Treatment Centers For Drugs and Alcohol

 

Locating drug and alcohol treatment centers should be the top priority if you or a loved one is struggling with substance abuse. Opioids and alcohol are making headlines across the United States. Every major city is facing an epidemic. In fact, 22.7 million people need treatment for drugs and alcohol and less than 1 percent receive the treatment that they need. One in five young adult deaths in 2016 were opioid related and every 12 minutes another person dies from an opioid overdose in America. Alcohol-impaired driving has increased to 30 percent when it comes to yearly driving fatalities. The stats are disheartening but what becomes more disheartening is realizing why people don’t get the treatment they need. They simply just can’t afford it.

 

 

Reasons People Do Not Get Treatment

 

Drug and alcohol treatment centers cost thousands of dollars a month and while medical insurance will help lower the monthly fee, a lot of people don’t have insurance. Stuck between a rock and hard place, many people choose to continue to support their drug or alcohol habit because it’s much cheaper. Until treatment is easier to afford than drugs (which it’s not) most people will continue to use drugs and/or alcohol.

 

Another reason a lot of people avoid treatment is due to anxiety and fear. It can be very hard to give up something that has control over your life. Some people have the same feeling when it comes to gambling, food or even sex. All three of those can turn into addictions just like with drugs and alcohol.

 

Supporting Someone with a Drug or Alcohol Addiction

 

It’s important to help anyone who needs to go to a drug and alcohol treatment because berating them will only cause more harm.

 

First, know what to look for.

 

Signs of Alcohol Addiction

• A lot of daytime drinking
• Blackouts
• Excessive sweating
• Nausea/vomiting
• Delirium
• Making excuses for drinking (dealing with stress, to relax, to feel normal, etc.)
• Compulsive behavior
• Alcohol cravings
• Drinking alone
• Smells of alcohol on a regular basis
• Self-destructive behavior
• Legal problems-acquiring DWI’s (driving while intoxicated)
• Problems at work or school
• Feeling hung over even when not drinking
• Lying or hiding drinking
• Being neglectful of responsibilities
• Having trouble with relationships
• Drinking more than before
• Experiencing withdrawal

 

Signs of Drug Addiction

• Depression
• Increased irritability
• Dilated or constricted pupils
• Glazed or bloodshot eyes
• Frequent bloody nose
• Changes in weight
• Insomnia or sleeping too much
• Involvement in criminal activity
• Lack of motivation
• Financial problems
• Slurred speech
• Changes in personality
• Changes in personal hygiene: bad breath, lack of showering, etc.
• Changes in appearance: doesn’t change clothes regularly, etc.
• Changes in social network: starts interacting with a new and suspicious crowd
• Drug cravings
• Drug withdrawal symptoms: flu-like symptoms, anxiety, depression, sweating, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, dilated pupils, yawing, irritation, insomnia, etc.
• Borrows or steals money for drug habit
• Borrows or steals prescription pain medication
• Goes to more than one doctor to get a prescription for pain medication

 

Three Treatment Options

 

There are three types of treatment options. Some of them cost thousands a dollars a month and some of them can be obtained free-of-charge.

 

Non-Profit Treatment

This type of treatment option is very affordable for a lot of people. Both inpatient and outpatient addiction treatment facilities are available, are tax-supported and charge no fees. Long term drug rehab or short-term drug rehab is available as well as individual outpatient counseling.  Non-profit treatment centers make is possible for everyone, no matter their financial status to afford the treatment that they need.

Simply start by looking up non-profit rehab facilities near me online or contact your local social services office. There may be a waiting list for these types of centers and if the waiting list is far too long it might be better to seek out other options. You can also contact a local rehab and find out what options they can suggest to you for state funding.

Since this is a free program, it is possible that many patients may enter into programs that they don’t necessarily need but may still find helpful. It is a popular choice when finances are low.

Government-Funded Treatment

For people who do not qualify for non-profit drug or alcohol treatment centers, government-funded treatment is another great option. It’s a much cheaper option than private treatment and long-term treatment programs. Services offered at a government-funded treatment center are usually based on income so they can be offered for free if there is no income. A lot of government-funded treatment centers also offer payment plans so it is important to ask about all of your options. Through this treatment option, you will have access to different types of therapy to help obtain and maintain sobriety.

Simply hop online and type in government-funded treatment centers near me or contact your local social services office.

Private Treatment

Private treatment works much differently than non-profit and government funded treatment centers but may still work with you as far as payment plans. They are also good when it comes to working with medical insurance companies.

Simply start by typing in private drug and alcohol treatment centers near me or private substance abuse treatment centers near me into any search engine. This will bring up a ton of different options so it’s important to do your homework when it comes to choosing one for you or your loved one. Don’t be afraid to ask as many questions as possible. It’s important to fully understand the entire drug and/or alcohol rehabilitation process. Most treatment centers start off with a detoxification period first so that drugs can be cleansed from the body and then a patient will usually go through an inpatient or an outpatient program. To find more information about these programs, type inpatient rehab near me or outpatient treatment near me into a search engine. There is a lot of information online about these treatment programs so that you can find out which one would better suit what you are looking for.

The Setting of Drug or Alcohol Rehabilitation

There are many questions that people have over drug or alcohol rehabilitation. A common question is-what does the setting look like? The reputation on rehabilitation is that if feels and looks like jail. Rehab centers have come a long way in recent years to provide a very comfortable setting for their patients to heal and grow in. Many facilities offer dozens of services and amenities.

Services:

• 12-Step Meetings
• Trauma Therapy
• Detox
• Individual and Group Counseling
• Psychiatric and Medical Evaluations
• EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
• CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)
• DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy)
• Life Skills Training
• Family Therapy

Amenities:

• Health and Fitness
• Massage Therapy
• Music Therapy
• Art Therapy
• Expressive Therapy
• Cinema Therapy
• Animal-Assisted Therapy
• Fun and Adventurous Outings
• Therapeutic Massage
• Acupuncture
• Mindful Nutrition Programs
• Yoga
• Personal Training

There are some luxurious drug and alcohol treatment centers that offer more amenities such as private rooms, gourmet meals, maid services, saunas, sun rooms, security, spa treatment and beach outings.

A lot of drug and alcohol rehab centers provide that home-like feel to their patients so that they can feel at home while recovering.

Different Treatment Programs

There are different types of treatment programs in a drug rehabilitation center. There is short-term, long-term, inpatient, and outpatient. These four are not pit against each other as far as which one is generally better than the other. It just all boils down to which one is better for you or your loved one.

Long-Term VS Short-Term

Short-term programs generally last between 28-30 days. Short-term is great for people who have just started using drugs and are fairly new to drug addiction. It can provide a supportive foundation to build a recovery off of if a person is not heavily addicted to drugs. For people who do have a strong addiction or have had an addiction for years, a short-term program is usually not successful. Relapse rates are high in patients who do not receive the right kind of treatment for their addiction duration and strength.

Long-term programs are for patients who have been struggling with addiction for years or who have a very strong addiction to drugs or alcohol. They are also for patients who are struggling with a dual diagnosis such as PTSD and alcohol addiction or anxiety and opioid addiction. A long-term program can last anywhere from a few months to a year or longer. It entirely depends on the doctor’s recommendation and the patient’s recovery method.

Outpatient VS Inpatient

For outpatient treatment for drugs or alcohol, therapy and counseling are completed at the facility but patients can continue to live at home instead of the facility. This allows patients to continue to take care of their children or family members and continue to go to work or school.  This type of treatment works well for patients who have a strong support system at home. Also, counseling appointments can be made in the evenings or on weekends to help with school and work schedules. Outpatient treatment also costs less than inpatient since a patient does not have to pay for room and board at the facility.

Inpatient treatment also called residential rehab is great for patients who are struggling with addiction and do not have a support system at home. Or for patients who are constantly struggling with the urge to use or have a hard time showing up for their group sessions. Patients who are coping with a dual diagnosis can benefit from inpatient treatment as well. Around-the-clock care is given in an inpatient facility so that people can benefit from a full recovery.

What is a Dual Diagnosis?

Dual diagnosis is when a patient is diagnosed with addiction and mental or eating disorder such as depression, ADHD, anxiety disorders, trauma, etc. Most often a patient who enters drug or alcohol will be diagnosed with a dual diagnosis which requires more of an intensive treatment. Simply type in dual diagnosis treatment centers in a search engine online to find more information about a program that can help you.

The Drug Rehabilitation Process

 

Drug rehabilitation can be very rewarding but it can also produce a lot of anxious feelings which is why many people choose not to go. A breakdown in to the drug rehabilitation process should be helpful in eliminating some of the well-known fears around rehab.

 

Drug or Alcohol Myths Debunked

 

• “I have to quit cold turkey.”
  • This is a myth because doctors do not use the cold-turkey method with their patients. Patients are slowly tapered off of the drug that’s in their system via a drug like Methadone, Buprenorphine, Naltrexone or even anti-depressants. It is very difficult to quit drugs at home without medical supervision.
• “I’ve hit rock bottom if I go to rehab.”
  • You go to treatment so that you do not hit rock bottom. Treatment offers the support needed to make a recovery.
• “I can’t afford a drug rehabilitation center.”
  • Insurance companies are very good about offering to pay for drug rehabilitation and there are many non-profit and government funded drug rehab centers available as well. There is always an option to get treatment. You can start with your local social services office to find out more information.
• “I can’t stand the thought of going through withdrawal.”
  • Withdrawal can be a hard time for patients and it can come with some pretty awful withdrawal symptoms but it’s also a very important part of the process that can lead to a happy and healthy recovery. Without mud, there is no lotus.

 

Assessment

 

Once you have found a treatment center that is a great fit for everything that you are looking for, you will have to go through an assessment period. An assessment is a series of questions about your drug use. The staff at the facility wants to know what drugs you are currently taking and if you are mixing that drug with other drugs or with alcohol. You’ll also be asked information about drug use history such as when you first started using and when your last dose was. This will help the staff to know if their facility is a right fit for you and what type of program you should be recommended for.

 

 

Intake

 

Next you’ll go through a process known as an intake. This is another series of questions that delves deeper into your history so there will be questions about you family’s medical, mental and drug history as well as questions about your own. This starts the admittance portion of your process where you will go over some financial arrangements, sign a lot of documents and receive a list of items that are not permitted in the facility. After which, you will receive a physical exam to check vital signs to make sure your body can handle detox. There will also be a blood and urine test administered during this time. At this point, a doctor will decide if detox is necessary or if you can go straight into inpatient or outpatient treatment. If drugs or alcohol are found in your system, you will need to go to detox first.

 

Detox

 

Detox cleanses the body of all drugs and alcohol and can take as little as 3 days or up to 7 days to complete. During which time, the body is going through a lot of different changes and some withdrawal symptoms.

 

Drug Withdrawal

 

• Flu-like symptoms
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Tremors
• Runny nose
• Headaches
• Muscle aches
• Nausea/vomiting
• Hallucinations
• Seizures
• Insomnia

 

Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

 

• Anxiety
• Irritability/Mood Swings
• Clammy Skin
• Dizziness
• Elevated Heart Rate
• Pale Face
• Nightmares
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Tremors
• Shallow Breathing
• Loss of Appetite

Whether withdrawal symptoms are severe or not is dependent on several different factors:

• Medical and Mental Health
• Type of Drug or Alcohol Being Used
• Method of Drug Use (swallowing, injecting, smoking or snorting)
• Family History
• Genetic Makeup

 

Inpatient and Outpatient Treatment

 

The next step after detox is to go through inpatient or outpatient treatment. One of these options will be recommended by your doctor but if inpatient treatment is recommended, you will end up receiving outpatient treatment as well.

 

Residential Treatment Center (RTC) – RTC is an inpatient treatment that is devoted to keeping patients sober, healthy and working toward a full recovery. There are many times during RTC where a patient will be enduring individual and group therapy but there is also free time that allows a patient to read, write, draw or even take a walk. RTC also involves other types of therapy like art and music and to help with fitness and health, yoga classes are provided. Meditation is also welcomed in inpatient treatment since it is proven to be helpful in clearing stress and negativity which is needed when a person is breaking free of drugs or alcohol. This program usually last 28-30 days but longer programs can be more beneficial to patients who have a severe or long-running addiction.

 

Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) – PHP is an outpatient program that takes place at a drug or alcohol treatment center 5-7 days a week for 6 hours a day. This program helps to provide some structure while also allowing a patient to come and go from the facility to take care of one’s responsibilities at home or at school. PHP is great for patients who have a strong support system at home. Life and coping skills will be taught during this programs as well as family meetings to help everyone stay on the same page.

 

Intensive Outpatient Treatment (IOP) – Both PHP and IOP are typically recommended for a patient who has been through RTC but both can be recommended as outpatient programs for patients who haven’t been through the first program. IOP is another program that will take place at a drug or alcohol rehab center. Typically, a patient will go to IOP for 3 hours a day, 3 days a week. The program is a precursor to support groups. IOP helps patients to talk to one another in a social setting that is designed very similarly to a support group which will be recommended once IOP is completed.

 

Aftercare

 

Aftercare is talked about religiously in all three programs because both inpatient and outpatient treatments are structured to help a patient to fly solo in their recovery. By developing an aftercare pattern someone who is recovering from drug or alcohol addiction doesn’t have to be alone. Thankfully, support groups give everyone a place to go to talk out their frustrations and emotions. Support groups are full of people who are going through the same thing you are. Some people are just starting their path to recovery just like you and others have been on the road to recovery for 20 plus years. However, everyone will tell you the same thing that there is no cure for drug or alcohol addiction, so keep coming back. Support groups work if one is willing to put the work in but showing up is only half of it, letting out emotions and talking about drug cravings is the other half. It’s important to show up and to be part of the meeting. Finding a sponsor is also important because this is a person you can call night and day who will help keep you on the straight and narrow path to recovery.

 

Aftercare also involves the keep busy method. An idle mind is a bad place for someone who is trying to stay away from drugs or alcohol so it’s important to develop a hobby such as writing, drawing, sports, swimming, etc. There are many to choose from so pick something that you really enjoy doing and have some fun. As long as it’s positive and keeps your mind off of drugs and alcohol it can be a great addition to your daily life. Experts agree that longer rehab programs yield better results for sobriety, 30, and 60 day programs are find, but if you can attend a 90 day inpatient drug rehab program your changes of long-term sobriety increase.

 

Drug and alcohol treatment centers are there to provide a service to struggling addicts. Drug rehabilitation might sound scary and intimidating but it doesn’t have to be. There are so many great things that can come from obtaining your sobriety. Life looks dark when you are wearing the glasses that addiction puts on you. By taking them off, you are gaining your freedom and power back, a freedom that will allow you to do anything with the rest of your life. The first step is to decide to make that change by making the first call.

 

Call a drug or alcohol treatment center today and change your life tomorrow.