Drug rehab treatment is the means by which a person recovers from a drug addiction. It could be a program offered inside jail or outside of jail. It could be voluntary or court-ordered, though the most successful drug rehab treatments are with voluntary participants. These are people who have decided their drug addiction is a problem that must be overcome with the assistance and support of others. Those in court-ordered drug rehab treatment may feel this way too, but more often simply feel obligated to fulfill the orders of the court.

Drug rehab treatment may involve a long-term stay in a facility, where therapy, classes and medical attention are received. Drug rehab treatment may also be a daytime visit to an outpatient facility for therapy, classes or medical treatment. A crucial part of this form of drug rehab treatment is a supportive home environment, as the recovering addict will be returning there each evening after outpatient drug rehab treatment is done for the day.

Drug rehab treatment will always involve detox, which is the withdrawal from the substance(s) to which the person was addicted. Detox can entail serious physical symptoms like sweating, nausea and severe headaches. This is the toughest time of drug rehab treatment and medical and psychological experts should be on hand to supervise the process. Drug rehab treatment is not always pleasant, but it is the gateway to a new, healthy and productive life. Perhaps most important, drug rehab treatment will connect a person with others of like mind who can offer encouragement, support and empathy.

There are many different types of drug rehab programs available. Even within the individual categories, there are different philosophies among the leaders of each class. Most programs are voluntary, but there are court-mandated and court-administrated rehab programs as well.

Drug court

This type of drug rehab program is court-administrated and is usually entered by court order. It is the court’s way of diverting first-time or small-time drug offenders away from jails that are growing increasingly crowded. These are the arrestees the court believes can recover and want to recover, but only need a little intervention and assistance. This is a very structured program with some very tough administrators. Goals are set and expected to be met. This drug rehab program typically involves a lot of community service, rewards for good behavior or meeting goals and a graduation ceremony for those who complete the program.

12-step programs

This is a drug rehab program that lays out 12 steps to alcohol or drug addiction recovery. These steps include acknowledging a higher power and being willing to ask forgiveness of those you’ve hurt in the past. The 12-step concept started in 1935 in
Ohio as Alcoholics Anonymous, but spread over the years into drug rehab programs like Narcotics Anonymous and similar programs for specific substance addictions like cocaine and crystal meth. This type of drug rehab program requires frequent, regular attendance at group meetings.

Narconon

Though sometimes confused with Narcotics Anonymous because of the similarity in names, Narconon is a separate program. It is a non-profit dedicated to eliminating drug abuse and addiction through drug prevention, education and rehabilitation.

Holistic

The holistic drug rehab program involves a process of healing the mind, spirit and body through techniques like acupuncture and other alternative treatments.

Agnostic/Atheist

For those unwilling to acknowledge a higher power, there are other drug rehab programs available that do not require it. 

There are some telltale signs of drug addiction. The likelihood of discovering these signs will be increased by discussion, interaction and taking the initiative to take an active interest in the life of loved ones. As soon as the signs are noticed, drug rehab treatment should be sought. The search for a drug rehab treatment program may begin with a trusted counselor, minister, therapist, educator or friend. It should be noted, however, that many of the normal emotions of adolescence parallel the typical behaviors of people needing drug rehab treatment programs.

Signs that may indicate a need for a drug rehab treatment program, but could also simply be normal adolescent behavior, include:

• Moodiness
• Withdrawal
• Hostility and aggression
• Depression
• Lack of interest in personal hygiene
• Sloppy dress
• Apathy and laziness
• Increased appetite

Other indicators of drug abuse are more surefire ways to discern whether or not a problem truly exists and a drug rehab treatment program is needed.

These signs include:

• Red, bloodshot or glassy eyes
• Stealing money or property
• Chronic runny nose
• Chronic cough
• Sudden, drastic weight loss or gain
• Memory loss
• Disoriented appearance
• Unusual, drug-like odors
• Slurred speech
• Chills or sweating
• Hyperactivity or extreme euphoria for no reason
• “Track marks” under surface of skin
• Paranoia
• Anxiety

These are some of the more extreme indicators that a drug rehab treatment program is needed. If these signs are noticed, help should be sought immediately and the loved one should be lovingly encouraged to face their addiction.

Drug rehab program are a critical element of recovery because they offer counseling, treatment and other necessary support for recovering drug addicts. Drug rehab programs can provide the necessary emotional, physical and mental support to help a person get through the experience successfully.

Perhaps most helpful, drug rehab programs offer a way for recovering addicts to connect with others who are enduring or have endured similar experiences. These people can provide empathy, support and tips for success like perhaps no one else can. Such a support system makes the battle to end a drug addiction a thousand times easier.

A life of drugs is usually one with a bleak future. Even after getting clean, it can be difficult to reemerge as a functional and contributing member of society. This is particularly true if a person gets felony convictions on their record, which can make employment and renting property quite difficult. Drug rehab programs help establish connections that will offer support throughout life. The friendships and bonds formed in a drug rehab program can lead to landing a steady job, a healthy and fulfilling love relationship, or any number of other positive life events.

It is certainly possible to quit a drug addiction without the help of a drug rehab program. However, there are many good programs that exist for a reason, and recovering addicts will likely find the recovery battle so much easier if they reach out for help. Some programs even allow participants to maintain their anonymity for the sake of privacy.

There are many important considerations when choosing a drug rehabilitation program. Researching the different options can certainly be overwhelming, as they are many and varied. The following key points can assist in choosing a drug rehab program:

Ask for credentials – Staff should not be insulted when you ask to see credentials of individual staff members or the credentials of the drug rehab facility itself. This is reassuring information to have. Ideally, the staff will be open and honest about that question and any others that may be asked.

Identify types of detox – Does the drug rehab program offer heroin or opiate detox? The detox process for these drugs is a bit more difficult and specialized, and not all facilities offer that service. Some drug rehab facilities may not offer detox and withdrawal services at all. Identify whether the facility offers detox and what type is offered. It may involve medical, physical, mental, emotional treatment, or a combination of all.

Dual diagnosis – Often, other emotional, physical and mental issues arise during drug rehab, such as depression or other psychological afflictions. Does the drug rehab center have accredited professionals on hand to deal with these?

Aftercare – Does the drug rehab facility follow up with patients after they are discharged? Do they offer in-home visits and follow-up counseling and group meetings? These can prove a critical part of reintegrating into society.

Success rate – What is the drug rehab facility’s program completion rate? Dropout rate?

Philosophy – What is the facility’s philosophy on drug rehab? Do they believe addiction is a disease or a choice? Do they offer 12-step programs? Do they integrate any religious aspect into the drug rehab at all?

Cost – Last but not least, determine what the daily cost of drug rehab is at that facility and whether insurance will help cover it.

Drug rehab centers are a very important aspect of recovery, because they offer counseling, treatment and other necessary support for recovering drug addicts. They can provide critical emotional, physical and mental support. In drug rehab centers, recovering addicts are surrounded by people who have experienced or are currently experiencing a struggle similar to their own. These people can relate to the daily pain, suffering and anguish of the drug recovery process.

Drug rehab centers have been statistically proven to improve the chances of quitting and staying off drugs. This is particularly evident when recovering addicts stay in drug rehab centers more than three months. Going through the drug recovery battle alone is a thousand times harder than having an empathetic support network that truly understands.

Drug rehab centers offer a safe environment for a recovering addict to go through the process of detoxification. The process can last several days and normally involves severe withdrawal symptoms like sweating and nausea. Drug rehab centers typically have physicians and nurses on hand to help minimize the effects of detox.

Furthermore, those who are addicted to harder drugs like cocaine or heroin may have a more difficult time reentering society. Those with felony drug convictions in their past may find it difficult to land a full-time job. Drug rehab centers can offer a networking opportunity to help recovering addicts find stable places to live and work after they leave the treatment center. While it is possible to quit a drug addiction without the help of drug rehab centers, it is a much easier process with the assistance of the many good and helpful programs that are available.

There are many different types of drug rehab centers available. It can be overwhelming to see the high number of each type of facility. But a little education can go a long way in helping to choose which of the many drug rehab centers are appropriate for each individual situation.

Inpatient drug rehab centers typically take a long-term approach toward drug abuse treatment. Stays at an inpatient facility can last more than three months. They instill life lessons like responsibility, temperance and methods of coping with stress. Care at inpatient drug rehab centers is provided around the clock. It offers a structured environment that is very focused on individual and perhaps family counseling, individual and group therapy, and reentry into society.

Outpatient drug rehab centers can also take several months to provide drug abuse treatment. These involve daytime visits to a facility, where counseling and therapy services are offered. These are ideal for recovering drug addicts with daily work or family obligations, who are unable to remove themselves from society for an extended period of time in inpatient drug rehab centers.

Outpatient drug rehab centers can be low-intensity, offering basic drug education and counseling. High-intensity drug rehab centers offer many of the same services as inpatient drug rehab centers, except the recovering addict is allowed to go home at the end of the sessions. Services may include such thing as psychotherapy, 12-step programs and problem-solving groups.

Detoxification is a central theme among all drug rehab centers. Methods vary, including medical, physical and emotional detox. The ideal is a combination of all three, to address all the needs of a person going through detox.

A drug rehab program is a service designed to help drug addicts recover completely from their addiction and reenter society as a whole, functioning, healthy and contributing member. There are many different approaches to drug rehab, geared toward providing help for the various types of drug addictions. Some drug rehab centers offer a comprehensive program, with different specialists on hand to focus on each different type of drug addiction.

Drug rehab typically begins with detox, the process of initially going off the drugs. Typically lasting one to four days, detox can involve severe symptoms like sweating or nausea. Some drug rehab programs will use medication to help ease the physical symptoms of detox. Others will try all-natural detox. Mental and emotional counseling is often as critical a part of detox as is physical treatment.

While drug rehab programs may take different approaches to detox, they all share the goal of helping a person reintegrate into society. They may offer educational classes to enhance knowledge of problem-solving, stress coping, childcare, financial and workplace skills. Many drug rehab centers will also set benchmark goals during the recovering addict’s visit. These goals may include a certain number of volunteer hours, finding a steady job, saving a certain amount of money, mentoring other recovering addicts, etc.

Ultimately, it is important to remember that drug rehab programs only seek to help the recovering addict. There may be quite a bit of hostility at first, as the addict may resent the staff’s efforts. Drug rehab programs are most successful when the addict has made the initial decision themselves to overcome the drug addiction and when they commit to staying the appropriate amount of time.