Drug Rehabilitation - Information and Resources

Drug rehabilitation is a term used to describe the process by which an individual gains the understanding and tools to rebuild their lives and learn to live a normal, drug and alcohol free life. Often, drug rehabilitation is not only the process of going through a program at a drug rehab center, but also a life-long process to abstain from drug use. Drug rehabilitation consists of many different phases. First and usually most physically demanding, is the detox phase of rehabilitation. It is in this phase of the rehab process that the toxins resulting from the drug abuse are removed from the body. Depending on the seriousness of the addiction and the drugs used, this process can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks. Complete drug rehabilitation cannot begin until the body has become independent of the drug’s harmful and addictive toxins. Secondly, drug rehabilitation moves on to the educational and skills-building phase. In this phase, the addict meets with counselors and undergoes group and individual therapy to understand the powerful illness of addiction and the most effective ways for that individual to overcome his or her disease. The length of this process depends on the individual and severity of the addiction. Often, for more serious addictions, long term drug rehab programs are recommended, lasting a period of 2 to 3 months. The third, and longest phase of drug rehabilitation is after the rehab program has been completed. It is in this phase that an addict must take the skills learned at the drug rehab center and apply them to the real world in order to maintain sobriety. This process will not end for the rest of the addict’s life and it is here that many addicts experience relapse, forcing them back into the drug rehab process, starting at the beginning with the often painful and dangerous detox phase.

With the continuing rise in numbers of people addicted to illegal, prescription, and over the counter drugs and alcohol, drug rehabilitation centers have played a central role in helping millions recover from the often life threatening disease of addiction. Since so many different kinds of people suffer from addiction, including more and more teens these days, a blanket approach to drug rehabilitation is no longer efficient in this battle. Today, drug rehabilitation comes in a variety of forms, some of which include residential, outpatient, sober living homes, support groups, and long term treatment. In the fight to regain control over their lives, addicts and alcoholics must determine what kind of treatment is best for their rehabilitation to be successful. Some mild cases of addiction are adequately addressed by outpatient drug rehab programs. Here, the addict can attend therapy and counseling sessions on a group and individual basis several times a week for a few hours after work, then return home at the end of the day. Many of these programs are coupled with group meetings like Alcoholics Anonymous as well. For more serious addictions, many drug rehabilitation centers offer residential treatment programs. Here, an addict will undergo more intense therapy in a residential setting where they will live amongst certified counselors and therapists for whatever length of time is necessary. Generally, the minimum length of time spent at a residential drug rehabilitation center is 28 days, however depending on the severity of the addiction, some addicts may require longer stays up to and beyond 3 months. These residential treatment programs are usually coupled with support groups. For many addicts, it is recommended that they continue aftercare once the drug rehab program has been completed. In this part of the drug rehabilitation process, an addict will live at a place called a sober living home. This is more like a transitional living environment where recovering addicts will live amongst one another in a substance-free environment while attending work, school, and other outside activities. This serves as a way for addicts to apply the skills they’ve learned in drug rehabilitation to the real world, while still remaining under the umbrella of support they had in drug rehab. Sober living can serve as a gradual, more seamless transition back into society.

The decision to get involved in a drug rehabilitation program is not an easy one to make. By it’s very nature, addiction convinces the addict they need the drugs or alcohol to sustain any sense of normality, thus not having a problem with anything, despite glaring negative consequences all around them. Once an addict has fallen under the grip of addiction, the road to sobriety becomes a seemingly impossible one, but with the dedication of the addict to get well and the help of drug rehabilitation programs and addiction treatment professionals, the recovery process can be realized and achieved. In many drug rehabilitation programs, the administrators, counselors, and therapists are recovering addicts themselves, giving them a more complete understanding and empathetic role in the rehabilitation process of the addicts attending the rehab program.

Finding the right drug rehabilitation program is confusing, as the types of rehab centers and their individual programs vary as addictions and the individual addicts themselves. It is critical to examine all aspects of addiction and the individual addict to determine what kind of drug rehab is right. These days, with the average age of addicts dropping to disturbing ages, there are drug rehab programs available far a wide for teenagers and adolescents. Many of these drug rehab centers offer inpatient and outpatient, depending on the severity of the addition and whether it is a good decision for the adolescent to stay in school or undergo a full time recovery process in the residential rehab program.
There are many drug rehab centers that focus on the 12-step program coupled with specific religious beliefs and methods. To appeal to those addicts who do not hold specific religious beliefs, many drug rehabs these days cater towards holistic approaches to drug rehabilitation. It is important to know what kind of methods and philosophies will work best with each individual kind of addict. The kind of drug rehab program makes a huge a difference in the rehabilitation process, but the key element is not the drug rehab center, it’s location, credentials of the addiction counselors, or the support it offers. No drug rehab program can be successful for any addict without that individual’s complete dedication to his or her own rehabilitation and sobriety. It takes an addict’s understanding that he or she is powerless over the disease of addiction and allow the many resources of the drug rehabilitation center to assist in recovery, not provide it entirely. Drug rehabilitation centers are designed to draw the blueprint and lay the patchwork for recovery. The drug rehab alone cannot do all the work and addicts must be aware of that and be ready to put in the work before attending a drug rehabilitation program.

Drug rehabilitation centers can be very costly, with or without insurance coverage. This is an investment, therefore very important to do the necessary research beforehand to ensure a proper drug rehabilitation center and addiction treatment program is in place. Contrary to some erroneous beliefs, drug and alcohol addiction is not something that addicts can overcome on their own. The assistance of medical and mental professionals is central in the rehabilitation process. Many addicts not only suffer from addiction problems, but also mental health disorders, requiring the assistance of dual diagnosis treatment in a drug rehab program. More research has proven that a large number of addiction problems have underlying mental health issues that must be addressed in order to properly treat the addiction and get the addict back on the road to sobriety and health.

This is another factor in considering the correct drug rehabilitation center. When doing the research to find the right drug rehab program be patient. Do not go with the first drug treatment center found, assuming it sounds okay and that one rehab is the same as the next. Have options available, or you will find that a considerable investment will be made into a drug rehabilitation program that is not designed to address the specific needs of the addict needing treatment. There are so many specialized drug rehab centers, that those applying a blanket approach to addiction recovery are reducing in numbers.

For more information about drug rehabilitation, drug rehab programs, treatment centers, and recovery support groups, please continue to explore our links and look through the over 8,000 drug rehab centers listed with us. If you have questions about your use or that of a loved one, please fill out our free confidential assessment form, or call us. We are here to help.