Moral Reconation Therapy in Chesapeake (877) 804-1531

Moral Reconation Therapy focuses on the immoral aspect of excessive alcohol or drug use. In Moral Reconation Therapy, addicts are encouraged to change their decision-making processes based on morality. Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT) gets its name from this aspect; "conation" refers to a person's inclination to act with purpose. In addicts, the purposeful action is misdirected. Therefore, "reconation" was coined to mean revising the choice of action.

This helpful therapy is provided to addicted patients in a variety of drug treatment programs. Call Chesapeake Drug Treatment Centers at (877) 804-1531 to learn more.

The Purpose of MRT

Alcohol and drug abusers who want to restore their lives to normal face two massive challenges. The first is to refrain from getting high or drunk again, and that means totally quitting the addictive substance. The second is to avoid relapse, something that every reforming addict will find is a tremendous struggle. Professional therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, and other interested professionals have developed or adapted programs like Moral Reconation Therapy as tools in the fight against relapse.

MRT was initially devised for other purposes, and has been adapted to the field of drug and alcohol abuse. It is one of the cognitive therapies that are used in this area. Because its usage in this field is relatively new, its success rate has yet to be proven.

Another problem in assessing its effectiveness in relapse prevention is that most recovering addicts will be exposed to a variety of relapse prevention therapies and support options. This makes it unclear if any particular therapy or support option outperforms any other in keeping addicts clean and sober. However, since MRT was first devised in the 1980s, analysis shows that relapse rates among people who received MRT were 25% lower.

Despite the harm addiction does to people, many are reluctant to discontinue taking the substance to which they are addicted. There are numerous possible reasons for this ambivalence in addicts. They may have a sense of hopelessness about their ability to quit. On the other hand, they may feel they could quit, but dread facing a life without the comfort of their addictive substance.

The resistance to change exhibited by addicts has to be dealt with, and many different therapeutic methods may be applied. When an addict's behavior is being driven for the most part by a lack of morals, MRT provides the best possibility of positive results.

MRT for Drug Addiction Treatment

MRT tries to get addicts to see their world in a different way. Like many other therapies, it tries to guide addicts to the realization that they have ultimate responsibility for all decisions they make. The decision to take drugs or alcohol is clearly a wrong one, and therapists try to persuade addicts to recognize that. With MRT, they are asked to choose options based on moral grounds.

Once addicts have decided to refrain from drinking or drug taking, they can sign in to treatment centers where they will have access to medical detox, which will ease their passage through withdrawal. Withdrawal is a relapse blackspot, and many addicts who try to quit without support will be unable to get over this hurdle. They will relapse almost immediately.

When addicts get through withdrawal, the entire focus of addiction treatments shift to preventing them from going back to taking the addictive substance. MRT is a program of "rungs" on the "Freedom Ladder." It has much in common with the 12-steps program used by AA, but morals take center stage. Moral awareness can be the turning point in preventing addicts from relapsing.

For help finding moral reconation therapy providers or other forms of addiction treatment programs, call Chesapeake Drug Treatment Centers at (877) 804-1531 today.