Why Long Term Rehab Should Be Considered & Treatments, Recovery from Addiction in Long-Term Rehab

“We shape our dwellings, and afterwards our dwellings shape us.” Winston Churchill

The quote has a deeper meaning for the addicts who are in the process of recovery. An inpatient in the rehabilitation centre might have beautiful homes, loving family members and treasured possessions, but their addiction was getting nourishment when they were staying at home. The comforts that one has in their own home might be a major hindrance in the process of quitting addiction. Thus, when the treatment and recovery is in the early stage, the thought of returning home might be uncontrollable; however, returning home would just hinder the recovery process.

Based on a report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 8.6% of the US population wanted the treatment for drugs and alcohol addiction in the year 2013. Among this population, 0.9% received the treatment. Addiction of drug and alcohol leads to mental as well as physical ailments of the addict. The treatment plan is decided based on the type and the degree of addiction. It is not the same for all addicts, as substance abuse has different effects in different individuals. In order to eliminate the habit of addiction and bolster sobriety, long-term rehab treatment is advised by the experts.

The plan of substance abuse treatment are phased out in different stages like detoxification, therapy in the rehab and followed by post-treatment support. The out-patients and inpatients are handled differently. The out-patients undergo short term treatment whereas the in-patients are accommodated in the long-term rehab treatment plan.

Long term rehab should be considered since the patients undergo detoxification for several days, along with an intensive therapy on addiction and an aftercare. This plan works best for severely addicted people or the substance use disorder as well as for those who have shown the symptoms of mental disorder along with substance abuse.

The residential treatment centres are the best way to cure the substance abuse in adolescents. A properly organized rehab and therapeutic centre plans treatment tenure of six to twelve months. Long-term programs are prescribed to people who face problems in recovering from the addiction, confront several relapses followed with several issues.

The treatment in long-term rehab starts with the process of detoxification with medicines when the addict does not drink alcohol and stops taking drugs. They receive individualistic care and supervision, which depends on the substance that was abused and drug reduction and replacement therapy. The treatments help to manage the withdrawal symptoms when the body of the patient has started adjusting without the dependent drug. Depending on the drug, the degree and the length of addiction, it might take several days to show up improvements. Even the mental as well as the physical condition of the patient can also lengthen the process of detoxification.

After the detox process is successfully over, the patients undergo quite a few therapies. This is because only detoxification can never guarantee a long lasting recovery. The chronic abusers are suggested to continue therapies that constitutes as an integral part of the rehab process. The patients remain under therapeutic treatments and observation. The therapeutic remedies include:

• Cognitive Behavioural therapy (CBT)
• Contingency management
• Multidimensional family therapy
• Motivational interviewing.

The Cognitive Behavioural Therapy introduces the techniques to modify or divert their minds from the usage of drugs and alcohol. In other words, it teaches the methods to control themselves and the situation that aggravates the chances of relapse. It imbibes the strategies to prevent the relapse. The therapy can also be used along with medication assisted treatment (MAT), in order to increase the effectivity of the medicines that eventually encourages the patients to continue with the treatment and prevent the relapse post-completion of the treatment.

Contingency management is employed to motivate the person to show positive attributes like being sober and performing the tasks assigned to him. This can be done by incorporating the incentive or reward methods, for example, rewards for urine-samples that are free from drugs. The method has proven to be highly effective to help the patients to continue with the treatment and maintain sobriety.

Multidimensional Family Therapy (MDFT) is normally done at home. It is a program for the addicted adolescents revolving around four areas: the addicted adolescent, the family members of the addict, the friends and community or the neighbourhood. Both, the addicted adolescent and the friends and family members are provided the therapy. It helps the individual to reduce the detrimental behaviour and be poised, and stimulating the healthy and positive behaviour. It motivates the individual as well as the family with strategies to cope up with the situation.

In motivational interviewing method, the patient learns about the factors that are stopping him from changing and how to solve that. It also helps the patients to be aware about the side effects of addictions, and what benefits can be obtained on changing the addiction habit, thus helping the patient to continue the process of treatment.

This method has also shown a high result in helping patients in abstaining from alcohol and drug use.

The residential treatment concentrates on the long duration programs to enable the patients in gaining dignity naturally. The aim of the prolonged stay in the rehab for treatment is to help the patients recover slow but steadily, reinstate the treatment procedure in the daily life, re-incorporate the sense of responsibility, confidence and self-respect in them. Once the detox process is over, the patients get more freedom inside the centre. Many of the rehabs offer high school and college facilities for the adolescents. Job facilities are also provided to the older patients to encourage the continuity of the treatment. Most of the patients are kept involved in some daily chores that would help them in adjusting with the families when they go back home. Patients are also encouraged to participate in the nature outings, trips, sports, various trainings on skills, and other engaging activities in the rehab.

Some rehab centres also offer services like:

• Anger management
• Trauma workshops
• Art and music therapy
• Animal assisted therapy
• Psychodrama sessions
• Meditation session
• Tai Chi and massage sessions
• Hypnotherapy
• Addiction treatment specific to gender
• Special meal preparation
• Private rooms.

During the treatment, the patients are often introduced to several support groups like Narcotics Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous, and Cocaine Anonymous etc. They are also allowed to join the counselling sessions, dialectical behavioural therapies, group therapy that help them to live a better life after the completion of the program.

There are endless options that are available and it can be very difficult to select based on the individualistic need. The rehabs might specialize in the certain areas like adolescents, mothers with children, pregnant ladies, or elderly men. Finding out the right rehab for the long term treatment is very essential in order to receive a successful treatment and a sober future. Connecting with the rehab admission consultant is the best way to reach the right centre for receiving an effective treatment for your loved one.

While calling rehab admission consultant, it is important to keep the insurance card of your loved one handy. The consultant will readily guide you the benefits available. Details like the name of the drug abused, the duration of its usage, the dose, the ways implemented like snorting or injecting, have to be disclosed to the admission consultant. He would also like to know about the previous history of treatment or withdrawal if any. Along with all these details, it is of utmost importance to disclose the mental or physical challenges in the patients if any, or any particular medicines that the patients normally consume. The consultants will go through all these information and help you to reach the right rehab to obtain the best treatment.

Sometimes addiction pushes the individual to commit crime. In such cases, the individuals are under criminal charges, they are forced to stay in the long-term rehabs despite their unwillingness to stay there. They normally do not want to undergo the residential treatment, but they must face the consequences, and prospect of jail. A study published in the Criminal Justice and Behaviour suggested that if the individual is willing to get help, and is ready to welcome the steps to abstain addiction, the outcome is more likely to be successful in the long-term treatment.

Therefore, people, instead of hiding away, must connect with the friends and families so as to know the benefits of the programs, how they can adopt new strategies to help themselves from the darkness to the path of light. They must seek proper consultation to understand the factors that force them to addiction. Sometimes addictions are related to depressive episodes in life. People hardly know about the coping strategies which gives them a feeling of hopefulness. Thus, they drown themselves in the abyss of addiction. Proper psychological counselling along with long-term treatment to eradicate addiction has reportedly worked wonders.