10% of American adults will deal with a drug use disorder in their lives. And what’s worrying is that 75% of them don’t receive treatment for it.

If you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol or drug addiction, then you’ll know how detrimental it can be to relationships and daily life. Maybe you’re ready to take the next step to go to rehabilitation, but are anxious about what happens there.

In this article, we’ll go over everything you need to know about addiction treatment so you know what to expect.

Drug Detox

Before you can get to the root of things, you need to first fully withdraw from whatever substance you’re using, whether that’s alcohol, opioids, or other illicit drugs.
Depending on what substance you’re using, how long you’ve been using it for, and how much of it you use, detoxing on your own can actually be dangerous and even life-threatening. Not to mention, the withdrawal symptoms can be so uncomfortable and painful that it can drive you to pick up the substance again.

The best place to detox is at an addiction treatment center. There, you’ll be under the care of professional medical staff who can monitor your entire detox process.

This means they can taper your drugs so you don’t go cold turkey and put your life in danger. If needed, they can also prescribe medications that ease and lessen withdrawal symptoms. This can make detox a lot smoother and comfortable.

Should any emergencies arise, you’ll get immediate medical attention. This allows you to go through detox with fewer worries and less chance of immediate relapse, as you won’t have access to substances while at a treatment center.

Rehabilitation

When your body is fully detoxed and rid of the toxins, then you can move onto actual addiction treatment. There are 2 ways you can receive treatment: inpatient or outpatient.

Let’s take a closer look at each option below.

Inpatient Rehab

Inpatient treatment is designed to give patients a structured schedule. This is very important in recovery, as structure gives you purpose and direction.

With inpatient rehab, you’ll stay at the facility for the entire duration of treatment. This means you’ll spend 24 hours a day in rehab, so you’ll most likely have to make arrangements before you go. For example, you might need to take off work and get someone to watch your children and pets while you’re gone.

While in this type of rehab, you’ll be out of reach of any substances, both alcohol and drugs. There will still be medical professionals around to monitor your recovery process so you can ensure you’re as healthy as possible. This means you might have some medications to take, which they’ll dispense to you.

You’ll also attend therapy sessions. In individual therapy, you’ll work with a therapist to figure out what’s caused your addiction and what triggers you have that drive you to drinking and/or using drugs. Once you’ve figured out these root causes, they’ll teach you ways to deal with these triggers so the chance of relapse is significantly minimized.

You’ll also attend group therapy. Here, you’ll get to hear from everyone who’s going through the same experience you are, which can help you feel not so alone in your journey. Many people make lifelong friends here, which makes for a fantastic support system both in rehab and out of it.

Outpatient Rehab

With outpatient rehab, you’ll receive the same treatment you do in inpatient rehab. But instead of spending all your time there, you’ll only go to the facility when needed, such as for your therapy sessions.

This is a great alternative if you can’t afford inpatient treatment and/or can’t have lapses in your responsibilities. Considering you’re not immersed in the environment, success rates for outpatient rehab aren’t as high as for inpatient rehab. But so long as you have a good home environment, it’s still a decent option.

Sober Living Homes

Once you’ve completed rehabilitation, you might not feel ready to go back to normal life just yet. In this case, you can temporarily live in a sober living home.

In these homes, you’ll live with others who are in recovery. Together, you’ll get to figure out how to incorporate what you’ve learned in rehab with daily life.

Sober living homes offer structure, as you’ll have curfews and other rules to abide by.

Aftercare Programs

Whether you choose to live in a sober living home or skip that bit, you might still need help transitioning back to normal everyday life. Attending aftercare programs is vital to your success.

These programs let you continue with things like counseling and group therapy. You’ll also receive assistance with important milestones like finding a job.

Aftercare programs offer you the help and support you need to avoid relapsing. They’ll definitely help set you up for success in staying sober and improving your life.

Look Into Addiction Treatment for Yourself or a Loved One

You might think you’re managing your substance abuse issues just fine now. But the fact is, it’ll catch up to you sooner or later. It’ll only lead to an eventual deterioration of not only your health, but also your relationship with family, friends, and coworkers.

So even though the thought of addiction treatment can be daunting, it’ll be highly rewarding when you can get sober and turn your life around. And even if you think it’s too late, know that it never is. Thinking about attending rehab is the most important step, so you’ve already pointed yourself in the right direction.

Do you have any questions about addiction treatment? Then feel free to get in touch with us. Our staff will be more than happy to help you get on the road to recovery.