Addiction is a treatable disease [1]. Treatment and recovery are related parts of the healing process. Each serves a different purpose. And each occurs at different stages. Read on to learn more about how this works.
What Does Treatment Consist Of?
Treatment is the formal, structured intervention intended to help individuals stop using substances and address their addiction. It typically has the following components:
Detoxification (Detox)
- This is a medically managed process to help safely manage withdrawal symptoms and cleanse the body of substances and associated toxins, in preparation for treatment. It lasts from 3-10 days, depending on the person and the substance.
Medically-assisted Treatment (MAT)
- Mainly used with opioid use disorder and alcohol use disorder, MAT combines FDA-approved medications with behavioral therapy and counseling. Some of the medical goals include:
- Regulating brain chemistry
- Block substances’ euphoric effects
- Alleviate physical cravings
- Reduce substance use
Therapeutic Approaches
There is a wide variety of types of therapy used in substance abuse treatment, including:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Helps individuals identify and change negative thought patterns and behaviors. By focusing on the connection between thoughts, emotions, and actions, CBT enables people with practical tools to manage challenges, reduce stress, and improve mental health.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- DBT is a special form of CBT designed to help people manage intense emotions, improve relationships, and develop coping skills. DBT combines individual therapy, group skills training, mindfulness practices, and phone coaching. It focuses on balancing acceptance and change, teaching skills like emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. DBT is effective for conditions like depression, PTSD, and substance abuse to promote long-term emotional stability.
Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET)
- MET is a client-centered, goal-oriented approach designed to inspire individuals to overcome substance abuse by making positive changes. Through empathetic counseling and reflective listening, MET helps individuals explore their ambivalence, strengthen their internal motivation, and commit to change. It is often highly effective in helping people become empowered to take actionable steps towards recovery and healthier lifestyles.
Experiential Therapy
- This may include a number of different activities from painting and drama to camping and wilderness exploration. Experiential therapy can help those with substance abuse issues recover from past old habits while building the tools they need to stay clean. It also promotes healthy relationships with others as they do experiential activities.
Family Therapy
- Family is a central part of overcoming substance abuse. Family therapy addresses the person’s issues within the context of family relationships. The focus is on communication, conflict resolution, and strengthening bonds among family members. By involving the entire family, unhealthy patterns can be identified and changed. This encourages a supportive environment for healing.
12-Step Programs
- These are structured support groups focused on helping individuals recover from addiction and maintain long-term sobriety. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) originated this approach, but there are now a number of other programs, such as Narcotics Anonymous (NA) which follows AA principles. Central to this approach is admitting powerlessness over addiction and seeking support from a higher power. There are also secular organizations such as SMART Recovery, among others. Participants attend meetings, share experiences, and work through the 12 steps with the support of peers, fostering accountability, spiritual growth, and lasting recovery.
Treatment Settings
There is a variety of settings where treatment takes place including:
- Inpatient or residential programs (“rehab”): These are structured environments which provide a safe setting where therapy is offered, as well as experiential therapy and holistic therapies such as mindfulness meditation and movement.
- Outpatient Services: These may be in a variety of settings, such as a doctor’s office, clinic, community center, or hospital.
- Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP): These offer intensive, structured treatment for individuals needing significant support while living at home. They provide therapy, medical care, and skill-building during the day.
- Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP): These are also structured treatment programs but are a “step-down” from PHP with a less intensive schedule. They are designed for those who need more support than outpatient care but don’t require 24/7 hospitalization. They focus on relapse prevention, coping skills, and emotional support. They are well-suited for those transitioning from inpatient care or managing moderate addiction or mental health issues.
What Is Recovery?
Recovery has many different elements which together provide a path forward in the healing journey from addiction and the prevention of, or dealing with, relapse. As the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism says, “It’s a Marathon, Not a Sprint” [2].
Recovery usually follows the treatment process, although there is some overlap towards the end of treatment. While there are different ways recovery can be viewed, one experienced clinician has summarized the following three key stages of recovery as follows [3]:
Abstinence Stage
This starts immediately after the person stops using and usually lasts for 1 or 2 years. The main focus is dealing with cravings and not using. There are many specific tasks in this stage, including accepting you have an addiction, practicing self-care and saying no, and understanding the stages of relapse, among others. Often, people want to skip past this stage to get to what they think is the real work, but lack of self-care is critical and must be addressed first.
Repair Stage
The main work here is to repair the damage of their addiction. It can take 2-3 years. Individuals must confront the damage their addiction caused to their relationships, employment, finances, and self-esteem. They also need to overcome their guilt and negative self-labeling. Sometimes people feel they can’t experience joy, feel confident, or have healthy relationships.
Growth Stage
This stage is focused on developing skills that individuals may have never learned and that predisposed them to addiction. This stage usually starts 3 to 5 years after the individual has stopped using drugs or alcohol. It is a lifetime path. When the person is ready, this is the time to deal with family of origin issues or past trauma, but there is a danger of relapse if coping skills haven’t been developed.
Five Rules for Recovery
Melemis outlines five rules for recovery as follows [3]:
- Change your life: A person doesn’t achieve recovery by just not using. Recovery involves creating a new life in which it is easier to not use.
- Be completely honest: Addiction requires lying. Clinical experience shows that when individuals feel they cannot be completely honest, it is a sign of emotional relapse.
- Ask for help. Most start recovery by trying to do it on their own. They want to prove they have control over their addiction. Self-help groups have been shown to significantly increase the chances of long-term recovery.
- Practice self-care: Most people use to escape, relax, or reward themselves. Poor self-care plays a role in these situations. Self-care is difficult because recovering individuals tend to be hard on themselves.
- Don’t bend the rules: This rule is a reminder to not resist or sabotage change by insisting that they do recovery their way. A warning sign is when individuals ask for professional help and consistently ignore the advice.
Comparison Table
The following table summarizes the differences between treatment and recovery.
| Treatment | Recovery | |
| Stage | Initial phase | Ongoing |
| Duration | Time-limited | Lifelong |
| Focus | Immediate goal of stopping substance abuse | Overall life improvement |
| Setting | In formal, structured environments | Home and daily life |
| Professional Involvement | Intensive professional intervention | Professional intervention, self-management, peer support |
| Support | In treatment with others | Family, friends, support groups |
Substance Abuse Disorder Treatment in Anaheim
Located in Anaheim, California, Restorations Health Care can help you or a loved one on the recovery from addiction and mental health issues. Our mission is all about saving lives.
We offer detox and inpatient treatment programs that help people get back on their feet. Our dedicated team of trained addiction professionals and licensed counselors provide individualized addiction treatment programs for recovery. Reach out to our Admissions team now.
Sources
[1] NIDA. 2020, July 6. Treatment and Recovery.
[2] NIAAA. 2025. Support Recovery: It’s a Marathon, Not a Sprint.
[3] Melemis SM. Relapse Prevention and the Five Rules of Recovery. Yale J Biol Med. 2015 Sep 3;88(3):325-32.
