According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), people over the age of 18 cannot be forced into an alcohol or drug treatment center unless they are ordered by the court system as part of a sentence. Voluntary admission is required from most facilities that treat alcohol and substance abuse patients. There are a variety of price ranges and kinds of services available for those seeking treatment that can be accessed through the SAMHSA website, including state agencies that provide free care or sliding scales for payment, exclusive private facilities and specialized treatment centers.
Intervention
When addicts or alcoholics do not recognize the depth of their addiction, it is sometimes necessary to confront them in order to get them to accept help. The process of an intervention involves direction from a trained interventionist who can guide family and friends through the process. Addict-Help provides a referral to local professionals who can facilitate an intervention and refer the addict to treatment. A reservation at a local facility is recommended before holding an intervention so the addict can be taken immediately to the treatment center.
Choices
There are a variety of choices in alcohol and drug treatment centers, ranging from Christian-based programs to those that base their programs on a 12-step recovery program such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous, two of the most popular self-help groups in the world. Those seeking treatment should look for a program that offers individualized care suited to their needs. If there is a co-occurring mental illness, addicts should look for a treatment center equipped to deal with mental illness. Some recovery programs specialize in treatment for adolescents, while others are more adult-oriented.
Programs
According to the National Alcohol Substance Abuse Information Center, an online referral source, treatment programs may be short-term, lasting less than six months, or long-term therapeutic communities that provide treatment for more than a year. Programs include medication therapy to reduce cravings, individual and group therapy with trained substance abuse counselors and follow-up outpatient therapy. Typically, the longer a person remains in treatment, the better chance he has of maintaining long-term recovery.
Therapy
Therapies provided at drug and alcohol treatment centers can include individual counseling, behavioral modification, psychotherapy and family therapy, reports the National Alcohol Substance Abuse Information Center. Outpatient treatment programs can provide the same level of therapy options in intensive day treatment programs or through regular visits to the center.
Goals
The primary goal of treatment is to help the addict withdraw from the substance in a safe, supervised environment and to provide educational and supportive resources to maintain her sobriety. Patients are taught how to cope with their disease through a variety of therapies and introductions to community resources, self-help groups and independent skills. Patients are taught lifestyle changes that can help them prevent relapse.
