How Finding the Right Alcohol and Drug Rehab Centers Can Help Speed Recovery

Recovering from substance abuse might seem like an uphill battle, but it is possible by locating and using one of the many alcohol and drug rehab centers in the United States. These facilities all share the goal of long term sobriety from drug and alcohol use, but their methods differ, even among patients within the programs. Treatment for drug and alcohol addiction will let the sufferer regain his life, his abilities to hold a job, and his relationships with his friends and family. For his own sake and that of his family's the abuser needs to enter into treatment as soon as possible. The longer the problem is ignored or denied, the more difficult treatment will be and the greater the chance for relapse.

Effective alcohol and drug rehab centers all have similar components which seem to contribute to their success rate: individualized program, strong support and bond with staff, group therapy, medical intervention if needed, and motivation for the patient. By addressing both the mental and physical aspects of addiction, successful programs look at how the disease has effected the entire person, including how it has impacted his working habits, social life, and relationships. Reteaching the individual to live without the psychological dependence to drugs or alcohol will help the person to more easily maintain sobriety once exiting the program. This is especially true in the case of inpatient alcohol and drug rehab centers where after leaving the carefully controlled environment of the facility, the patient once again faces all of the temptations to drink or use drugs as he faced before the program.

A carefully tailored program with a strong support system for the patient has been linked to a higher incidence of recovery and a reduction in the chances of a relapse, but even with the best programs, many people do have at least one relapse within four years of seeking treatment. Studies have shown that 90% of those who try to stop drinking will have a relapse. This should not discourage those seeking treatment, but it should be a reminder that stumbles will occur along the way.

Falling off the wagon does not mean that a particular treatment method has failed, but it might indicate that another approach needs to be tried. If the patient's physician recommends it, one of the most successful means of preventing relapse is to combine behavioral therapy with the drug naltrexone. Known as the COMBINE trial, it helped patients in the study to achieve longer lasting abstinence. Naltrexone is not recommended for those suffering from abuse of opiates since a severe interaction between the two could result. Those enrolled in one of the alcohol and drug rehab centers needs to discuss all possibilities for treatment available with their coordinator or doctor to ensure that the best option for the patient's particular case is chosen.

Treatment through one of the alcohol and drug rehab centers will help the sufferer to break free from the physical addiction and psychological dependence upon drugs or alcohol, and in doing so, he will be rewarded with a life that is addiction free through sobriety.