You’ve heard the saying, “No two people are alike.” The same understanding applies to addiction treatment. Since no two people have identical experiences, individualized alcohol addiction treatment is the best way to facilitate recovery. Facilities that offer a unique approach to each person who walks through their doors yield the best results.
What does individualized alcohol addiction treatment look like, and why is it so important? Continue reading to gain a deeper understanding of the necessity of individualized treatment programs and how they help people in recovery.
Why is Individualized Alcohol Addiction Treatment Important?
Imagine you’re a mother of three who is struggling to remain sober from alcohol. Would the results be the same if the facility uses the same treatment plan for you as they do for a teenager recovering from opiate addiction? You and the teenager have the same difficulty remaining sober, but each addiction stems from two different experiences.
Equally as important as individualized alcohol treatment, many facilities also prioritize individualized aftercare plans. Alcohol monitoring is one type of tool that many find helpful after leaving their treatment facility. Alcohol monitoring systems allow you to send real-time test results to document your sobriety.
Individualized Treatment
AUD is a debilitating disease. According to an article on the benefits of individualized treatment, David Olsin writes, “Alcohol dependence is a heterogeneous disorder with many contributing factors. These factors vary from person to person and are known to have a major impact on treatment outcome.”
This means the unique experiences of each individual seeking treatment contribute to the way their alcohol abuse affects them. It also means their treatment plan should consider their personal experiences to elicit the strongest outcome.
“The goal of a personalized or tailored approach to treatment planning is to maximize outcomes in the treatment of each individual and not just offer one standard treatment or treatments,” Olin continues. “The basis for personalized medicine rests in the realization that addiction is a complex disorder.”
Barriers to Individualized Treatment and How to Overcome Them
As seen in the NSDUH study’s statistics, finding adequate individualized treatment for alcohol recovery can be difficult. Not everyone who needs treatment can access it. There are numerous barriers to alcohol treatment that keep many people from finding the support they need.
As one study on the barriers to implementing individualized alcohol addiction treatment explains, “Matching client services to client needs is an important cornerstone to individualized or patient-centered care and a critical component of effective substance abuse treatment.”
Why Can Individualized Treatment be Difficult?
In Olsin’s article, he explains, “The challenge of personalized medicine is to identify the various components of addiction that are relevant to an individual in a way that treatment can be tailored.” Olsin emphasizes that clinicians offering individualized alcohol addiction treatment need to take the time to understand their clients’ unique needs.
Olsin’s study also mentions the difficulties in offering effective treatment due to issues with client retention. Some commented on the way “treatment plans were often vague, standardized, generic, or, as one director described them, ‘too cookie-cutter’.” When clinicians only receive a certain number of sessions to treat their clients, they look for the most effective route.
Strategies to Overcome Difficulties Involved with Individualized Treatment
Although there are barriers to providing individualized alcohol addiction treatment, that doesn’t mean it’s an impossible feat. There are plenty of ways for treatment facilities to offer their clients practical solutions in their recovery plans.
Using modern technology is one way to streamline the process of providing individualized alcohol addiction treatment. For example, Soberlink Remote Alcohol Monitoring uses a personalized approach by offering programs with customized schedules to meet a client’s specific needs.
Soberlink and Individualized Treatment
Soberlink’s Remote Alcohol Monitoring technology is the perfect fit for any individualized alcohol treatment program. The system provides dynamic alcohol recovery management flexible enough to fit into anyone’s schedule. The portability of both the Soberlink device and its comprehensive software works for a variety of unique individuals and circumstances.
Alcohol monitoring can benefit clients, their families, and treatment facilities alike. It’s an easy, safe, and secure way to document sobriety after completing a treatment program.
How Does Soberlink Support Individualized Treatment?
Many case management teams that provide individualized alcohol addiction treatment emphasize the benefits of Soberlink. Alcohol monitoring technology can reduce relapse rates once clients leave treatment. Additionally, it gives clients a simple and secure way to maintain contact with the facility, making both their life and the facility’s job easier.
Soberlink is the perfect support tool for ongoing individualized alcohol addiction treatment. While intensive outpatient programs or drug and alcohol counseling can be beneficial, Soberlink is a helpful addition to an aftercare plan. Remote alcohol monitoring offers many ways to provide an individualized approach, such as:
- Custom Schedules: You can set up test times that fit with your schedule, as well as the number of times you need to submit tests each day. Best Practice recommends 2-3 each day.
- Custom Recovery Circle: Soberlink provides you with the ability to customize who you include in your recovery circle. In addition to your case manager, you can involve select family members, friends, or even sponsors.
- Compact and Discreet: Soberlink devices are compact, discreet, and convenient. You can easily tuck it away into your pocket or purse if you need to bring it with you during the day.
- Creating Consistency: Building a consistent schedule is an integral part of maintaining sobriety early on. Triggers can be unpredictable. Establishing a regular schedule, including alcohol monitoring test times, can help diminish any uncertainty throughout the day.
- Complete Customer Service: For difficulties using Soberlink, the in-house customer service team is available to help with any questions or troubleshooting.
Staying Sober with Soberlink
Soberlink can be a helpful addition to any individualized alcohol addiction treatment program. Designed to fit into any lifestyle, the system can benefit clients despite age, occupation, or time constraints. Soberlink helps individuals stay accountable and in contact with those most concerned about their sobriety, keeping them actively updated.
Alcohol monitoring is a helpful way to rebuild confidence. Trust can be a difficult thing to come by in early recovery. Months or years of active alcohol abuse place strain on family relationships and dynamics. Soberlink offers a unique approach to proving sobriety and rebuilding relationships with loved ones from a remote setting. Find out how you can incorporate Soberlink into your individualized alcohol addiction treatment program today.
About the Author
Soberlink supports accountability for sobriety through a comprehensive alcohol monitoring system. Combining a breathalyzer with wireless connectivity, the portable design and technology includes facial recognition, tamper detection and real-time reporting. Soberlink proves sobriety with reliability to foster trust and peace of mind.