The Process of Drug Rehabilitation: Steps and Strategies

The amount of people entering drug rehabilitation has increased over the past several years. In 2016, more than 2.3 million people in the United States sought out treatment for drug or alcohol addiction. Opioids like fentanyl are of huge concern as the number of overdose related deaths is continuing to increase. Headlines are plagued with the painful realization that drugs are continuously taking over and the fact that 72,000 deaths were caused by overdoses in 2017 is the scariest one of all. If you or someone you know has a drug addiction, there is help available. It can be hard to take that first step to get help. Hopefully this article will help to alleviate some of the anxiety.

The Drug Rehabilitation Process

The first step in the drug rehabilitation process is to admit that there is a problem. That is the most important step. When a person is unwilling to admit that they have an addiction to a drug, that person will have a harder time becoming sober. The second step is to obtain some information and the internet has made this extremely easy. All you have to do is type in treatment centers near me into a search engine. There is so much valuable information online. Not only will you learn about the different steps in the drug rehabilitation process, you will also learn about how different treatment centers are from one another. Finding a treatment center should take some time, if possible. The reason for this is simple. You want a place where you can heal, comfortably. Discomfort and anxiety can lead a person to want to abuse drugs again. So it’s important to take some time and research the facilities that you find online.

Assessment

Once you’ve found a facility, you’ll be taken through a process that’s known as an assessment. The facility wants to know who you are and why you have come to their facility so it is important to be as honest as possible. The assessment will start with simple questions like name and date of birth. However, the assessment will also ask questions about drug use.

• What drugs are you currently taking?
• When was your last dose?
• Are you mixing drugs with other drugs?
• Are you mixing drugs with alcohol?
• How long have you been taking drugs?

These questions are used to determine which type of treatment should be recommended, if detox will be necessary and whether or not you will attend outpatient or inpatient treatment.

Intake

An intake will be taken in any case. It puts more of a spotlight on your medical and drug history. Intake questions family medical, mental and drug history as well as individual medical, mental and drug history. Therefore, the questionnaire will take some time to fill out but it’s important to be as honest as possible. Without honesty, a true and accurate diagnosis cannot be made. The intake will also require a physical examination. This is usually to check vitals but the doctor may also check ailments around the nose and on the skin due to drug use. A blood and urine test will also be administered. If you are receiving inpatient treatment, the next step will be to discuss financial arrangements and to receive an item checklist. This checklist shows items that are not permitted in the facility such as weapons, drugs, pornography, etc. After which, a room may be assigned before or after detoxification.

Detoxification

Detoxification may or may not be necessary. If it’s not, a patient will go straight into inpatient or outpatient treatment. If it is however, this means there are drugs in your system that needs to be cleansed before moving on. Drugs create a barrier for further treatment because they not only affect you physically; they affect you mentally as well. Inpatient and outpatient treatment is all about healing a person mentally so that they can stay healthy, physically. This process tends to cause a lot of anxiety for people who are addicted to drugs due to the withdrawal symptoms: nausea, vomiting, shaking, headaches, sweating, hallucinations, depression, insomnia, muscle pain, dizziness, chest tightness, irritability, etc. These symptoms can be severe and will vary depending on several factors.

• How long has the patient been taking drugs?
• Were drugs and alcohol being mixed?
• What types of drugs are being taken? (Opioids can have severe symptoms)
• How long has the patient been addicted to drugs?
• Are there any mental disorders to consider? (Anxiety, depression, PTSD)

Drug rehabilitation centers do not use a system that makes a patient stop drug use through the cold-turkey method. They typically do a tapering off method which uses a small bit of another drug such as Methadone to help a patient slowly break free of the drugs grasp. This can be helpful in alleviating some of the more severe withdrawals symptoms. Detox can take 3-7 days.

Inpatient and Outpatient Treatment

Once you have typed in rehab centers near me on your computer and selected a facility, you will start to learn more about inpatient and outpatient treatment straight from the website. You can also learn more about long term drug rehab and dual diagnosis treatment centers. Dual diagnosis can help with both a mental disorder and a drug addiction at the same time. After being admitted to a facility, a patient will start an inpatient program. This is typically referred to as RTC (Residential Treatment Center). RTC is typically a 30-day program designed to help patients who are suffering from an addiction to find a road to recovery. There are many therapies used to help with this transition which include Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), music and art. Some patients who have been addicted to drugs for many years or who continue to relapse may end up in a long term drug rehab. This type of rehab can last 60-90 days. RTC is an intensive program that digs down to the seed of addiction. There is generally one defining moment that leads to addictive behavior and most often, if that moment can be uncovered a person can find recovery and stick to it. This moment in time is usually something that keeps getting triggered which is called a trigger point. Trigger points exist via some trauma, usually. Most often, it comes from childhood but there are many people who suffer trauma later in life that leads to addiction. There are many people that do not even realize that what happened to them as a child was so traumatizing that it’s affecting their adult life. However, it’s more common than many people realize and it takes time to uncover. A therapist will help a patient to work through the different areas of their life to try to find that seed that could be causing the addiction. Once it’s found, a therapist can start to create coping skills that will help you manage the drug cravings once they have been triggered. Coping skills can be anything that is positive such as writing, drawing, painting, making music, yoga, etc. Outpatient treatment works a bit differently since a patient does not have to stay at the facility full time. PHP (Partial Hospitalization Program) is the first step in outpatient treatment. For patients leaving RTC, it is typically the next step recommended by their doctor. PHP helps to provide a patient with some structure to stay sober. It also helps a patient to really embrace those coping skills and to learn how to use them outside the facility. It consists of going to class for 6 hours a day, 5-7 days a week. IOP (Intensive Outpatient Program) is the last step in outpatient treatment and is typically recommended after PHP. IOP takes place 3 hours a day, 3 days a week and works more like a support group.

Aftercare

One thing that will be addressed over and over again throughout all three types programs listed above is aftercare. Aftercare happens when a patient has been released from all three programs. It can be a very anxious time for a person who is recovering but the three programs are designed to help a person to be successful. One way to create the best aftercare plan is to sign up for support groups and then attend them. Support groups have been truly effective in helping people to manage their sobriety. Support groups are full of people who are facing the same thing that you are. They are struggling just like you and they want to remain sober just like you. It’s the perfect setting because everyone is on the same page. Aftercare is about staying busy. This can be through going back to school or finding a job but it’s also important to stay busy in a stress-free environment and sometimes school or a job can add to the stress. To find a stress-free way to relax, look into a hobby. Hobbies are great for relaxing and creating a drug-free environment and they can be anything that you really love to do that is also positive. Hobbies can include: sports, running, swimming, arts & crafts, stamp collecting, dancing, singing, gaming, playing music, reading, writing, drawing, painting, gardening, fishing, hunting, caring for animals, volunteering, socializing, board & card games, chess, learning a new language, flying kites, wood & metal working, jewelry crafting, building models, running marathons, noodling, snorkeling, horseback riding, etc. The sky is the limit when it comes to finding a hobby but it’s important to find one that really creates joy when you do it. If you start a hobby and find that it’s not for you, don’t be afraid to mix it up and start a new one. This is about your recovery so only you can truly decide what works for you.

Aftercare is also about taking care of yourself. After you leave a rehab center, taking care of yourself can be a struggle. A lot of people want to return to their old ways because it is most familiar. However, it’s important to be around positive and supportive people and that can’t work if your old friends are still using drugs. This is where support groups are most helpful. You may even find a new group of friends too. Another way to make sure you are taking care of yourself is by eating healthy. While in rehab, your food is chosen for you and the facility wants to make sure you are eating healthy foods. It’s important to keep this up outside of rehab. Fruits, vegetables, lean meats and plenty of water are a great way to make sure you are keeping your body healthy while also providing a new foundation for your new health to build on. The drugs can tear a person’s system up and nature’s fruit and vegetables can allow for recovery. Exercise is also really good because it can help to also get your body back into shape. You don’t have to start running marathon’s (unless you want to) but a 30-minute daily walk or a 7-10 minute yoga routine daily will be helpful in making sure your body is healing while also keeping you toned.

A Typical Day in Rehab

A typical day in rehab will depend on the type of rehab a person has chosen. Some are more luxurious and offer adventure therapy, eco-walks, gyms, fresh water pools, spas, fire pits, saunas, etc. These places sound really enjoyable but are also very expensive. Not all drug rehab facilities are this luxurious but they do offer everything that is necessary to set a person back on the right track again. A day in rehab usually starts off with an early breakfast around 7 a.m. Typically what happens next is solely dependent on the progress of a patient but there are individual therapy options, group therapy options, music or art therapy and many rehabs are starting to implement both yoga and meditation into their facilities. Lunch is normally available around 11 a.m. and is generally followed by some more therapy and some downtime to read or draw. Dinner is typically around 5 p.m. and followed by a nightly group meeting. Most facilities choose 11 p.m. for lights out for all residents.

Choosing the Right Substance Abuse Treatments Centers

To start your search just type in drug and alcohol treatment centers or even drug and alcohol treatment centers near me to find ones in your area. Dozens of treatments centers will pop up so here is a guide to finding one that is right for you or your loved one. Know What You Want There are many types of programs to think about such as RTC (Residential Treatment Center), PHP (Partial Hospitalization Program) and IOP (Intensive Outpatient Program). It’s important to look into these different programs and find out which one best suits you or your loved one. Also, are you looking for short-term or long –term treatment? It matters when looking at treatment centers because some facilities are designed for short stays while others have the amenities for a longer stay.

Know the Cost of Drug Rehabilitation

The cost of drug rehabilitation varies from center to center. There are many programs that are free while other programs can cost thousands of dollars a day. No one should ever be turned away from a drug rehab center because they cannot pay so it’s always important to find out what all of you options are. Chances are, if one drug rehab center cannot help, they can at least point you into the direction of someone who can. A lot of drug rehab centers accept medical insurance as well as financial aid. There are even financing options available. Medicaid and Medicare are also great options that people use. There are several factors to consider when it comes to the cost of a drug rehab treatment center.

• Will the patient need inpatient or outpatient treatment? (Outpatient costs less)
• If inpatient, how long will the patient be staying?
• Is medical detox needed? (If detox isn’t need, the cost will decrease)
• What sort of amenities does the facility offer? (Some facilities are more luxurious and offer swimming pools, tennis course, award-winning chefs, large patient room, massages, acupuncture, etc. Some drug rehab centers used by the rich and famous cost tens of thousands a month.

Nonprofit and State-Funded Rehabs

For low-income individuals or families, non-profit organizations will often help make drug rehabilitation affordable. Some non-profits or state-funded rehabs can allow for free drug rehabilitation. The Salvation Army is one of these nonprofit organizations.

Treatment Cost Breakdown

Not every patient who enters rehab will need to go through detox but for patients who do need to cleanse drugs from their system, the cost can be high. Outpatient detox typically ranges from $1,000 to $1,500 while most inpatient rehabs will include the cost of detox within the total of the cost of the program. When a patient needs to be monitored more carefully because of dangerous detox side effects, the cost can increase.

Inpatient Rehab

For a 30-day program, most inpatient rehabs cost about $6,000. More luxurious rehabs can cost up to $20,000 for a 30-day program. For 60-90 day program, the cost can be anywhere from $12,000 to $60,000.

Outpatient Rehab

Outpatient programs are typically cheaper since inpatient treatment requires room and board. The expense of the outpatient program is highly dependent on the amenities and luxuriousness of the facility.

Medications

Medications that are needed during your stay at the facility can be pricy. Some people can go their whole stay without the use of medication but it is something you want to budget for anyways.

There is so much that goes into drug rehabilitation and it can feel overwhelming but as you start to lay it all out you will find that it is far more achievable than you imagined it would be. Start by typing treatment centers near me into a search engine and you will find that there is no reason to feel so anxious about it. There are many great options available to everyone. Money should never be the reason a person does not become sober. You can even type in free drug treatment centers near me to find access to low-cost or free treatment centers. If you or someone you know has a drug addiction, there is no better time than right now to find treatment. There are so many great options available to help you find your sobriety and keep it. Just type in treatment centers near me online today and you will find that many people are willing and wanting to help you.