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Drug Treatment

Deciding to enter drug treatment is an incredibly personal and important decision. What kind of treatment center is best? What should you expect when you get there? There are many options from which to choose, so having all of the facts will help make the decision easier. Thanks to the option of drug treatment, you or someone you love will have a chance to enter recovery and make life-changing progress towards recovery.

Two Types of Addiction Treatment Programs

Some individuals will be better served by entering an inpatient drug treatment program. Some inpatient programs are similar to hospital settings while others are residential and home-like in nature. Both medical and residential inpatient facilities can offer benefits, including:

  • Around-the-clock nursing care
  • 24/7 access to counselors
  • Concentration without distractions
  • Basic supervision of diet and exercise programs

There are a few differences between the two types of inpatient drug treatment programs, however. A medical facility generally offers the basics of care. They are efficient and helpful, but may lack some of the alternative therapies that are often available in a residential setting.

The other type of drug treatment program is an intensive outpatient treatment program. The benefits to choosing an outpatient program have to do with the responsibilities that many individuals have outside of their recovery. For instance, the recovering drug user may be the sole breadwinner for a family and therefore is unable to stop working for the length of time it would take to graduate from an inpatient facility. If the recovering addict has children, he or she may not be able to find someone who can take care of the children for an extended period of time.

Both treatment options are viable; however, the decision should be based primarily on what is best for the addict as well as their families and other obligations. If inpatient treatment is warranted, it is best to find a way to arrange for that program. If outpatient treatment will offer substantial benefits without reducing the effects of treatment, then choosing outpatient care may be the better option.

What to Expect When You Enter Treatment

There are several stages to a drug treatment program. The first stage, once the decision to enter treatment has been made, will be the detoxification period. This period can last for several hours or several days, depending upon the severity and frequency of drug use. While it is an unpleasant experience, it is not fatal. With the help of a treatment center that offers detoxification assistance, a recovering addict can be assured that they will be safe and cared for during the process.

The symptoms and effects of detoxification come from the immediate withdrawal of the drug toxins from the body. The brain and nerves become highly sensitive because they are not being exposed to the chemicals and other substances to which they have become accustomed. Because of this, the individual may suffer any of the following symptoms during detox:

  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Shaking and trembling
  • Fever and chills
  • Irritability, anger and violent tendencies
  • Pain in the bones and joints

It is important to understand that this immediate phase of recovery is necessary in order to continue with the drug treatment process. Equally important is the presence of a qualified expert in the recovery process. Some drugs, like some central nervous system depressants, should not be stopped without the supervision of a qualified medical professional. When an individual engages in the detox phase of recovery in a treatment center, medications can be provided to ease the symptoms and help the recovering addict through this difficult time.

Therapy

Simply detoxifying the body from drugs is not a treatment. If a recovering addict completes the detox phase but does not follow through with a treatment program, he or she is very likely to relapse. In order to give the recovering addict the best chance to avoid relapse, he or she must enter a treatment program.

A drug treatment program will offer the addict opportunities for growth that include personal and group counseling, education about their disease and the health effects they may encounter over the long-term, as well as access to non-traditional therapy models that can help the addict learn better ways to make decisions.

Studies have shown that the most effective drug treatment programs require a minimum of three months of active participation; however, some programs can last as long as six months. The length of time a recovering addict spends in treatment should be decided by the addict and their substance abuse counselors.

A Correct Diagnosis Makes All the Difference

Drug addiction is a diagnosis made based upon several factors or circumstances, including:

  • Craving a drug or alcohol
  • Inability to stop using drugs or alcohol
  • Tolerance to drugs or alcohol (needing more of a substance to derive the same effects)
  • Continued use despite harmful consequences (to health, family and other relationships, legal matters, or employment and school)

Many individuals who turn to drugs and alcohol also suffer from underlying psychological conditions that may, or may not, have been properly diagnosed. When this occurs, the recovering addict is said to have a “dual diagnosis”. Some of these conditions may be mild, while others are so severe they can derail attempts at sobriety if not treated appropriately. These conditions might include:

  • Anxiety disorders
  • Panic disorders
  • Major depression
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder
  • Psychosis
  • Schizophrenia

When an individual suffers from conditions like these that are untreated, the drugs and alcohol serve as self-medication. The good news is that proven prescription medications exist for the proper management of these conditions.

Entering a drug treatment program can lead to the effective diagnosis of these contributing illnesses.

New Ways to Approach Life’s Problems

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a treatment model based on the cooperation between a recovering addict and a counselor. Rather than simply talking about the issues in the recovering addict’s life, the addict actively participates in the process. For instance, CBT includes homework and self-assessment studies so the addict looks at himself or herself honestly. The addict will be faced with real-life situations and “practice” facing those challenges from a drug-free perspective — sometimes for the first time in their lives.

A typical CBT program is designed to last for 16 weeks; however, the time can be extended if the patient and care provider believe it is warranted.

Alternative Thinking for Recovering Addicts

Alternative means “choice.” When it comes to alternative therapies for the treatment of drug addiction, the choices are quite varied. Rather than treating an illness such as addiction with one program, forcing the individual to conform to the treatment program, alternative therapy allows the recovering addict to choose which therapies will help them the most. A few alternative therapies are:

  • Equine Assisted Therapy: the use of horses to teach a recovering addict new ways to communicate and solve problems
  • Meditation: learning to use the power of one’s mind to transcend the need for drugs and alcohol while taking control of one’s stress and physical responses to it
  • Yoga: an ancient exercise for both the physical and non-physical self, it can teach impulse control and many other useful techniques for the recovering addict
  • Acupuncture: this alternative medical technique has been helpful to many recovering addicts to help control cravings and withdrawal symptoms

Not every recovering addict is going to immediately want to experience every alternative therapy. However, having these options available in the drug treatment process can give a sense of opportunity and control to the recovering addict when they most need it.

Learning to Live in Recovery

Once the drug treatment program has ended, the addict must learn to live in the real world again. The same temptations that existed prior to treatment will still be there. Aftercare and support are crucial to the recovery process. The addict will need to find such a support system and utilize it regularly. For instance, they might want to attend Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous meetings once, or even twice, each day.

Returning to one’s former home or neighborhood may prove too difficult for some recovering addicts, at least initially. In cases like this, a sober living home offers an alternative. This is a residence that is paid for and managed by the people who live there. The recovering addict will be required to have a job and may be required to attend support meetings in order to continue living in the home. This situation can offer a huge amount of support to the addict because everyone in the home is also in recovery.

Drug Addiction Is a Lifelong Disease

Unfortunately, there is no cure for addiction. Like other chronic diseases, such as diabetes, addiction can be managed successfully. Many recovering addicts find themselves living full, productive lives beyond their addictions. They are not defined by the drug use and abuse of previous years. Entering a treatment program is the first step to creating such a life.