Drug Treatment Center
There are hundreds of drug treatment centers in the United States, each stating that it offers the best in treatment for an addicts particular needs. Some function on a holistic basis (a combination of physical, mental, and spiritual needs), some on a chemical needs basis, some focus more on psychological needs, and some strictly on abstinence and 12 step programs. Some are in-patient only, some out-patient only, some a combination of the two. The key to finding the drug treatment center for any addict is to find one that will build it’s treatment upon the needs of the addict, and not a set script or assembly-line method of treatment.
For an addict to be completely drug free, it is ideal that if at all possible, they enter a short or long term residential program first. This will give them the structure and medical supervision that stopping any drug use requires in a safe environment. Should they have severe symptoms of withdrawal, the staff is well trained to intervene and ease the symptoms and also trained to judge when it might be better for the interests of the addict to be moved for a short time to a hospital until the worst of the withdrawal issues and any complications resulting from withdrawal have been resolved. Needless to say, the heavier the drug use, the more important this becomes.
Then the addict and the addicts family or support group or counselor can sit down and determine which would be the best option for the addicts continued progress into recovery.
For the addict in serious need of psychological, medical, nutritional, and structural assistance, the long-term residential drug treatment center is the best choice. This offers a trained counseling and re-education staff for helping the addict identify and resolve any underlying emotional or psychological causes for the addiction, and education in how to live a drug-free life (such as avoiding triggers, environments that are associated with previous drug use, and rebuilding the self-worth and self-confidence to face the daily trials of living in the drug-available world without succumbing to temptation). This also offers rebuilding of the body through nutritional means, helping to repair the physical ravages of drug use. It offers medical staff to deal with issues of infections or diseases or physical ailments brought on or aggravated by drug usage, as well as medical treatment of depression, bipolar disorder, or any other psychological cause of the drug addiction. And it offers the structured environment an addict needs to rebuild his or her life after the chaotic spiral caused by addiction.
Short term residential drug treatment is best suited for those addicts who have plans to go back to work or back home to raise children/tend to family members. It offers the same medical staffing as the long term residential drug treatment centers, with an emphasis on abstinence and 12 step programs for support. It is, unfortunately, the justice systems idea of a “cure-all” for drug addicts”, and therefore tends to be crowded at all times.
The outpatient programs, both drug-free and drug-assisted, are more suited to those addicts who have other responsibilities, whether it be a job, schooling, or family that needs caretaking. It offers the support system an addict needs, some medical supervision while at the program, some counseling while at the program, and some re-education. It also works extremely well when combined with either long-term or short-term residential programs, further embedding the skills and tactics for remaining drug-free learned at the other facilities.
Once again, however, it should be noted. The final decision ultimately rests on the addict for which treatment they should use. Unless it is their decision, their chances of long-term success are drastically reduced.
