
To learn more about what to expect or how to get started, contact us today; call, email, or stop by to speak with a clinician to see if you might benefit from treatment.
All forms of Louisiana Medicaid are accepted.
What You’ll Need
- Photo ID and social security number
- Medicaid insurance card
- Any available documentation regarding medication or prior treatment
What To Expect
Treatment for addiction can come in many forms, and most clients find that they need to use a combination of methods to achieve a full recovery. Clients frequently require medication to help them through the initial withdrawal from drugs, which may be accompanied by flu-like symptoms, seizures, anxiety, restlessness, tremors or other symptoms. Once the client has moved past the withdrawal portion of the treatment, behavioral counseling begins and the client may also be treated for any co-occurring mental health disorders. Skills training may be a part of this rehabilitation process along with family counseling to ensure the addict has everything needed to sustain the recovery process. Most clients then find they need long-term follow up care to decrease their chances of relapsing and returning to the substance of choice.
The goal is to get started as early as possible. The first step toward recovery is to schedule a drug and alcohol assessment. Although many addicts are uneasy with the idea of sharing information about their lives and their substance use with strangers, this assessment is essential. It gives treatment coordinators a chance to assess the severity of substance abuse problems and discuss unique addiction-treatment goals to determine the right course of action. Clients should always be 100 percent honest with their treatment providers. Our providers are trained to understand substance abuse disorders for that they are – a medical problem. They understand that use and abuse are symptoms of a serious disease that can, with time, commitment, and assistance, be managed successfully.
The involvement of family and friends in the recovery process wherever possible is very important. It is our humble mission to support family and friends on the complex and sometimes frustrating path of recovery. We strongly feel that family and friend participation is one of the most vital components of recovery for all involved.
Here at Bridges to Hope, we believe that addiction can be managed through education, cognitive restructuring, emotive therapies, and the experience of learning to live addiction free. Each of these processes helps our clients to discover the issues that drive their addiction and learn how to interrupt the addictive response. Clients can then begin to recover from the shame and guilt that surrounds their illness, and learn how to relate to self and others in healthier ways.
From the first moment you walk into our clinic, we strive to provide you with a sense of hope, respect, and caring. You can expect to be treated with compassion and respect, and to find a warm, friendly, non-judgmental environment, so you can focus on your treatment. The path of recovery from addiction will look different for each individual. Our goal at Bridges to Hope is to understand you as an individual and personalize your treatment plan to meet your unique needs because the purpose of treatment is to help you live your best life. We understand that addiction is a complex medical issue, not a moral failure.
We take a person-centered, holistic approach to treatment that empowers each individual to take their life back. We approach healing from multiple perspectives, focusing not only on physical, but mental and emotional healing as well. We understand that you have many responsibilities to your job, family, and friends, and our goal is to provide the support you need to help you live a normal life, free from addiction.
Important to remember -addiction is an ongoing process. Simply because a person quits using their substance of choice for a few days doesn’t mean they are cured. They will need long-term care and support to ensure they remain substance-free and get their lives back under control. This means they need to stop using the drug, remain free of the substance, and become a productive member of society once again. What works for one individual may not be appropriate for another, but don’t give up. There is a treatment plan that works for everyone. Remember that what works for one person may not be suitable for another. If one approach does not work, do not give up. Try another. It’s simply a matter of finding the right one. Addiction is not a problem that can be overcome overnight.