Addiction is a chronic and debilitating health condition. Individuals struggling with addiction often require treatment to get and remain sober. Rehabilitation facilities offer addiction treatment in a different environment and for various lengths of time, based on the requirements of the individual.
Rehab facilities can offer the help, safety, and support required to recover from addiction. People who struggle with addiction may be concerned about what to expect from rehab, what treatment is like, and the length of time that treatment lasts. The drug and alcohol rehab duration will depend on the individual person’s situation.
Program Durations
Studies indicate that a longer stay in a rehab facility can have more benefits and be more effective than short-term addiction treatment programs. Rehab entails more than overcoming a physical addiction to a substance. Addiction affects a number of areas of a person’s life, and all of these areas must be addressed in treatment. While it is essential to eliminate the addictive drug from the body, it is also necessary to work on the psychological part of addiction. The length of time you will spend in a drug and alcohol addiction treatment for all forms of addiction treatment can vary. However, studies show that a longer stay in -term rehabilitation programs can have more benefits and be more effective than short treatment, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Drug and alcohol rehab programs that are 90 days or longer are valuable for a number of reasons. Individuals who suffer from addiction require time to cleanse their bodies of the addictive substance the right way. Detox is the first step in the recovery process and depending on the substance abused, there may be medications that can ease the withdrawal symptoms making it as safe and comfortable as possible. The detoxification process is the first step, and while it allows the person to safely remove alcohol or drugs from the body, it does not address the fundamental issues of addiction.
While the method used to detoxify can vary from facility to facility, it does not change the fact that adequate time may be required to do it properly, especially when treating addiction to substances that can have lethal withdrawal symptoms, such as benzodiazepines or alcohol. Longer alcohol and drug rehab programs allow a patient to take the time required to properly stop abusing a substance and learn more about the recovery process. During the detoxification process, a patient must be monitored to ensure that he or she remains emotionally and medically stable during withdrawal and is not in any danger.
Another reason a longer drug rehab program can be beneficial is because it allows people who struggle with addiction, the opportunity to work on the root causes of the addiction. In order to effectively overcome an addiction, the individual should understand why she is using substances. In contrast with relatively short treatment programs, longer addiction rehabilitation programs may provide individuals in treatment with the chance to more deeply explore the factors that contributed to their alcohol or drug dependence.
Long-term addiction rehab programs also allow the patient more time to work with trained addiction treatment professionals to determine the most effective ways for him to understand and cope with his addiction. It can take time to open up about issues, and having a longer period in treatment programs can make this easier. The length and severity of the dependency and addiction should also be factored into the length of treatment. The time it takes to explore the underlying issues behind addiction is a factor many people should consider when they are wondering how long rehabilitation takes.
Drug treatment program lengths vary, not only for each individual but for every treatment facility, as well. While a certain length of stay may be suitable for one person, it may not be appropriate for another. Many treatment facilities offer patients short-term stays between 28 to 30 days. However, certain residential facilities may also offer extended stays for an additional fee, provided the patient is showing positive signs of recovery.
