If it were easy to overcome a drug addiction at home with little or no medical and therapeutic support, drug dependence would no longer be a problem in the world. Unfortunately, addiction is a medical disorder and as such requires medical treatment. Finding the right rehab program given the wide range of options available can sometimes feel like a monumental task, especially for those who are in the midst of a crisis.
To assist you in this process, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) suggests that you ask the following five questions before you make your final decision when choosing a drug addiction treatment program.
Does the Facility Used Scientifically Backed Approaches?
There are not only a huge number of drug treatment programs to choose from but also a wide range of approaches to treating addiction and philosophies of care that inform these programs. Some are based on evidence culled from scientific research, years of medical data, and proven rates of efficacy over time. Others are not. Make sure you opt for a program that incorporates evidence-based methods into their overall program, providing access to treatments that are demonstrably effective.
Is Treatment Individualized?
Cookie-cutter treatment programs designed to herd all-comers through a step-by-step process “guaranteed” to “cure” them of addiction are largely ineffective. Though even a broken clock is right twice a day, a far better method of intensive rehabilitation is the provision of personalized care. This means starting out with an intensive diagnostic and evaluation process, followed by creating a uniquely designed treatment plan made up of therapies and interventions that directly address the identified issues.
Does the Treatment Program Change as Needed?
Over time, regular assessments should be made in order to determine progress in recovery. A truly personalized treatment plan should be altered as treatment goals are reached or become irrelevant based on other growth.
Is Treatment Long Enough?
Drug addiction doesn’t develop overnight, and recovery doesn’t happen overnight either. All patients will require different levels of care for different periods of time – anywhere from 30 days to a year or more. Exit strategies should be determined based on the patient’s stability and readiness to take on their new life in sobriety and, at that time, an aftercare plan should be developed in order to best support them in their ability to sustain their goals in recovery for the long-term.
What Other Methods Are Used During Treatment?
Medical detox and basic personal therapy and group therapy sessions are the foundation of a solid rehab program, but other therapeutic intervention will be necessary to help the patient avoid relapse. The specific choices for each patient should be made on a personal level, but it is necessary for the rehab program to have a number of different options to choose from and for the prospective patient and their family to ensure that the available options are ones that will be of value.
If your family member is in need of addiction treatment, contact us at Axis today. We are standing by to answer your questions. Call now.
