Drug addiction rehab plainly means quitting drugs and learning 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 disposed to addiction to some drugs than others. Likewise there is no one-size-fits-all drug rehab treatment that fits 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 drug users methods for dealing with their drug cravings. It teaches them ways to keep away from chemical stimulants and avert setback. This type of therapy also teaches addicts how to manage a relapse should it occur. When a human being’s drug-associated activities places him or her at increased risk for AIDS or alternative communicable diseases, behavioral therapies can help to reduce the risk of infection transmission. Case management and referral to other therapeutic, psychological, and social services are central components of treatment for many patients.
Treatment medications, such as methadone, LAAM, and naltrexone, are accessible for people dependent upon opiates. Nicotine preparations (patches, gum, nasal spray) and bupropion are available for persons hooked on nicotine. Medications, such as antidepressants, mood stabilizers, or neuroleptics, may be critical for therapy success when patients have co-existing mental disorders, such as depression, stress disorder, manic-depressive disorder, or psychosis.
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.
