No stress and rules in Alfa’s residential treatment
– Interview with resident
Residential treatment is traditionally full of rules and regulations, but at Alfa Fredensborg the rules are almost non-existent.
It makes for both calmer treatment and happier clients. At the same time, clients recognise their own responsibility and all the possibilities of being masters of their own lives
Residential care that reduces stress and creates well-being without rules? Yes, it’s good enough…
“I’ve tried so much. Day treatments, hospitalizations and men’s homes. It’s really lucky that I’m sitting here today,” he says humbly as he looks away.
He is clearly not proud of his past. A harsh past that started with a life as an addict at the age of just 13. Since then, life has consisted mainly of survival reading, alcohol and drugs.
Now, 15 years later, he is at Alfa Fredensborg for the second time.
He’d been in several residential treatments years ago – back when addiction treatment was characterised by reward systems and school-like rules about what you could and couldn’t do.
Addiction treatment without rules
“So when I came up here and they told me about this new Alfa with no rules, I just thought fuuuck man,” he says with a smile and continues:
“I just wanted to be clean and in a residential treatment where I knew the rules. But then they said it was a new Alfa and there were no rules,” he says with a grin.
Freedom from abuse and focus on personal responsibility
The new Alfa – is Alfa Fredensborg after the introduction of the HB model. (Heart and brain) It is a model for addiction treatment that is currently only used in day treatment at Alfa Fredensborg rehab centre. A model, for day treatment without stress and rules!
Like all addiction treatment, the aim is to free the addict from his or her addiction, but that’s where the similarities end.
For the HB model goes directly against the usual addiction treatment forms with strike rules and point systems and more. The model focuses on personal responsibility and on teaching the addict to cope with stress and unpleasant emotions.
In other words, creating a life in peace and balance with who you are.
Owner of the fallback
Addicts or not, it can be a big challenge for most people. The only difference between addicts’ challenges is that they have a very inappropriate way of dealing with challenges, stress and unpleasant emotions.
“I know it’s my own responsibility when I relapse or do stupid things. It’s just not how I usually think about it,” says our friend from earlier.
This realisation is easier to achieve when you realise that rules or not, you are responsible for your life.
Residential treatment – that’s fun
Understanding what your own responsibility is and that you are the only one who can change your life is a powerful realisation, especially for someone whose abuse stole his childhood.
He both grew up early while remaining a child:
“There are points where I am not at all adult or mature. I hadn’t thought much about the whole responsibility for my life thing before.“
He also explains that the most striking difference between day treatment without rules and day treatment elsewhere is that he feels he can do whatever he wants.
In addition, our friend says:
“It’svery quiet here and we have fun too.“
At Alfa Fredensborg residential treatment, residents are offered all kinds of social activities, including fishing trips, football, mindfulness, yoga and sauna sessions.
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