What Is Rehabilitation? And What Are My Rehabilitation Options?
Addiction remains one of the greatest known threats to health. The National Center on Addiction & Substance Abuse at Columbia University found that over 80 percent of people in prisons had been sentenced for indirect or direct drug crimes.
Drug addiction obliterates lives, destroys families, and has a direct effect on everything in our culture from street safety to the effect on the economy. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, addiction costs over $400 billion a year in health care, crime, and lost work productivity.
The consequences of addiction are clear. But thankfully, there is hope.
Experts have been developing effective treatments for addiction since the mid-20th century. With increasing knowledge of the physiology of addiction, programs have been built that suit every potential client's needs.
Depending on the substance of abuse and other factors such as dual treatment for mental illness or other issues that may complicate or underlie addiction, therapy would often use a combination of modalities that include combinations of those listed below. Any of the following may be undertaken in an inpatient or outpatient format.
What Do You Do in Rehab?
These are some of the more traditional and alternative therapies currently available to those who have already taken the most difficult step — admitting they have a problem, and that they need help to break free of addiction's yoke.
- Dual treatment — Undertaken when there is a diagnosis of mental illness along with substance abuse. Experts have determined that a substantial number of addicts and alcoholics also suffer from some form of mental illness, and achieving sobriety depends on effective treatment of that illness. Some recovery programs are also specially designed for those who have multiple addictions, which is also known as a dual treatment.
- Psychotherapy — Traditional one-on-one counseling is often part of the recovery progress. Dealing with underlying psychological or emotional issues that may be feeding the addiction is imperative.
- 12-Step Groups — These popular programs have been effective in helping millions achieve and maintain sobriety since 1935. Addicts gather and support one another, sharing experiences and praising one another's achievements. This system also provides a mentor called a sponsor, a person with experience in the program who has a long history of sobriety than the newcomer to offer direct one-on-one guidance and support.
- Medical Assistance — The top culprits for addictions in recent years are prescription painkillers and opiates. These and heavy alcohol abuse have particularly painful withdrawal periods that make attempts to achieve sobriety independently unbearable and almost never successful. Clients of these drugs need assistance with this stage through medication and supervision by a trained professional.
Alternative Rehabilitation Approaches
In recent times, holistic and natural alternative therapy has become more widespread, used in conjunction with traditional programs.
- Nutrition — Various drugs and an addictive lifestyle can cause severe malnutrition and dehydration. This treatment helps address these issues and help the client achieve maximum physical health to go along with their increasing psychological recovery.
- Herbs — An increasing number of holistic practitioners are using herbs to enhance the effectiveness of traditional counseling and medications. Herbal medicine can be used to ease everything from anxiety to withdrawal.
- Acupuncture — This ancient Chinese practice has gained an amazing amount of acceptance in the medical community, and is often used in conjunction with other methods. Some studies have shown that regular acupuncture can be effective in controlling cravings and preventing relapse.
The treatment of addiction has grown to an industry that offers a combination of services that can truly offer help anyone who truly wants it.
Just reaching out for help can be as simple as making a phone call or attending a meeting, and the addict can take their first step in building a treatment and support system that will help them reclaim their lives.