Fear to Treatment

There are many reasons addicts avoid treatment. Some are simply too deep into their addiction to realize that help is available. Others may find that those around them are making it hard for them to give up their addictions. However, more often than not, they are kept away by fear.

Why Fear Keeps People From Treatment

Those who have never been through treatment, and possibly even those who have relapsed, may have a deep fear of entering treatment. This fear is often rooted in an inability to make drastic changes to one’s life. Considering the level of change that treatment brings, such a life-altering experience may seem too big to fully comprehend.

Treatment Means Confrontation

Consider the fact that people have many reasons for fearing confrontation. This does not always mean confronting another individual. It may mean facing any of the following:

• Trauma
• Friends and family
• Past behavior

There are a variety of sub-issues for each of these, but they tend to be the most important ones. Facing these demons can be something that people are not ready to do. However, without confronting them, treatment will not work. It will not accomplish its main goal of beginning the healing process.

Detox Is a Frightening Concept

People who look at treatment may be fearful of what a detox program looks like. The idea of going cold turkey and being denied the one thing that has kept them feeling numb to their problems will be taken away. That can be a genuine and scary concept.

However, a treatment program will make sure that they realize detox, though painful, is the cleansing their bodies need to make sure their minds are ready. Detox may also seem like a solitary process when, in fact, the person will be monitored and taken care of by knowledgeable staff.

The facts are there for them to see. Detox can be painful, but it is also unavoidable. However, once the process is complete, residents can feel a sense of relief that they have not felt in quite some time.

Loss of Autonomy

There is a misconception that treatment takes away a person’s freedom to think and act for themselves. This could not be further from the truth. Though a treatment program does follow a relatively rigid routine, its main reason for existing is to help residents think more clearly and take control over their addictions and lives.

People must realize that they are not sheep. They have their own minds and are perfectly capable of using them to make the right decisions. Treatment is in place to show them that past decisions were made due to specific circumstances and trauma and were therefore unavoidable. However, it will show them that going forward there are many ways to regain control over their lives. This realization can have drastic effects on how the person views themselves and the ways they help themselves going forward.

Discussing One’s Issues

Much like the concept of confrontation, there is often a fear of digging down into the issues once they have been identified. This discussion, both individually and in groups, may be looked at stubbornly. It may be met with what outwardly presents as anger and frustration when, after a brief analysis, is actually fear of getting everything out on the table.

The initial confrontation with one’s past can be scary in its own right. However, the next step, the true dissection of these issues, may seem even worse. At first, there will be cursory nods to the issues that have been brought to the surface. Following this initial acknowledgment, the process of treatment can begin in earnest.

One thing to note is that this particular method does not end with the treatment program. In fact, it will continue well into recovery and may continue for years to come. Discussing one’s past and the issues they raise is a process that often requires years of exploration. It may even require a variety of medical professionals to make sure that not only is the past being discussed, but the present is being talked about in relation to it.

Twilight Recovery Center’s Approach

Residents are often fearful when they enter treatment. At Twilight Recovery Center this is not only understood; it is expected. That is why we are fully prepared to explain the entire process to those who come to our facility. We want to present our relaxed atmosphere while also showing that we can deliver results for our residents.

Treatment can transcend fear and assist people in finding the inner strength to make it to the other side. We believe that reentering society is simply the next step in our process. That is why we believe in providing individualized care to prepare our residents for their next steps. Recovery can feel like a long process but it is not something to fear. It is an opportunity waiting to be embraced.