Motivational Interviewing (MI) for Drug Addiction Treatment

Life isn’t easy to navigate for everyone. No one person gets the same experience of life, whether that’s growing up in their childhood, to stumbling through their teenage years. Adulthood is a whole other kettle of fish that only tests you further as a human being.

Addiction is common for anyone that’s had a rough patch or a rough start in life. Addiction takes many forms and it can happen from a variety of contributing factors. A death in the family may cause an individual to spiral out of control. Mental well-being can sometimes lead to relying on a substance, which becomes an addiction.

The point is that anyone can find themselves in the clutches of a drug addiction. Getting out of that addiction can be a different experience for everyone – just like life is.

What is Motivational Interviewing?

Motivational interviewing is a therapeutic technique that has been used successfully in the past to help address addiction. It works by strengthening their commitment and motivation towards a particular goal. For drug addiction, that can be helping to wean off the drugs and keep the habit completely.

As addiction can be a coping mechanism as a result of trauma and coping with issues in life, there can often be a lot of negative voices in the person’s head. What better way to help fight an addiction than to have a positive voice amongst that toxic noise?

With motivational interviewing being developed by Dr. William R. Miller, a Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of New Mexico, his findings have been published in numerous books and writings.

The process of MI is interpersonal and is all about teaching and encouraging motivation. Being encouraged with motivation is likely something you’ve felt before. Whether that’s a parent urging you to run faster towards a finish line as a child, or having your boss give you a pep talk before a big client meeting.

For some, that encouragement could even be non-existent, so this first experience whilst fighting addiction could be the thing they need to overcome.

How Can Motivational Interviewing Help Drug Addiction?

There are four processes that come with motivational interviewing. Through these stages, the individual can find the voice they need to shout over and drown out negative thoughts.

Each individual session that the person would have for their drug treatment is referred to as an interview. The therapist is seen more as a collaborator between the facilitator and the patient.

When attending an addiction treatment center, it can often feel like you’re being confronted with your darkest fears and thoughts. This can be too much too soon for some, making this a valuable approach method for some. This first stage is all about getting to know the individual with the addiction and establishing that trust and respect.

Patients are then encouraged to set their own goals, rather than a therapist trying to impose what they feel is necessary. With this interviewing technique, it can often get real, genuine responses from those suffering from the addiction on what goals they think are realistic to achieve.

With relapse rates of individuals in recovery for drug and alcohol abuse being around 40-60%, it’s easy to fall into old habits. That’s why motivational interviewing can be a useful way of overcoming the addiction because the goals are set by the patient in question.

Motivational interviewing keeps patients empowered and inspires them to make an actionable and permanent change.

Getting the Help Needed for Drug Addictions

This type of approach is intended to be used with other therapies that you’d get at a place like Findlay Recovery Center. MI doesn’t focus on the underlying causes of addiction, which can often be the main part of addiction treatment.

Tailor-made treatments whether it’s for drug rehab or alcohol rehab are necessary for success. A recovery center can be a beacon of hope for those who are willing to take that first step and get in touch

MI can be a part of that package that’s given to those who need help with an addiction. By helping bring out the client’s own arguments and planning the route they’ll take in their drug or alcohol treatment, it can be a viable opportunity for recovery. However, it’s not the be-all and end-all for effective addiction treatment.

Understanding the Relationship Between Healthy Eating Habits and Relapse Prevention in Addiction Treatment

Eating healthy is an integral part of addiction treatment and recovery. In fact, the relationship between healthy eating habits and relapse prevention has been extensively studied and documented in various studies. We will provide an overview on how unhealthy eating...

Do 12-Step Programs Work during Addiction Recovery?

Addiction can have life-altering consequences and, in some cases, may even be deadly. In order to mitigate these effects, it is important for those struggling with addiction to seek out help and find a path to recovery that is right for them. One of the most commonly...

Preparing for Change: Pre-Detox Strategies for Addiction Rehab

If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, there’s no doubt that it can be an overwhelming and frightening experience. But taking the first step towards recovery involves more than just accepting help – it means making a commitment to change your life...

7 Tips for Avoiding Temptations and Setbacks After Drug and Alcohol Treatment

Navigating the post-treatment phase of drug and alcohol addiction is both a challenging and rewarding journey. However, with careful planning, support from those around you and an understanding of relapse prevention techniques, avoiding temptations after treatment can...

Exploring the Different Types of Partial Hospitalization Programs in Addiction Rehab

Partial hospitalization programs provide a comprehensive approach to addiction rehab that is more intensive than traditional outpatient treatments. These types of programs are designed for individuals who have clinically-determined needs and require routine medical...

Get In Touch With Us Today

Pick up the phone, fill out a form or chat with us below to get started on your free consultation and treatment assessment.

Complete Pre-Assessment

Once you reach a Findlay Recovery Center treatment coordinator, we will do a simple pre-assessment to make sure we’re a good fit for you.

Plan Travel & Admit

Our caring treatment advisors will help plan travel & anything else you need before you enter our drug rehab program in Ohio!

GETTING HELP FOR ADDICTION HAS NEVER BEEN SO EASY

Get Help Now

Call Now Button