Opiate Addiction Treatment Centers Use Animal-Assisting Therapy as Treatment for Opiate Abuse

Generally, when animals are involved in opiate addiction treatment, it is for animal-assisted treatment, a common intervention used as an alternative intervention for drug addiction and other chronic health difficulties. But, there is also animal-assisting treatment.

This is another model. Whereas the focus in pet or animal assisted therapy is the addict and the role the animal can play in their recovery, animal assisting-therapy makes what the addict can do for the animal the focus of the treatment. Ultimately, both do something for the other. This therapy is meant to be a supplement to more traditional treatment for opiate abuse.

It assists people battling an opiate addiction to step outside of their narrow existence and uncover purpose and deeper meaning by offering crucial assistance to other living creatures who are desperate for companionship and love.

How Does Assisting Animals Help Opiate Addicts?

There are some clearly documented physiological benefits, like:

• Decreased risk factors for heart disease, specifically lower plasma triglycerides, plasma cholesterol, and systolic blood pressure
• Decreased heart rate
• Increased survival time after heart attack

There are also emotional and psychological benefits, like:

• Decreased stress levels
• Decreased depression
• Decreased anxiety
• Increased self-esteem

Where Do the Animals Come From?

Generally, animal-assisted therapy uses trained, certified therapy animals. But opiate addiction treatment centers that use animal-assisting therapy often use animals from rescue groups, humane societies, local shelters, and other organizations that provide care for unwanted, abused, and homeless animals. These groups need volunteers, so there are always opportunities to help.

Isn’t Working with These Types of Animals Stressful?

Actually, these animals are particularly receptive to the love and attention of someone in treatment for opiate abuse. The suffering of the animalís past has been relieved by their placement in a caring setting and they are grateful. For both addict and animal, this is a place of redemption and renewal.

Opiate Addiction Treatment Centers Are Starting to Use Canine Therapy as Part of Treatment for Opiate Abuse

Patients who participate in animal therapy of any kind while in opiate addiction treatment or marijuana addiction treatment benefit from the unconditional support system provided by furry friends. In addition, therapy animals provide much needed comfort and opportunities to laugh and decompress, which can be hard in treatment for opiate abuse.

Clients who have been in treatment before or have trouble letting people in often benefit most because they often make their first connections with the animals involved in their therapy and this can help them to open up and engage in the rest of the program more completely.

What Benefits Does Canine Therapy Provide?

Many opiate addiction treatment facilities use dogs and other animals to help clients learn the importance of:

• Service
• Teamwork
• Empathy
• Self-expression
• Trust
• Communication
• Cooperation

Dog help people to heal, often lowering levels of depression and anxiety, as well.

Can I Bring My Dog with Me?

There are a few treatment centers that allow dogs to accompany their owners to treatment because they feel it allows clients to maintain a sense of normalcy in a new place. However, most therapy is performed with certified therapy animals, who are trained to perform this service.

Does It Work?

A pilot program at Seton Addictions Services in New York used three certified therapy dogs with their inpatient population, and preliminary findings seemed to indicate the program was beneficial. The use of dogs allowed for greater opportunities to:

• Get client history and background
• Recognize unhealthy coping mechanisms
• Educate patients on new behaviors and choices
• Gain insight into behavioral, thought, and emotional patterns
• These are all determined to be help clients develop a life and support system focused on opiate abstinence.
• The therapy may prove such a useful part of treatment for opiate abuse that clients choose to get a dog when they return home, providing a sense of purpose, keeping them active, and reducing loneliness and stress.

Opiate Addiction Treatment Facilities Are Using More and More Alternative

Therapies as Treatment for Opiate Abuse

There are some traditional treatments for opiate abuse, like methadone. And though they continue to produce positive outcomes, opiate addiction treatment centers carry on with adding new interventions.

The outcomes of treatment for opiate abuse are linked quite heavily to how individualized the treatment plan is. This is why intake is so comprehensive. The goal is to know as much as possible about patients to narrow the plan as much as possible so that it best treats them.

New approaches are making their way from the alternative therapy realm into opiate addiction treatment and they are proving successful for many patients.

What Are Some Alternative Treatments and Therapies?

There are a lot of options available that may be applicable to your unique situation. The following are some approaches you can research more and seek out in your prospective treatment centers.

Emotional freedom techniques: Also referred to as tapping, this treatment uses an energy psychology technique. Participants tap various points on their bodies as they make statements about the emotional issues and problems they are facing., The goal is to achieve acceptance.

Yoga and mindfulness: Yoga is familiar to most people. As a therapy, it assists people in connecting to themselves, increasing their awareness, remaining in the present, responding to stress, and practicing non-judgement.

Art therapy: The process of creating the art of their choice helps is relaxing and therapeutic on its own, but the content can also be explored with a therapist and used to heal emotional wounds linked to addiction.

What Are Some of the Benefits?

Alternative therapies have a lot of advantages as treatment for opiate abuse. They:

• Address the whole person mentally, physically, spiritually, and physically
• Are a more natural method
• Use the bodyís wisdom to get better
• Calm an excessively active nervous system

How Do I Find a Program?

Look for an opiate addiction treatment center that will evaluate your specific characteristics and needs, as well as one that will develop a holistic approach that is tailored to your situation.