Fighting through substance abuse is a little like riding a roller coaster. Addiction is properly classified as a disease, and sometimes doesn’t respond to treatment immediately, requiring several attempts before making progress. Given this reality, you might be wondering, “will I need extended rehab care?”
With a relapse rate of 40 to 60 percent in the United States, the answer is: It’s possible. But needing extended rehab care doesn’t make treatment a failure. It’s just a measure of the significant and alarming power of the disease.
Asking “will I need Extended Rehab Care?” helps you understand the challenges you are up against, as one of the 2 million people in treatment in the United States annually. Putting in the work in extended rehab, though, can help you build the strength and capabilities you need to restore a life of sobriety.
What is Rehab?
Rehab is a catch-all term for the services provided to help individuals curb their abuse of drugs and/or alcohol. There are 15,000 treatment centers in the United States. Rehab takes several forms, including:
- Long-term residential treatment
- Short-term residential treatment
- Outpatient treatment programs
- Individualized drug counseling
- Criminal justice-focused programs
The length of time in each type of rehab varies. A long-term residential program could last six months to a year; shorter-term residential programs go for 60 to 90 days, accompanied by follow-up outpatient care. Outpatient treatment may go 120 days or more.
About 2 million people pursue drug treatment each year. Only about a quarter go into residential programs; the balance work towards sobriety through outpatient facilities.
Will I Need Extended Rehab Care?
There is no right answer to this question. Substance abuse problems affect individuals in different ways. The severity of your challenge has many factors; some of them deeply rooted in your past. You might also be someone with what is considered a “co-occurring disorder,” involving substance abuse and mental illness. These may lengthen your stay further, as both conditions need to be addressed appropriately.
Going through treatment isn’t fun, so a longer stay may help with longer-term success. The National Institute on Drug Abuse indicates that most people need at least three months of treatment.
In determining the answer to “Will I need extended rehab care?” NIDA notes that “the best outcomes occur with longer durations of treatment.”
The Essence of Treatment
The purpose of drug treatment is to break the cycle of dependence and help move you toward a more stable life defined by sobriety. Initially, clinical professionals will do a thorough evaluation to understand the history of substance abuse as well as your family background. From there, you work with the professionals to develop a comprehensive treatment plan.
The first step usually is detox or rehab, where you wean yourself from the abuse of the substance and, under clinical supervision, work through withdrawal symptoms. After that, you will experience various forms of counseling/therapy — at the individual and group level. Your family may be involved, as well. Therapy helps you better understand the drivers of your behavior and build better-coping skills.
In certain situations, medication treatment may also be indicated. Also, aftercare is important to reduce the risk of relapse.
The Way Back
The person who can best answer “will I need extended rehab care?” is you. Rehab takes hard work and commitment. By opening yourself to the rigors of treatment, you can find your way back to sobriety. Right Step Houston is ready to stand by your side every step of the way. Our team of clinical and addiction specialists are experienced in all forms of addiction treatment. We offer medical drug detox, inpatient drug rehab, alcohol addiction treatment, aftercare programs, and addiction therapy programs. For a confidential consultation, contact us today at [Direct.]