Substance Abuse Treatment

When people begin to come to terms with an addiction in their lives, they are pushed toward substance abuse treatment—and rightfully so. It certainly offers the best recovery outcomes possible. But, knowing that doesn’t magically allow you to enter treatment and complete it.

There are still a lot of questions to be answered. You need to know exactly what treatment looks like, the types of treatment offered, and the positive outcomes offered by completion of rehab. Further, how do you know if you even need it? There is just so much that you need to have explained. Ideally, the following discussion will allow you to feel more informed.

You will, of course, still be left with additional questions and concerns. One way to get them answered quickly by an expert is to call 800-934-7205 (Who Answers?) . Our addiction specialists can also connect you with professional treatment options that meet your needs and discuss financing with you. Don’t wait to figure these things out. Get help now.

What Is Substance Abuse?

Most substance addictions require treatment in order to break the cycle.

In the simplest terms, substance abuse treatment is a program intended to help people with drug and/or alcohol addiction stop their uncontrollable drug seeking and use. It is difficult to get more specific and to still include all types of treatment included because methods vary do widely.

In general, you can expect treatment to:

Include behavioral therapy
Include medications, if needed
Address any co-occurring mental of physical conditions
Include resources to help with legal, occupational, social, or familial problems

However, how these elements are combined depends upon your needs, your individual situation, and the specific substances you are dependent upon or abusing.

What Are Some Types of Substance Abuse Treatment?

When looking at treatment types, the largest initial divide is between inpatient and outpatient care.

Inpatient care takes place in a residential setting. This means that you will reside fully at the substance abuse treatment facility while you undergo treatment. Generally, living is dormitory style. You may have to share a room with other participants in the program.

During your stay, you will learn coping skills, to avoid drugs and to prevent relapse, and how to cope with relapse if it happens. You will also gain motivation for continuing your recovery journey. If your treatment includes medical intervention, this will also take place onsite.

Outpatient care does not require you to take up residence at the facility. You will continue to reside in your normal living situation and attend treatment at the facility. You may be required to attend treatment daily. Although, the treatment will take up a lot of your time, living at home will allow you to maintain general responsibilities and go to work/school. If your treatment includes medication, it will be dispensed when you attend your treatment and your use of it will be monitored by the substance abuse treatment staff.

Once you have made this decision, you can start thinking about whether or not you want to stay local or go to treatment some distance away from you. You can also think about gender exclusive treatment or one centered on religious principles.

Why Finding Affordable Drug Addiction Treatment Just Got Easier

Who Needs It?

All people with a dependence upon or an addiction to drugs and/or alcohol should receive assistance from a professional, structured treatment program. If you are still determining whether or not you have a problem, ask yourself the following questions adapted from the National Institute of Drug Abuse:

Do I spend much of my day thinking about drugs and/or alcohol?
Have I tried to cut back my use and been unable to stick to my own guidelines?
Do I use drugs and/or alcohol to deal with feeling angry or upset?
Does running out of drugs and/or alcohol cause you to panic?
Has your substance use negatively impacted your relationships?

If you answered “yes” to these questions, you may be dealing with a dependence or addiction.

What Benefits Does It Offer?

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, research demonstrates that most people who complete substance abuse treatment:

Cease using drugs
Lessen their criminal activity
Strengthen their social, occupational, and psychological functioning

However, the actual results will be individual and will depend upon:

The nature and extent of your problems
The suitability of the treatment
The quality of the communication between yourself and treatment providers

For people with an addiction, treatment offers the best chance of entering recovery and of maintaining it long-term. To learn more about the options available to you, call 800-934-7205 (Who Answers?) . Your questions don’t need to remain unanswered.