Drug and Alcohol Addiction Treatment
Because of the variety of addictive drugs, treatment methods vary. Before a patient can receive treatment for their addiction, evaluation by a health care physician is necessary to determine the level of addiction. Long-term addictions generally require extensive treatment, which can last several weeks or months. On the other hand, persons with a mild addiction or those who suffer from a relapse may be able to complete treatment within a few weeks.
Many factors contribute to a drug or alcohol problem. Moreover, addictions affect people of all ages and social economic backgrounds. Some addictive disorders are more difficult to treat. The patient may refuse to acknowledge their problem, and turn down any sort of intervention. Since some drug and alcohol abusers also suffer from a mental health disorder, treating the addiction is complicated. Before the patient can successfully recover from the dependency, they must first deal with the underlying issues that cause addictive behavior.
A few drug and alcohol abusers attempt to stop on their own. While many will make several efforts to stop without treatment, the success rate is very low. Addicts may be able to achieve temporary abstinence, which involves going a few days or weeks without alcohol or narcotics. However, any kind of pressure or anxiety can cause cravings for the drug to resurface. Without the support of an alcohol or drug prevention center, a relapse is inevitable. Addiction treatment centers provide the best results. Not only will a patient undergo a complete detoxification, which involves the removal of all traces of the substance, they will also receive ongoing support.
Completing a rehab program is just the beginning. A large percentage of past drug and alcohol abusers experience a setback, or feel the urge to use again. By means of a support group or 12-step program, past abusers receive the strength to resist these urges. Furthermore, addiction treatment centers have a provision that allows patients to continue treatment on an outpatient basis.
Upon entering a drug and alcohol addiction treatment center, patients progress at varying rates. On average, patients receive treatment for at least 90 days. Treatment is on an inpatient and outpatient basis. An addict may reside at a rehabilitation treatment center for several weeks. Following detoxification and weeks of counseling sessions, physicians may determine that a patient is strong enough to leave the center and continue treatment on an outpatient basis. Outpatient care involves the patient returning to the rehab center for therapy sessions or group sessions three or four times a week. Treatment may be longer for long-term addicts – perhaps up to 12 months. Additionally, full recovery may necessitate numerous visits to a treatment center.