Drug and alcohol addiction is a widespread problem considered by most medical professionals to be a chronic illness. As such, there are no quick and easy treatments. The best rehab facilities view abstinence as an ongoing process and provide a variety of techniques and resources to help someone get clean and avoid substance abuse in the future. There is a type of rehab facility to appropriately meet the individual needs of people with addictions.
Medically Managed Withdrawal and Detox
Some rehab facilities are termed "medically managed" withdrawal and detoxification centers because they focus on helping an addict get through the withdrawal process. These types of treatment centers are usually designed to be a first step in drug rehab because they do not address any of the social, psychological, or behavioral causes at the root of the addiction. These centers use medications to help ease the patient through the withdrawal symptoms, the severity of which can be detrimental to the patient's health if not properly managed. Medically managed withdrawal and detox centers work on an in- or out-patient basis, depending on the severity of the withdrawal process.
Short-Term Residential Treatment
Another type of drug rehab facility is called short-term residential treatment. These programs typically take between 3 to 6 weeks and are administered in an in-patient hospital setting. Short-term residential treatment typically uses a modified version of the "12-step program" to help patients make changes in their behaviors and lifestyles to promote abstinence from drugs and alcohol. After the treatment is complete, patients will need to attend support groups and participate in counseling.
Long-Term Residential Treatment
Long-term treatment in residential programs is generally performed in a non-hospital setting and can last anywhere from 6 months to 1 year. These types of rehab facilities are best represented by the "therapeutic community" model in which addicts live in a controlled environment and interact with other patients as well as the residents and staff. These rehab facilities focus on changing social and psychological faculties, while helping to develop a sense of accountability in patients as they learn about the negative effects of drug and alcohol abuse.
Counseling
Counseling-based rehab facilities are designed to be used on an out-patient basis; although the patient may go to the facility for an extended period of time, at the end of the day, she returns to her own home. Counseling can be done on an individual basis or in group sessions. In either case, short-term goals and coping mechanisms are emphasized to help patients develop ways of avoiding drug or alcohol use. These programs are often cheaper than residential programs, and are easier to get into because resources are more readily available.
