There are a wide variety of treatment approaches for alcohol and drug dependence, each of which can be effective for different people. People looking for a program for substance abuse should find a treatment center that offers an approach best suited to the individual's needs, recommend counselors at Alcohol and Drug Treatment Referrals, an online referral site. Choices can be based on the drug of choice, how long the addiction has occurred, the age of the addict or other considerations such as insurance, location or religious beliefs.
Outpatient
Intensive outpatient treatment programs (IOPs) typically require attendance four or five days a week and may offer day and evening programs that last for two to three hours. Outpatient treatment often is the least effect approach to treating substance abuse because patients return home each night, where they are exposed to continued temptations to drink or use drugs. Counseling, assessment and education are integral parts of outpatient programs.
Residential
Residential treatment programs typically utilize a holistic approach to recovery by offering medical withdrawal assistance and assessments, behavioral and cognitive therapy, group counseling, drug education and nutritional counseling. Residential programs can last from 30 days to a year or more and usually include introduction to community resources and self-help programs as well as job training and opportunities for social skill development.
Faith-Based
Faith-based approaches to treatment for alcohol and drug abuse, such as Grace Track for Christians, rely on religious doctrine to educate and support the recovery process. Faith-based programs uses their own religious material, such as the Bible or the Koran, to teach discipline, self-love and forgiveness as well as secular therapeutic practices such as behavioral counseling, group therapy and medications when necessary.
Adolescent
Adolescent treatment programs often offer an approach that involves camping, hiking and survival lessons in wilderness camps. Teens often need to be completely removed from their known environment to get them to hear a message of recovery and to be exposed to other options. Programs such as Phoenix Outdoor provide teens with a wilderness therapy program combined with traditional therapeutic counseling and treatment for other mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorder or depression.
Self-Help
Self-help programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous work for some who are addicted to drugs or alcohol. The meetings are worldwide and open to anyone seeking help. They are basically free, relying on donations to pay rent in the meeting places, and are operated solely by volunteers who are recovering from similar addictions. The self-help approach to recovery is ideal for people ready to make a commitment to getting sober and who may have family or work obligations they cannot avoid.
