Are you or someone you love living with a substance abuse problem? If you or someone you love struggles with an addiction to drugs or alcohol, you’re not alone. According to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMSHA,) in 2014, 20.2 million adults in America were living with a substance abuse disorder.
Living with addiction or loving someone who has an addiction to drugs or alcohol is painful and difficult. Day to day life is unpredictable; sometimes there are good days, other days are bad. As the addiction grows and worsens, as all untreated addictions do, the good days become less and the bad days more frequent. Work, families, friends, and everything in the person’s life suffer. Once an addiction has taken hold, the now frequently occurring bad days get worse and often the person suffering with addiction lives only for their next ‘high.’ There’s no doubt any lives touched by addiction can be filled with suffering, anguish, and desperation.
The good news is there is hope and recovery is possible. Everyday brave people who struggle with addiction seek help for drug addiction and discover that drug recovery is possible. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA,) addiction is a treatable disease. With the appropriate evidence-based treatment, support, and willingness, addiction, like other chronic diseases can be successfully managed so individuals can get their lives back and become productive members of the community again. Recovery is a personal journey and unique to each individual. The first step in getting help on the road to recovery is to find the best drug treatment centers for you or your loved one.
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Understanding Treatment Centers for Drugs and Alcohol Abuse
While millions of people across the nation struggle with drug addiction, only about 11% receive treatment according to the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Addiction treatment is vital to recovery but it’s also important for the person recovering from addiction to have stable family or friend support in place, be on the road to better health, and have feel there is a purpose for their lives such as work, family, or volunteering with others.
When it comes to drug and alcohol rehab, there are many options. To make the right choice, so you or your loved one have the greatest chance of recovery, it’s important to gain an understanding of what drug rehab centers are, which types of programs they offer, how they can help a person to recover from drug addiction, what substance abuse disorders are most commonly treated, and which one is best for you or someone you love.
Drug rehabs vary in what they treat and the types of programs available. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, there are more than 14,500 drug treatment facilities in the United States. Let’s take a look at what the majority of these drug rehab facilities offer.
There are some drug rehab locations with luxury amenities like gourmet meals, massages, and more. Other drug rehab facilities provide just the basics such as drug detox facilities at the center, counseling, and basic meals. And as could be expected, most drug rehab facilities fall somewhere in between these two examples. While it’s important choose the best drug treatment center for you or your loved one, it’s vital to realize that successful and long term recovery from drug addiction is not solely dependent on which drug rehabilitation center you choose.
Inpatient Drug Rehab and Outpatient Drug Rehabs—What’s the Difference?
Most drug rehabilitation programs begin with a drug detoxification and medically managed withdrawal. After this, there are both inpatient and outpatient drug program options. There are pros and cons of both with each being most suited for varying circumstances.
Inpatient drug treatment programs, also known as residential drug treatment centers, are treatment programs where individuals seeking drug addiction help, stay at the inpatient drug rehab facility 24 hours a day, seven days a week for the extent of their time in this type of treatment.
At these inpatient drug rehabs or inpatient rehab, there are usually a standard set of programs available. These treatment programs are highly structured with daily programs geared to help individuals gain an understanding of their addiction, what caused and contributed to it, how underlying issues may have impacted their drug addiction, and how to make behavioral changes in order to achieve long term recovery.
It is often found that along with a drug addiction there is a mental health disorder underlying, often going untreated. In fact, according to SAMSHA, in 2014 of the 20.2 million American adults with a substance abuse disorder, 7.9 million of these also had a mental health issue. When a mental health issue and a substance abuse disorder occur together it is referred to as co-occurring disorders.
Many inpatient drug treatment facilities offer treatment for co-occurring mental health disorders. There are most often medical doctors, counselors, psychologist, psychiatrists, and other support staff available 24-hours a day to assist in recovery.
One of the benefits of an inpatient treatment program for drug addiction is that the individual is able to be away from the stresses and distractions of everyday life in order to focus solely on their recovery. Another benefit is being in supportive environment with daily access to professionals who are trained to guide in the recovery process. In addition, being around others who are on the same journey of recovery can prove to be very helpful as well.
Inpatient drug rehab can be intimidating for both the person who needs drug addiction help and for family members and friends. Being away from everyone and everything a person knows can be a scary thought even in the best of circumstances. However, it’s important to understand that without proper treatment for drug and alcohol addiction, the person struggling with the addiction’s life is at risk. At the very least, as addiction grows, many relationships are damaged and lost. Getting treatment must be the priority for all involved.
When a person decides to go into inpatient drug or alcohol treatment a recommended time to stay is made. This is usually decided after the detox period. Generally most inpatient stays for drug addiction treatment are between 28 days and six months. There are long-term inpatient treatment programs in which people stay for up to one year. Keep in mind, most inpatient drug rehab treatment centers allow, and often encourage, contact with family and loved ones. In fact, family therapy is often an important part of the recovery process.
It’s important to look at the top drug treatment centers to see what they offer as well as local drug rehabs and see what specifically they offer. Compare this to your own circumstances, or that of your loved one, to determine which drug rehab treatment centers are best.
Outpatient Drug Rehab—Does it Work?
An outpatient drug treatment center allows the individual seeking help to continue to work and/or attend to their family responsibilities while getting treatment for a drug addiction. These programs vary in intensity. Some require weekly visits, some daily, and some are partial day programs with the individual spending most of the day at the location of the program. Many of the same services as inpatient programs are offered but during limited times.
From medically supervised detox and individual counseling to family and group therapy, outpatient drug programs can be successful. As mentioned before, drug rehabilitation programs are important but there are other vital factors involved in achieving long term recovery.
Outpatient treatment is not usually recommended for someone with a serious drug addiction problem, without a stable job or place to live, or who has already tried an outpatient program.
Whether considering an inpatient or outpatient drug treatment program, there are certain factors to consider.
What to Look for in Drug Treatment Programs
Today there is more research and scientific data to help understand what addiction is and how to effectively treat it. While addiction is a disease, it is not a type of disease that is ‘cured.’ Recovery from addiction can—and does happen—everyday. It’s important to understand that recovery is a lifelong process involving many different components. Each individual and their needs will dictate what each component is.
It’s vital to get started on the right path with the correct resources in the beginning. Knowing what to look for in both inpatient and outpatient programs is crucial. The best drug treatment centers with the highest rates of recovery success should offer most of the following:
- Individualized treatment programs that are monitored and adjusted as needed
- Comprehensive medical and psychological evaluations
- Counseling services to address addiction, co-occurring mental disorders, and poly-abuse issues
- Family therapy
- Ongoing support after treatment programs
- Group therapy
- Behavioral therapy
- Licensed and certified staff members
- Data available on patient outcomes both long and short term
Is It Time to Seek Help for Drug Addiction?
If you or someone you love is abusing drugs getting help may seem like the last thing you want. Facing life, often filled with disappointments and pain, can seem daunting without the use of a substance one has become so dependent upon. However, an effective treatment program and subsequent recovery behaviors, can give you or your loved one a chance at a life beyond their dreams—a life free from the chains and pain of addiction is just the start.
The person abusing drugs or alcohol truly is the only one who knows if they have a problem. However, many times drug addiction goes hand in hand with denial. This makes the person not realize, while they are in the throes of addiction, admit they need help. According to Psychology Today, the following are some signs of drug addiction to consider:
- Cravings or strong desire to use substance
- Substance is used for longer periods of time or in greater amounts than intended
- Getting the substance takes up substantial time in the person’s life
- School, work, and/or family responsibilities are compromised due to the use of the substance
- A promise to cut down or stop is unable to be kept
- Use continues despite associated risks; physical, psychological, etc.
- Isolation from others starts
- Tolerance is developed requiring more of the substance being used
There are other symptoms associated with addiction; these are some of the most common. When determining the level of care sought, inpatient or outpatient drug treatment, it’s important to understand the severity of the addiction. Generally speaking, the more of these signs and symptoms present, the more severe the addiction is. It’s also important to consider the length of time these symptoms have been present. Again, the longer the symptoms have been occurring, the greater the addiction may be.
How to Get Help or Learn More
While there are still many stigmas attached to drug and alcohol addiction, the reality is that addiction is a disease, just like any other chronic disease. There are genetic components as well as environmental contributors involved in the manifestation of an active addiction. Seeking help for drug addiction takes courage. Talking to someone you love about their possible substance abuse disorder also takes courage.
The first step is to talk to someone who understands drug and alcohol addiction. There are numerous resources to help you with this first step. Twelve Step programs such as Narcotics Anonymous or Alcoholics Anonymous have 24-hour free and confidential support lines to call as well as online support. SAMSHA has a 24-hour free and confidential helpline offering information and referrals for mental health and substance use disorders (1-800-662-HELP.) Most drug rehab facilities also offer round the clock support lines for those who want more information or are ready to enter treatment. Simply search ‘drug rehabilitation facilities near me’ or ‘drug rehabs near me’ for a list of treatment centers and numbers. If you are struggling with your own drug addiction or that of someone you love, call one of these numbers now and get started on the road to recovery. While addiction is painful, isolating, and fearful, a life of recovery is possible for anyone who earnestly seeks it.
Headquartered in New Jersey, Pinnacle Treatment Centers is a recognized leader in comprehensive drug and alcohol addiction treatment serving more than 28,000 patients daily in California, Indiana, Kentucky, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. With more than 110 community-based locations, Pinnacle provides a full continuum of quality care for adult men and women which includes medically-monitored detoxification/withdrawal management, inpatient/residential treatment, partial hospitalization/care, sober living, intensive and general outpatient programming, and medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder. For more information, visit pinnacletreatment.com or call 800-782-1520.