Drug Rehab options
Drug addiction rehab basically means quitting drugs and discovering how to live a drug-free life. However, this can be a very complex process.
Different drugs have different effects on the body and mind, and certain individuals are more predisposed to addiction to some chemical stimulants than others. Likewise there is no one-size-fits-all drug rehabilitation therapy that suits everybody.
Drug rehab can take the form of behavioral (or ‘cognitive’) therapy, medication, or a combination of both. A number of considerations determine which therapy will work best.
Behavioral therapy gives addicts methods for coping with their drug cravings. It teaches them ways to avoid chemical stimulants and prevent relapse. This type of therapy also teaches addicts how to manage a relapse should it occur. When a human being’s drug-connected activities places him or her at increased risk for AIDS or other communicable diseases, behavioral treatments can help to reduce the risk of disease transmission. Case management and referral to alternative medical, psychological, and social services are critical components of therapy for many patients.
Treatment meds, such as methadone, LAAM, and naltrexone, are obtainable for individuals dependent upon specific chemical substances. Nicotine preparations (patches, gum, nasal spray) and bupropion are available for persons addicted to nicotine. Medications, such as antidepressants, mood stabilizers, or neuroleptics, may be critical for treatment success when patients have co-occurring psychological disorders, such as depression, anxiety disorder, manic-depressive illness, or a psychotic mental illness.
The best programs generally provide a combination of both therapy and medication, and are integrated with alternative community services that meet the requirements of the individual patient - a program that is shaped by such factors as age, race, culture, sexual orientation, sex, pregnancy, childhood history, accommodation, and employment status.
Drug addiction rehabilitation can occur in a variety of settings, in many different types, and for different lengths of time. Because addiction is typically a chronic syndrome characterised by occasional relapses, a short-term, one-time treatment is seldom sufficient.
For many, rehab is a long-term process that involves numerous interventions and attempts at self control. A period of detox, followed by long-term rehabilitation is usually the best path of action for anyone attempting to beat a drug habit , and while it doesn’t have to happen at an in-patient facility, these do tend to have the best success rates when it comes to truly defeating drug addiction and maintaining a drug-free life.