Understanding How Drug Rehab Works
If you or someone close to you is suffering from a substance use disorder, consider entering a drug rehab program. Rehab is a treatment process that often includes a combination of psychotherapy and medical treatment. In 2021, around 94% of people with a substance use disorder avoided obtaining treatment. However, an effective solution for learning how to manage your substance use disorder is to enter rehab. Once you’ve completed a drug rehab program, you should have the tools required to avoid taking drugs on a long-term basis.
Signs of a Substance Use Disorder
There are many signs that indicate someone is taking too many drugs, which include:
- Losing interest in activities
- Spending a considerable amount of time alone
- Constantly changing friends
- Being sad or tired regularly
- Being in a consistently poor mood
- Sleeping at odd hours
- Mood swings
- Having issues at school or work
- Not maintaining family relationships
Medical Detoxification
The initial stage of treatment often involves medication detoxification, which is a supervised process. This type of treatment is necessary to help you progress through the withdrawal symptoms that occur after you stop using drugs. To make sure that these symptoms aren’t too severe, there’s a good chance that small amounts of medications will be used to manage symptoms and help you avoid relapse.
When an individual stops taking drugs for the first time, they might go through different emotional and physical symptoms. The symptoms you experience depend on the drug you’re currently taking. For example, withdrawal symptoms from cocaine include:
- Depression
- Fatigue
- Restless behavior and agitation
- Vivid dreams
- Increased appetite
- Discomfort
- Slowing of activity
- Suicidal thoughts
- Intense cravings
- Extreme suspicion
In comparison, the withdrawal symptoms for meth extend to:
- Disturbed sleep
- Headaches
- Dry mouth
- Feeling tired more often
- Muscle spasms
- Feeling paranoid or anxious
- Not eating enough
- Low energy levels
- Not being motivated
The many different medications that are commonly administered during detox include:
- Methadone
- Naltrexone
- Buprenorphine
- Acamprosate
- Bupropion
The detoxification process can take anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks, depending on the drug and the severity of your substance use disorder.
What Is Inpatient Rehab?
The many types of treatment you can receive as part of drug rehab are separated into inpatient and outpatient rehab categories. Inpatient rehab requires the client to live in a rehab facility for the duration of the program. This form of treatment can prove effective for people who have more serious issues with alcohol or drugs.
During inpatient rehab, receiving treatment for a mental health condition, such as a co-occurring mental health disorder, is possible. The purpose of inpatient rehab is to take away some or all of the triggers that might have pushed you to take drugs in the first place.
When you enroll in an inpatient facility, you’ll likely receive intensive care and 24-hour support. Once the detox process is over, these treatment plans often incorporate two additional phases into the recovery process: reflection and growth. Over time, you may learn how to maintain a lifestyle that’s free from drugs. Once the short-term or long-term program has been completed, you may still attend treatment outside of the rehab center.
Long-term residential programs can last for anywhere from six to 12 months. In comparison, short-term treatment programs last around three to six weeks. Keep in mind that inpatient rehab facilities provide clients with non-hospital settings while delivering care on a 24/7 basis. Treatment can focus on the social factors and psychological factors of a substance use disorder.
Since clients are tasked with staying at an inpatient facility throughout the program, it’s common for affected individuals to take a leave of absence from school or work while the program is ongoing. Most inpatient rehab centers have a rigid structure that includes a wide range of therapies and treatments.
What Is Outpatient Rehab?
Outpatient rehab involves treatment that occurs anywhere from a couple of days each week to every day. Each session lasts one to three hours and involves programs like individual therapy and group counseling. People who attend outpatient treatment can live at home during the recovery process, making maintaining certain responsibilities possible. These programs are generally considered to be less intensive than inpatient treatment programs.
While the exact details of your treatment depend on the drug rehab program you enter, most use a type of step-down approach designed to ensure that sessions start becoming less intensive over time. Some of these programs can provide treatment to clients who are suffering from co-occurring disorders, which include:
- Bipolar disorder
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Eating disorder
- Depression
This level of treatment is most often used by people with minor or moderate substance use disorders.
Understanding Intensive Outpatient Rehab
There are different types of outpatient treatment programs you can enter. The most structured solution involves an intensive outpatient program. These programs are often available for people who don’t have severe substance use disorders or for individuals who have already completed a drug rehab program in an inpatient facility.
While traditional outpatient care requires clients to attend treatment around one to two days weekly, intensive outpatient programs usually occur three days weekly and involve three-hour sessions. Keep in mind that some programs offer more sessions each week. This level of care is ideal for people who don’t require 24-hour supervision.
Types of Therapy Available in Drug Rehab
Numerous types of therapy can be administered during any form of drug rehab. In most cases, outpatient and inpatient programs provide clients with similar treatments. Therapy focuses on identifying and managing the roots of behaviors that brought about the substance use disorder. Therapy can also help with co-occurring mental disorders via dual-diagnosis treatment.
The many activities, therapies, and treatments that a client can receive in drug rehab include:
- Art therapy
- Cognitive behavioral therapy
- Dialectical behavioral therapy
- EMDR therapy
- Exercise therapy
- Experiential therapy
- Family therapy
- Holistic therapy
- Individual therapy
- Meditation therapy
- Mindfulness training
- Motivational Enhancement therapy
- Nutritional therapy
- Outdoor therapy
- Recreational therapy
- Trauma therapy
- Yoga therapy
How Behavioral Therapies Treat Addiction
Behavioral therapists often provide people who are obtaining treatment for a substance use disorder with assistance in changing the behaviors and attitudes that might relate to drug use. After behavioral therapy is administered, clients may be capable of avoiding the triggers that could result in a relapse. There are numerous types of behavioral therapy that might be given during inpatient and outpatient treatment, including:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy – This treatment is designed to help patients identify and cope with the scenarios during which they’re more likely to take drugs.
- Contingency management – Positive reinforcement is provided during contingency management to help clients associate not taking drugs with positive outcomes. Clients can be rewarded for not taking drugs or for attending counseling sessions.
- Family therapy – This type of therapy is commonly obtained by younger people who are suffering from substance use disorders and want to improve the relationship they have with their family. During this form of therapy, it’s possible for issues that might have caused drug use to be addressed.
- Motivational enhancement therapy – MET is a therapeutic technique that’s focused on helping people identify and treat their ambivalence when it comes to taking drugs or drinking alcohol.
- 12-step facilitation – This type of individual therapy is provided during three months of weekly sessions. Clients will become prepared for 12-step programs that they might enter in the future.
If you receive cognitive behavioral therapy while enrolled in a drug rehab program, you’ll be encouraged to speak about the feelings you’re currently having. During this form of therapy, specific problems are addressed by using preset goals to resolve these issues. Some therapists combine cognitive-behavioral therapy with interpersonal therapy. There are four clear steps that clients take during cognitive-behavioral therapy:
- Identify difficult or stressful conditions and situations in your life
- Gain more awareness of your emotions, beliefs, and thoughts about these problems
- Identify inaccurate or negative patterns of thinking
- Reshape inaccurate or negative thinking
CBT is meant to be a short-term therapy that lasts for anywhere from 10-20 sessions. The factors that determine how much CBT you receive during inpatient or outpatient rehab include:
- Severity of symptoms
- Type of drug you’re using
- How quickly you progress through treatment
- How long you’ve been using drugs
- How much stress you’re going through
- The amount of support you receive from your family or friends
In many drug rehab programs, you’ll receive personalized care, which means that the components of your program will be selected based on your situation. For example, not everyone needs the same types of behavioral therapies. Before treatment begins, you’ll likely be told which therapies you’ll receive during the program.
Seeking Help From the National Rehab Hotline
The National Rehab Hotline is a free hotline that anyone can call 24/7. The hotline is designed to be used by people who are affected by a mental health crisis or substance use disorder.
When you dial this number, a crisis hotline specialist will answer and assist you in any way they can. For example, a specialist can provide useful information about alcoholism, mental health, and drug addiction. They can also guide you towards possible treatments and crisis intervention. Everything you say on this hotline remains confidential.
Whether you enter an inpatient or outpatient program, drug rehab gives you the opportunity to start managing your substance use disorder. Regardless of the program you enter, you should also receive assistance in entering aftercare treatment options that can help you ease into your typical everyday routine. While rehab focuses on helping clients stop using the substance they’ve become dependent on, it also tackles the root causes.