Drug Addiction Treatment Programs
Drug Addiction Treatment Programs
When it comes to selecting drug treatment programs, it is important to choose one that is designed to meet individual needs, choices and concerns. Typically, treatment centers will assume that every client is at the same stage of change and will treat them as such. Our therapists take a personalized approach to treatment because we understand that what might work for one person will not always be effective for everyone.
The best luxury rehab facilities will offer:
- Detox
- Group and Individual Therapy Sessions
- Family Counselling
- Addiction Education
- Aftercare Programs and peer support
- Active Alumni Program
What Happens When Beginning a Drug Treatment Program?
Not all treatment centers are created equal. Some are better than others and some are way better than others. Typically, a great treatment center will bring an admit through the following stages.
Program Intake
All drug treatment programs start with an evaluation by clinical staff. This evaluation helps counselors develop an integrated treatment plan to help address the underlying issues and causes of addiction.
Drug or Alcohol Detox (Sub-acute or Medical)
Depending on various contributing factors (namely how severe the addiction is and the level of care that the treatment center offers) detox might be the first step in a recovery journey and drug treatment program. Addiction detox is a crucial time. It must be handled with the utmost care and urgency at a professional drug detox center.
The scale of the individual’s dependency and the length of time they have struggled with drug and alcohol abuse will determine the length of their medical detox and any additional assistance that may be needed (such as medication management, treating co-occurring disorders, etc.).
Inpatient Drug Addiction Treatment Programs
Inpatient drug rehab is an individual’s first step after detox. The Discovery House helps residents transition gradually from our sub-acute detox program to our residential rehab program in our drug alcohol treatment center. Here at The Discovery House, we conduct full assessments on residents in order to determine their history and their needs. It also helps us establish an effective drug addiction treatment program for them. Once the resident has transitioned fully to our drug treatment program at The Discovery House, therapists continue to monitor and assess the resident to determine their progress. Once they are stable enough to transition from inpatient treatment to outpatient therapy, their daily sessions will decrease, but our staff is always here to offer extra support when needed throughout the duration of their drug treatment program and beyond.
Residents also attend 12 step drug treatment program meetings each week and are encouraged to build a sober support group. This gives them the tools necessary to apply the skills they learn while in rehab to their life outside of treatment.
Counseling sessions at our luxury rehab facilities focus on:
- Teaching the disease concept of addiction
- Anger management
- Social skills and communication
- Stress management
- Mindfulness
- Self-care
- Life skills
Addiction as a Disease
Currently, addiction is defined as a chronic medical disease that can vary in nature depending on an individual’s genetics, environment, brain circuits, and life experiences.
Fortunately, this disease can be treated through drug addiction treatment programs. For those seeking to recover from a drug or alcohol addiction, it is highly recommended that they do so under medical supervision, usually at an alcohol and/or drug rehabilitation center.
Anger Management
For individuals struggling with substance use disorders, this may either provoke feelings of anger and aggression, or the abused substance may be used to decrease these emotions.
Regardless of the order, anger and substance abuse often go hand-in-hand, a relationship that can often have adverse consequences.
Thus, for individuals undergoing treatment for an addiction who also struggle with controlling their anger, addiction treatment programs will probably include anger management techniques (likely in addition to other behavioral therapies).
Social Skills and Communication
Substance addictions can be incredibly isolating for those who struggle with them, which can make proper communication difficult, let alone seeking out a drug treatment program.
During inpatient treatment, individuals will learn how to maintain healthy relationships and communication skills, as well as be guided to support groups that can help them through difficult moments in their addiction recovery.
Stress Management
Undergoing substance abuse treatment can be stressful for a number of reasons, as those being treated will likely experience withdrawal symptoms, tolls on their physical and mental health, and urges to return to their addictive behaviors.
Thus, providing them with proper stress management skills is a priority when it comes to a drug treatment program. During inpatient rehab, individuals may be introduced to several methods of managing their stress, including:
- Exercising
- Breathing Techniques
- Meditation
- Avoiding Triggers
- Support Groups
Mindfulness
While a seemingly simple step, improving mindfulness skills can greatly increase an individual’s success with rehabilitation and sobriety after a drug treatment program. Some of these skills may include:
- Setting and maintaining goals.
- Increasing self-awareness and compassion.
- Practicing gratitude and positivity.
Self-Care
Mindfulness and self-care can go hand-in-hand, but this step is extremely important for those recovering from alcohol and/or drug abuse and those participating in a drug treatment program.
Because of the extensive mental and physical symptoms of withdrawal, taking care of basic needs is essential in maximizing comfort levels.
Drug and Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms
While different symptoms may arise during a drug treatment program depending on the specific drug used by an individual, some of the most common associated with drug abuse rehabilitation include:
- Muscle pains
- Anxiety and/or depression
- Congestion, runny nose
- Insomnia, nightmares
- Chills, sweating, shaking
- Feeling weak or lethargic
Symptoms of withdrawal from alcohol addiction often include:
- Sweatiness, shaking
- Loss of appetite, weight loss
- Agitation, irritability, anxiety
- Insomnia, disorientation
Self-Care Practices
Some simple self-care practices that may be recommended by providers in a drug treatment program include:
- Maintaining a healthy and nutritious diet
- Staying hydrated
- Practicing good hygiene
- Light exercise
Life Skills
Seeking out and undergoing a drug treatment program is just a singular part of the process of attaining sobriety. Once an individual completes their drug addiction treatment program, they will need to re-adjust to regular life.
Generally, these skills will focus on teaching patients to implement all of the previously mentioned habits into their everyday lives upon completion of their rehabilitation.
Intensive Outpatient Treatment
Intensive outpatient therapy (also known as IOP) provides more freedom than inpatient treatment however, both take addicted individuals through a rigorous drug treatment program that teaches them how to live a sober life and avoid relapse. These people still need professional help and will benefit greatly from therapy sessions, but are able to incorporate our outpatient drug rehab into the rest of their life and schedule. Typically, an outpatient addiction treatment program is the next step after successfully completing residential addiction treatment however many people benefit greatly by just going to IOP. People who meet the following characteristics are the best fit for an IOP program:
- Have had a short history with addiction
- Are at a lower risk for relapse
- Can be counted on to attend therapy sessions faithfully
What is Our Drug Treatment Therapy Approach?
We take a holistic approach to recovery meaning that in order to heal the addiction, the individual’s mind, body and spirit must all be treated. Our drug treatment programs are designed to address all aspects of the individual’s life because relapse can stem from any area that is out of balance.
Counselors and clinical staff at our treatment facilities use different methods of therapy to reach different residents. Many individuals respond well to behavioral modification therapy, while others benefit from anger management therapy or stress reduction methods, such as yoga or meditation to manage their addiction. All of our therapies help retrain an individual to live a normal life without relying on their substance.
Our drug treatment programs help treat residents who are struggling with substance abuse and individuals who may have co-occurring disorders such as depression, anxiety, grief/loss, bipolar disorder, secondary eating issues, personality disorders, mood disorders, and psychological trauma.
We offer a wide range of therapies, such as psycho-drama, music therapy, mindfulness therapy, yoga, and more.
Types of therapies that the best drug and alcohol treatment centers use can include:
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT)
- Motivational Interviewing (G.R.A.C.E. Model and F.O.R.M Model)
- Psychodrama Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Psychodrama Therapy
One of the drug treatment modalities often used is cognitive-behavioral therapy or CBT. The goal of CBT is to transform the destructive thinking patterns and habits that have led the client down the path of addiction. The concept is that certain actions may not be controllable by rational thought, but are the result of former conditioning. That is, a certain situation or action that the client has been part of has caused fear or other negative feelings. Therefore, when that happens, the behavior becomes inappropriate, such as using drugs or alcohol to mask fear.
Rational emotive behavior therapy, or REBT, is a therapy model that focuses on the resolution of behavioral and emotional issues among residents. It was developed and first used by psychologist Albert Ellis in 1955. The basis for this therapy is the view that individuals suffer from emotional upset because of their irrational thoughts about certain events. According to Ellis, “people are not disturbed by things but rather by their view of things.”
Motivational Interviewing is a psychotherapeutic approach to addiction treatment that essentially works to move the addicted person away from an indecisive state. It was created by William R. Miller and Stephen Rollnick about 30 years ago strictly for addiction treatment. However, the principles are widely used to treat other mental disorders such as depression and anxiety.
Psychodrama is another type of therapy often used successfully in drug treatment programs. This exercise has the clients spontaneously act out real-life situations that have affected their tendency to addiction. Psychodrama is most often used in group therapy; however, it is not solely a group action. Rather, it is an individual action performed in front of a group. Acting out negative memories can help the client to realize just what happened and how the event led to the addictive behavior.
Benefits of Long-term Drug Addiction Rehab
When most people think about going to rehab, they wonder how long they will have to stay in order for the drug treatment program to be effective. The average length of time in rehab can vary but the most common is the 28-30 day residential model. This is usually the recommended amount of time for someone with a moderate drinking or drug use problem. For people with more severe issues, 60 to 90 days including outpatient may be appropriate. In a typical drug addiction treatment program, 3 months can be common for the detox, residential, and intensive outpatient portions of treatment.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse:
“Research has shown unequivocally that good outcomes are contingent on adequate treatment length. Generally, for residential or outpatient treatment, participation for less than 90 days is of limited effectiveness, and treatment lasting significantly longer is recommended for maintaining positive outcomes.
Studies show that the key factor to successful recovery is continued care beyond residential treatment. This means that even after someone completes a residential drug addiction treatment program, they still need to be active in their recovery. There are many things that a quality aftercare program can offer, including:
- Relapse prevention
- Job skills and job search
- Life skills
- Relationship skills
- Money management
Finding High-Quality Drug Treatment Programs
There are thousands of treatment centers across the country and more are opening every day. However, not all of these drug treatment programs are created equal. Due to a lack of regulation across the industry, it’s very easy for someone to open a treatment center. They often operate without being certified, accredited, or adequately staffed. That being said, there are a lot of amazing drug addiction treatment programs in the country as well.
State Licenses and Reputable Accrediting Bodies
All treatment centers in Los Angeles are required by the state of California to hold a state license in order to operate and provide drug treatment programs, so at a very basic level any treatment center should have this. Most states have this requirement as well, so be sure to ask about the state licenses when looking for addiction treatment.
In addition, there are certain types of accreditations that treatment facilities can attain, such as the Joint Commission Accreditation. This is the national accrediting body that inspects and accredits healthcare organizations ranging from hospitals to outpatient care sites, to treatment centers. Only 6% of treatment centers in the United States hold this level of accreditation. While it’s not required, being Joint Commission Accredited demonstrates a commitment to offering the best drug addiction treatment available. CARF accreditation (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) is another reputable accrediting body to look out for.
Licensed and Educated Counselors and Staff
Another factor to consider when looking for drug treatment programs is the staff. Substance abuse counselors in California are eligible to pursue professional certification by the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS).
Often when budget cuts are put into effect, treatment providers are forced to cut down on one-on-one time thus enforcing more group sessions. This jeopardizes the connection between the counselor and the client and makes for a longer and less effective course of treatment. The lower client to counselor ratio, the better.
Approach to Drug Treatment Programs and Therapies Offered
Recovering addicts are more successful when they are treated as individuals and when each of their needs is addressed. The benefit of individualized drug addiction rehab is that each participant can receive the care that offers the best hope for his or her complete long-term recovery.
Counselors at our drug treatment centers can help assess addiction treatment needs and develop a customized plan. We help individuals overcome alcohol addiction, heroin addiction, opiate addiction, and a variety of other dependency disorders.