There are countless approaches to addiction treatment out there, but with so many options, people stuck in addiction often feel more paralyzed than before. They want to get it right, but don’t realize that sometimes, the best step forward is the one you make. Decision fatigue becomes a huge barrier to getting care. But helping someone just pick something can be the catalyst they need for change. Here are the reasons why people stay stuck even when they have options and ways to help them get unstuck.
Navigating Insurance Options
Maybe you have insurance but you don’t know how to figure out what’s covered or looking through all the treatment options is overwhelming. Most people don’t understand insurance, and this can make it hard to figure out if in-person or outpatient care is covered, how many days of treatment you can get, and even if detox is covered. On top of that, figuring out if there are any treatment centers in your area that take your policy adds another layer of challenges.
Whether you need Ventura rehabs that take Anthem or Denver facilities that take Aetna, it’s important to evaluate each possible facility based on your insurance needs. This can ensure that you don’t pick a location only to realize your insurance doesn’t cover the services you need at that rehab.
Treatment Pathways Feel Complex
There are so many different levels of care. This includes detox, IOP, PHP, and even traditional inpatient options. Plus there are integrations with mental health and addiction recovery. When you’re new to treatment, it can feel too complicated to figure out the best pathway for your needs. Plus, there’s no universal starting point, as everyone’s addiction and recovery journeys are so unique.
For those who need some sort of medically assisted detox, it’s best to start there. Once the drugs or alcohol are out of your system safely, it’s easier to get the support you need to take the next step. Whether you do an extended stay at a rehab center or you choose a program for the evenings and weekends, each of them will help you work toward your goal of overcoming addiction and moving forward on a path of healing. While all the details might not be clear at first, with each step you take, you’ll gain clarity and be able to make the next decision.
Anxiety and Shame Show Up
There’s nothing like thinking you’re about to get help when anxiety and shame show up to ruin the show. The problem with anxiety is that it creates more decision paralysis and reduces your ability to make helpful decisions. Shame on the other hand leaves you feeling afraid of judgement and can cause you to avoid getting help. On top of those things, there is always the perceived social stigma that comes with drug and alcohol addiction.
All of these feelings combine to make it challenging to take the first step toward treatment. This keeps people stuck longer and reinforces their addictive behaviors. It’s important to address these negative self-beliefs and to remove shame from the equation. These things can reduce stress and anxiety and lead to better choices long term.
Recognizing That Awareness Does Not Equal Action
Just because someone knows that they are addicted and need help, doesn’t mean they are going to go get it. Behavioral science talks about an intention-action gap. This means that just because someone intends to do something like a goal, doesn’t mean they actually choose to do it when it matters most.
This applies not only to addiction treatment, but all other areas of human behavior as well. The findings show that there are more steps and things like beliefs, motivation, and perceived control all impact the outcome and whether someone chooses to do the thing or not. When there are too many treatment options for example, and someone already doesn’t feel in control of their choices, making this choice feel foreign and unknown.
It’s great that there are countless opportunities for people to get free of drug and alcohol addiction. Now more than ever before, programs are trying to work with people’s budgets, lifestyles, and unique needs. This means that addiction and mental health can be addressed together and people can select holistic options that help them get better. Addressing the ways that these options create anxiety and overwhelm can be the catalyst someone needs to actually get in treatment.
