If you’re in the process of researching addiction recovery, it’s important to know about the different treatment durations and how long you should expect to stay in a drug rehab program.
Visiting an addiction recovery center is essential to a successful rehab treatment. Experts in recovery are always happy to help anyone dealing with addiction problems, while interacting with individuals under the same condition can only prove helpful.
However, there is one question that still remains, and no specific answer has yet to be found: How long should a patient stay at an addiction recovery center?
Well, the answer is not that simple but also not that hard to answer either. If the duration of a patient’s stay at an addiction recovery facility center is what you’ve been searching for, you may want to keep reading.
But first of all, let’s get some things straight.
What Is an Addiction Recovery Center?
Recovery centers are intended to aid people who want to fight the physical symptoms of addiction, try to gain confidence and dependence to psychologically recover from their old habits, and also learn how to manage the addiction.
Usually, the duration of stay in most treatment facilities is dependent on the treatment pattern and process they approach. Of course, each patient has their own needs and the overall recovery program might need to take from some weeks to some months.
There are some specific steps each facility usually follows in order to achieve the best results possible. Usually, these steps include:
Step 1: Physical and Psychological Assessment
Experts on medicine and psychiatry, monitor the patient to assess the addiction and create the ideal detox plan. At this point, the recovery plan takes its first form and the patient is ready for the next, huge step.
Step 2: Detox
Detox is one of the earliest and maybe most important parts of almost any facility. This is the part where the patient’s body is cleansed of the toxic substance(s).
Of course, while detox duration and severity varies based on the level of addiction, the process requires proper supervision and in some cases, medication. The detox process is often uncomfortable and difficult: having a skilled treatment professional to manage the experience is essential to an effective detoxification.
Step 3: Therapy
Individual and group therapy sessions help the patient heal psychologically, after detox is complete. Behavioral therapeutic interventions help individuals not only understand the reason behind their addiction but also address and identify high-risk situations and triggers to help stay on the path toward recovery.
Most of the times, group therapy is highly preferred because interacting with people who have the same compulsions gives recovering individuals more strength and courage.
Step 4: Physical Treatment
Yes. Taking care of the body is essential when it comes to a patient’s treatment. The physical addiction to drugs is not the only important factor an addiction recovery center must address. Physical healing is a large component of the entire recovery process.
Aside from the physical and mental strength that exercise provides to a person’s psychological state, it also releases endorphins, the “secret” body substance which make us feel good. Feeling good without the addiction as well as committing to a healthier lifestyle makes individual’s feel stronger.
At the same time, the patients’ diet should follow a specific, beneficial pattern toward supporting a healthier lifestyle. Avoiding large amounts of sugar and carbs will help provide mood stability and contribute to a quicker recovery.
Step 5: Alternative Methods
Depending on the rehab center a patient chooses for their treatment, some alternative methods might be provided. So, don’t feel surprised if a brochure mentions yoga, meditation, massage or even chakra therapy.
As a matter of fact, many patients have mentioned alternative approaches as great pain/withdrawal management tools – which can prove important to those who experience chronic pain and discomfort due to the addiction.
Step 6: Aftercare
Think of rehab facilities like a bubble of protection. A safety zone able to provide patients with all the courage and support they might need as they take their first steps toward sobriety. But what happens after they step out of it?
Triggers that might lead someone back to drugs or alcohol are everywhere. Places, situations, people, emotional states… The list is endless and temptations are everywhere to be found. Thankfully most of rehab programs provide aftercare solution.
Aftercare planning is essential to patients development of a support network in their inner circle. Additionally, recovering individuals who create a special bond with professionals at the center, can always reach out to them in case they need some guidance or mentoring down the road in their recovery.
Extensive and powerful strategical techniques developed at an addiction recovery center form a complete rehab program.
So, How Long Does Addiction Recovery Take?
As you might have guessed, there is no specific answer to that question since every single case is different and every person has unique needs. Addiction is not black and white and that’s why recovery centers try to address grey, hard-to-find areas too. As a result, treatment length can vary.
However, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, longer treatment often proves more successful than shorter stays. In a general estimation regarding a patient’s length of time for all forms of addiction treatment, a 30-day program is considered the typical length by most treatment professionals.
Most rehab facilities offer patients programs based on short-term stays between 25 to 30 days with the condition the patient will get extended days if they show positive signs of recovery.
The Longer The Stay The Better The Results
It is not just the duration of treatment that makes a longer stay much more effective. It is the whole experience that needs more time to take action.
At first the patient is distant, ready to hide his or her feelings from the stuff who just try to understand the reasons that led to the addiction. After this phase, which usually takes longer than expected, a bridge made of trust is built. And this bridge needs time: time to determine the right psychological approach toward an individualized recovery process.
It’s important to understand, treating addiction should not be considered as a chore and addicts who want and have the will to get better, should not worry themselves with the length of the recovery. This is a process that needs time, no matter how long or short it might be, in some cases treatment prevents death and at the very least, extends and improves quality of life.
To find out more about rehab and recovering from addiction, you can always visit our blog. If you have concerns about financing your treatment, it’s essential to check if PHCS Insurance covers your desired services. For any questions or additional information, do not hesitate to contact us.
