Any individual seeking long term drug treatment for themselves or for a family member is naturally going to be concerned about how the process works. The apprehension an addict feels about entering an inpatient facility for addiction treatment stems not only from the fear of not being able to have access to drugs but the fear of what really happens in these facilities. Unfortunately, many movies and television shows in accurately depict drug treatment facilities using draconian methods which only serves to deter people who really need help from seeking treatment.
First, in some all cases, any residual traces of drugs must be eliminated from a person’s body. This is called detoxification and it may be done at the heroin withdrawal symptoms treatment facility. People requiring drug detox are those who has used physically addictive drugs for a long period. Some facilities require that detox be completed before admission, usually at a hospital. The cleansing of the body that takes place during detox helps reduce the risk of relapse during or after the treatment is complete. Residual traces of drugs cause physical cravings, urging addicts to ingest more of the drug. It’s nearly impossible for a drug addict to cooperate fully in their treatment program when their body is telling them to get more drugs immediately.
Next, the reason an individual began using drugs needs to be determined. Group or individual counseling sessions are used to help identify the triggers that caused a person to use drugs, such as stress, fear, insecurity, or in some cases, underlying mental illnesses. The term dual diagnosis is used to describe people with psychiatric disorders who are suffering from drug addiction. The treatment for dual diagnosis will naturally be different but each person, no matter why they began using drugs, will require an individual treatment plan. This is why the underlying cause of the addiction must be determined for the appropriate drug treatment to begin.
The third component of any successful addition treatment program is teaching a person how to handle any problems without resorting to drugs. Strategies needed to maintain a drug free existence in the months and years following the completion of the program are discussed. Lifestyle changes are discussed during drug treatment and these include new methods to deal with problems, what to do with free time, new recreational activities that don’t involve drugs, and what types of people an addict shares their lives with and how these people influence drug use. Whatever problems existed in a persons life before they entered treatment will still exist afterward. These problems which used to covered up with drug use must be dealt with.
The fourth vital component of drug treatment is the most important. The former drug addict must be assisted in returning to society with the help of a follow-up program. No treatment program can be considered successful until the person treated has shown that they can cope with life outside the controlled environment of the drug treatment facility without reverting back to drug use in the face of temptation. Counseling can assist a person with strategies for avoiding people, places, and situations that triggered drug use in the past. Group counseling is especially effective for an individual to discover how others in their situation made a break from their former lives, including friends who are still using drugs.
Long term drug rehab is not a simple process. In general, the longer and more intense the drug use, the longer treatment will be needed before a person is ready to re-enter society. There is no set timetable for long-term follow-up care, it is too crucial to recovery. Without these four vital components, no drug treatment program will be effective at eliminating an individual’s drug addiction permanently.