Don't Risk Hurting the Ones You Love and Choose Drug Rehab

By Alice Tanston


Drug addiction is a global problem that affects people of all ages. Drug addiction consists of four main stages; experimentation, regular use, risky use/abuse and drug addiction and dependency. It is only when the person continues the use of drugs even when it poses a risk to the person's personal life, finances physical and mental health that it is defined as addiction. Addiction is often intertwined with a physical dependency to the substance. There are many forms of drug rehab to offer the best help for any person with substance abuse problems.

Depression or anxiety are common examples of underlying problems that can lead to drug addiction. Both the addiction and the underlying problem must be treated one the individual has chosen to begin a drug rehab program. The mental illness must be treated or the person can resort to drugs once more in order to cope with the problem.

The first step towards addressing treatment is that the drug user must acknowledge that he or she has a serious problem. There are many drug rehab centers all over the United States and all over the world that can help the user get rid of his or her addiction and regain control of their lives.

Drug rehabilitation is also composed of four main stages: Treatment initiation, early abstinence, sustained abstinence and advanced recovery. The first stage is begun when the person has decided to seek help to treat his or her addiction. Early abstinence is perhaps the hardest stage, as the addict will face withdrawal symptoms, psychological dependence and other triggers that may tempt the person into a relapse. After approximately three months of sobriety, the person has entered the stage of sustained abstinence and usually the person is allowed to continue his or her treatment as an outpatient of the drug rehab center. The third stage continues for about five years after the individual has stopped drug use and it is at this point when the person has reached the final stage of drug rehabilitation. In the final stage, the person no longer continues treatment and has been successfully cured of the addiction. Drug rehab centers not only treat their patients of their present problem, but they also teach them on ways they can maintain a healthy lifestyle and avoid the use of any drug.

Drug rehab programs are different depending on the substance to which the person is addicted. Opiate addictions, such as heroin addictions, require the most intensive treatments and are the hardest to cure. The type of treatment differs depending on its length. Short term treatments are six months or less and long term treatments may last years.

People involved in short term treatments are usually non-opiate addicts or they are opiate abuser for whom maintenance treatments are not recommended. Residential therapy, medication therapy a drug-free outpatient therapies are examples of short term treatment programs. Residential therapy or chemical dependency units can last between three to six weeks. These are mainly intensive detoxification therapies that occur in a facility and are usually continued with a longer outpatient treatment like the twelve step program. In medication therapy, prescribed drugs are administered at monitored doses to restore brain function, diminish cravings and prevent relapses. Outpatient drug-free therapies are the most varied and the person can choose when to attend their treatment sessions but must do so on a regular basis.

Methadone maintenance outpatient treatments and residential therapeutic community treatments are types of longer treatment methods. The first form of treatment involves regulated doses of synthetic opiate that blocks the effects of heroin and allows the person to be stable. In a stable state, the person is free from drug and crime seeking behavior. Therapeutic communities are structured programs in which the person is admitted to a rehabilitation facility from six months to a year. This is primarily oriented towards people with the worst cases of drug addiction.

The person can better cope through the difficult stages of drug rehabilitation if they have the support of their friends and family. Choosing the right drug rehab program may require some research so it can properly address the specific case of the individual. Drug rehab programs aren't 100% guaranteed to cure addiction in their patients. If a person does decide to get help for their addiction problem, they should be treated with dignity and respect as this choice is not an easy one to make..




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