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Recovery from addiction is a life-long process. For most people, staying sober and in recovery becomes easier over time. Drug and alcohol abuse and addiction have many dimensions and disrupt many aspects of an individual's life — as a result, treatment is rarely simple.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, effective long-term drug rehab programs typically incorporate many components, each focusing on specific aspects of the illness and its consequences. Effective long-term drug treatment should help you stop using drugs and maintain a drug-free lifestyle while allowing you to function productively within your family, at work and in society. Because addiction is typically a chronic disease, you can’t just stop using drugs for a few days and be cured. Most patients require long-term care to stay sober and in recovery for life.
Addiction is best treated within long-term drug and alcohol abuse treatment centers like Cumberland Heights, a premier provider of long-term rehab programs. Treatment for addiction varies by rehab center. Generally, treatment includes a combination of detoxification and behavioral therapy based on support from others, and abstaining from future drug/alcohol use.
In most long-term rehab drug treatment programs, the counseling process begins during or directly after detox. Long-term drug rehab often consists of an inpatient or residential rehab program that lasts 30-60 days, followed by outpatient programs. Both inpatient and outpatient treatment may include:
• individual and group therapy
• family workshops
• 12-step program meetings
• recreational therapy.
Cumberland Heights also offers aftercare and relapse prevention programs designed to help you re-enter the community after treatment ends. The goal for long-term addiction treatment programs is lifelong abstinence.
Often, addiction is accompanied by an underlying psychological problem such as depression. This is called “dual diagnosis.” Quality long-term drug and alcohol abuse treatment centers provide screenings to determine if patients have a dual diagnosis and then work to treat both the addiction and the mental health issue.
Many long-term drug treatment centers choose a holistic approach to treating addiction. This means treating every aspect of the person, not just the addiction. A holistic approach to treating addiction factors in the person’s physical, emotional, spiritual, family and social life as well as a person’s cultural background and special needs.
Some people falsely believe that addicts can simply stop using drugs/alcohol if they want to. The truth is that once a person is addicted it is very difficult — and often very dangerous — to quit without help. Quitting without help almost always leads to relapse. Studies show that when people use drugs/alcohol for a long period of time, their brain experiences changes that exist long after use is discontinued. In other words, use affects the brain in lasting ways. These biological factors make people more susceptible to relapse in certain situations; for example, when they experience stress or when they see friends who still use. Relapse can also occur when people encounter places or objects that they associate with past use.
Formal long-term drug treatment gives people a much better chance at quitting for good. A medically supervised detox program, for example, helps cleanse the body of drug/alcohol-related toxins while helping the person through uncomfortable and often painful withdrawal symptoms. And behavioral therapy, offered in most long-term drug rehab centers, helps people examine the origins of addiction while teaching them the skills needed to maintain sobriety. Addiction treatment focuses heavily on relapse prevention and aftercare, which may include involvement in 12-step program meetings and other resources designed to help you stay drug and alcohol-free. Long-term addiction treatment also comes with a system of support, so you don’t feel alone while you work through treatment.
The good news about addiction is that generally even the most severely addicted people can quit using with commitment and the proper treatment. Often the biggest challenge is getting the person to accept he or she has an addiction and needs to seek help.
If you feel that you have an addiction, consider making a call to a long-term treatment center. Making a call doesn’t obligate you to go to long-term rehab. It simply allows you the chance to talk to a professional who understands the pain you may be going through. You can learn about your options and decide if long-term drug treatment is right for you. It may not be easy, but it is the first step toward regaining the life you may have lost because of your addiction.
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