As the staff at Vista Bay Rehabilitation Center work to clean up the addict's body, they also work with the addict to clean up his behavior. Unlike conventional drug rehabilitation, the Narconon philosophy doesn't teach that an addict is powerless over his addiction. Instead, through cognitive therapy, the program has the addict look at his lifestyle and the decisions he has made. Once he recognizes and accepts how his behavior led to a life of addiction, he learns new life skills that allow him to regain his self-worth and function as a sober member of society.