In a national health survey conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), over 23 million Americans aged 12 and over needed treatment for drug or alcohol abuse in 2007. Most of those people, about 20 million, did not receive help. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), research has shown that drug abuse programs can help people stop using drugs, avoid relapse and recover successfully.
Residential Treatment
Residential treatment centers, such as rehabilitation facilities and detoxification clinics, are one of the most popular methods for treating drug abusers. In 2008, nearly 750,000 Americans received drug abuse treatment at an inpatient rehabilitation facility, according to SAMHSA.
In a residential treatment facility, patients first detox from the drug they've been abusing. For chronic drug users, this will amount to about three to seven days of withdrawal when they will be under the supervision of an addiction specialist. Treatment actually begins after the person completes detoxification.
A person can commit to a rehab facility for 28 days and up to six or 12 months. Along with other recovering addicts, patients learn coping skills. Rehabs offer cognitive behavioral therapy in one-on-one sessions and in group therapy where patients learn how to manage their lives without getting high. According to NIDA, "counseling and other behavioral therapies are critical components of virtually all effective treatments for addiction."
Outpatient Drug Rehab
An abstinence-based outpatient program can be as successful as a 12-step program. According to the paper "Treatment Options for Abstinence Based Programs," co-written by Norman Hoffmann, PhD, it is estimated that about 70 percent of patients who attend outpatient drug treatment, but do not go to another program, can remain sober.
Outpatient drug rehab is a good step for people who have detoxed from drugs and have spent time in an inpatient facility. An outpatient program is also helpful for patients who have abused substances but do not need inpatient services.
Outpatient facilities operate very much like inpatient clinics. They offer individual therapy, group therapy and 12-step meetings during the day, usually several days a week. Being a part of a recovering, supportive community of peers improves a person's chances of staying drug-free.
12 Step Programs
Caron Drug and Alcohol Treatment Centers report that, in a study of more than 1,800 substance-dependent people, those who went to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings were more likely to stay sober compared to drug-dependent patients who received no treatment for their insobriety.
Twelve-step programs like AA, NA and a number of other similar programs are outpatient recovery groups offered for free to anyone who wants to overcome their addiction. The methodology behind 12-step programs is admitting powerlessness over drugs, asking for help and understanding that sobriety cannot be achieved without help.
Narcotics Anonymous boasts having nearly 44,000 meetings in more than 127 countries all over the world. Membership is open to anyone, regardless of which drugs they abuse. Going to meetings and working the 12-step program gives addicts a support system -- one of the most important keys to recovery.
