What is Drug Rehab?

The abuse of drugs and alcohol can have negative effects on an individual’s life, and the destruction can include anything from their physical appearance to finances, altered brain chemistry, health complications, legal issues, accidental injuries, and even death. According to the World Health Organization, one out of every four deaths is caused by drugs and alcohol, in fact, an explosion of heroin and opiate-related overdoses in some cities are at all-time high and striking fear into emergency service workers throughout the country. Additionally, about 23.1 million people need treatment for alcohol or substance abuse and only 9% are receiving the help they require leaving 20.5 million individuals devoid of ongoing support. To compound matters, the cost of treatment and incarceration run nearly in the billions annually for taxpayers.

It is estimated that around 90% of individuals struggling with addiction do not seek professional help because either:

• They are ashamed or concerned with what others will think of them
• They think that they don’t need treatment
• They are not ready to stop using
• They don’t want to take time away from their “responsibilities.”
• They don’t have health coverage or can’t afford the cost of treatment
• They don’t know where to go for help

Unbeknownst to many, there are countless drug rehab centers around the country that provide high-quality care and complete medical services in order to guide patients struggling with dependency through a successful recovery. Additionally, patients who may be unable to afford the costly treatments, which can sometimes take several months to complete (depending on the severity of their addiction) have other alternatives like checking into state-funded drug rehab. These facilities are ideal because they not only target those living in poverty and have lower incomes, but also individuals who do not have a quality health insurance plan or for one reason or the other cannot afford to pay for private addiction treatment.

Even though the procedures may not be as up-to-date, or the facilities as luxurious as a private rehab, two of the main benefits of a state-sponsored treatment program is that they are available free of charge for eligible participants. Additionally, even with some drawbacks of not being upscale or having to be on a waiting list, the specialists that work at these facilities still have a good understanding of what they are doing. It is imperative for anyone struggling with addiction to receive help as soon as possible because dependence is an insidious disease that has a devastating impact not only on all aspects of an addict’s life but also to those around them and just when you think it cannot get any worse, it does.

Who needs a drug rehab?

Many people in addiction often think they either don’t need help, they can quit on when they want to or get well on their own even though deep down they know that their drug or alcohol habit has gotten out of control. Addiction treatment programs are often provided on a voluntary basis, and some people will enter a drug rehab once and really make a commitment to lasting change, others, not so much. Being in and out of rehab centers as a result of relapsing is a clear sign that an individual needs more supervision in an inpatient setting where they have no access to drugs, alcohol or people who use.

During the recovery process, people struggling with dependency need access to a safe, drug-free environment that provides support, transportation to appointments and medication (if required), regular nutritious meals, and much more. These are a but a few aspects that patients miss about being in their home environment and without them they are more likely to check out of a treatment program early or relapse. Studies also show that people in addiction with an underlying mental health issue or physical illness do better in a structured inpatient drug rehab program where specialists can address these issues in one controlled setting.

Other telltale signs that drug or alcohol use has gotten out of control and an individual requires the intensive medical care an inpatient drug rehab provides include:

• When the body has built up a tolerance and needs more drugs or alcohol or higher amounts to produce the same outcome
• Where the substance of choice consumes their every thought, and they spend increasing amounts of time, effort, and resources to acquire and use the substance
• Former interests, activities, and involvements they previously enjoyed eventually begin taking a back seat to drug or alcohol use
• Where the substance of choice begins to have serious ill effects on an individual’s physical health and mental state. For example, alcohol is linked to liver problems, and certain drugs are known to cause depression, anxiety, agitation even psychosis
• Where there have been periods of relapse and recovery or unsuccessful attempts of quitting either on their own or with lower levels of care
• Where there is an underlying or co-occurring mental health issue

Types of Drug Rehab

People try different methods to end their addiction and being a complex, chronic disease in nature which affects the functioning of the brain and mind; individuals need more help than simply trying to quit on their own. Owing to the fact that there is a range in verity in both substance use and consequently withdrawals after cessation, drug rehab can provide the safety, structure, medical attention, therapy, and stability needed to end addiction. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), there are numerous benefits of seeking help for drug addiction in an inpatient drug rehab program because they can provide various services that include but not limited to:

• Initial and ongoing drug and alcohol testing
• Screening of co-occurring mental health disorders including substance use disorders
• Substance use and mental health treatment and education
• Medication management
• Case management to provide connection to available resources
• Transitional services such as discharge planning and ongoing aftercare management

How does it work?

Different drug rehab centers provide divergent levels and types of care as well as costs, what is important is to first understand the basics of recovery. Dependence is a complex physical and mental problem, and there are drug rehabs that focus mainly on patients with dual diagnosis conditions. For example, a patient may have a drug or alcohol addiction coupled with an underlying or co-occurring mental health disorder like depression, bipolar, anxiety, trauma-related disorder, personality disorders, schizophrenia spectrum disorders, etc., such a drug rehab would be ideal because they can address both illnesses concurrently.

Dual-diagnosis treatment is perhaps the most challenging because most patients who check into drug rehab with a co-occurring disorder have been abusing alcohol, drugs or both in order to mitigate the symptoms of the mental illness. Therefore, before any efforts to achieve any level of thought and mood stabilization, specialists in the drug rehab must work twice and hard to wean a patient off of all addictive substances (medication too) that negatively alters brain functioning, consequently impacting thought and mood. Such drug rehabs also utilize other approaches when treating patients with dual diagnosis, which can range anywhere from pharmacotherapy, to cognitive behavioral therapy, yoga, mindfulness meditation, exercise, and nutrition.

There are countless types of drug rehab centers, and they all take into consideration every patient’s unique assortment of issues, which may include a patient’s substance of choice, how long they have been dependent on it (long or short-term dependence), their budget, and any other health conditions they may have. An individual who has had a lengthy history of substance or alcohol abuse should never try to detox without the supervision and guidance of a medical professional. In extreme cases, especially with alcoholism, withdrawals can present a medical danger and cause seizures, organ failure, or death. Therefore, checking into a long-term rehab center, where the patient is under the watchful eye of medical staff with experience treating extreme cases of alcohol withdrawals is highly recommended.