What is the importance of finding an accredited alcohol and drug treatment rehab center? It might be more important than you think, and while there are numbers of quality accrediting bodies, having even one can drastically increase the quality of care that can, and should, be expected within an organization and facility. What are the benefits to you, when a program is accredited through a State, Federal, or professional body? While this may seem somewhat trivial this simple question is inquiring into much more than you might give it credit for.

It is common knowledge that the doctor you visit be licensed or the therapist you see be certified in their particular area of expertise. This is obviously desired if one is to put their trust into these particular professionals but what about the whole entity or organization as it applies to alcohol and drug addiction treatment? These facilities are often multi-faceted organizations that utilize a number of professionals from an array of specialties. It is vital that all of these parts work proficiently together to ensure the best quality of care to the individual dealing with alcohol and/or drug addiction. What about the care and respect that is expected for each client? What about the facility itself and safety of the client while attending care?

What an accreditation does is ensure that these different parts work proficiently together and that patients are treated appropriately, professionally, and with care. These accrediting bodies give alcohol and drug rehab programs someone to answer to and ultimately lead to highly effective and quality programs. Just having an accreditation shows an alcohol and drug rehab center’s desire to constantly work towards better and more effective care for its clients.

There are so many questions that should be asked when looking for an alcohol and drug rehab center that is the right fit for you or your loved one, but one question that really sums up all the others is, “are you a state or federally certified program?”  By inquiring into the accreditation of a program you are indirectly asking what they do to ensure quality treatment, what they do to maintain up to date care and therapy, what they do to ensure quality care for each individual, and so much more. This is a question that is absolutely necessary in your search for the right alcohol and drug treatment rehab center.

www.MidwestInstituteforAddiction.org

www.SoberWay.org

Fitness Training and Nutrition: Implications in Alcohol and Drug Addiction Treatment

Most individuals know the power of a healthy diet and consistent fitness regimen but getting started is always the difficult part. Like so many things that are good for us the hardest and least desired time to start is the exact moment when it is vital and extremely beneficial to do so. While there are a number of these situations the one this author is focused on is the individual who is dealing with alcohol and/or drug addiction. Whether at the beginning, end, or sometime during the duration of one’s addiction treatment, in or out of a rehab center, physical wellbeing is beneficial in more ways than not.

Poor diet, sedentary living, and unfavorable physical shape can lead to anxiety, depression, and a decrease in one’s sense of overall wellbeing; all things that plague the person dealing with addiction and make treatment progress at a decreased pace. While the treatment of addiction has its core focused around the medical, psychiatric, and behavioral aspects of alcohol and/or drug addiction, the same three elements can be applied to just one’s physical wellbeing. So how can diet and exercise help the individual in their addiction treatment?

Most people are familiar with the benefits of diet and exercise; in fact, it is plastered everywhere we look and for good reason. The importance of diet and exercise are, for the most part, common knowledge to most individuals. But why mention it when talking about addiction treatment? Here is why.

Beyond the normal benefit of eating healthy and exercising, which is everyday knowledge, there are powerful implications for these practices in the treatment of alcohol and drug addiction. First of all, treating addiction is something that must be holistic and improving multiple aspects of one’s life is vital in long-term success. Proper nutrition and physical fitness are just a few more of these vital elements.

Diet can be adjusted to achieve a number of different goals. Studies have shown certain diets as effective in the replenishing and balancing of powerful chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters which are a big part of the disease of addiction. Diet and exercise also have positive effects on cognitive ability and brain functioning.

Intrapersonal benefits are also a benefit of diet and exercise, things such as self-efficacy, self-esteem, and self-worth. Exercise can also help an individual deal with some of the very stressors that can trigger those in recovery to lapse and use again. Only positives can come from a healthy diet and exercise regimen when it comes to the individual in addiction treatment.

www.MidwestInstituteforAddiction.org

www.SoberWay.org