Treatment For Addiction Is Just A Call Away

Before we look for a drug rehab or alcohol treatment program, we have to look at the level of care needed and assess the severity of the problem.

Just as there are various levels of use of mood altering drugs, there are various levels of treatment available. Within each clarification there are variances of cost, and length of treatment. Here are some levels of care and examples of what may be appropriate for a situation.

Brief Therapy/Intervention - This is usually a very short duration program, but can be very effective. Perhaps a person who really is not involved with alcohol over does it one time on a birthday or New Years and is caught on their first DUI. They may be mandated to attend alcohol classes where education is provided for a few weeks.

Detoxification - The idea that detox is drug treatment is a common misconception. The purpose of a 'Detox' is to safely monitor and de-escalate an incident of intoxication. Generally, as soon as you are medically stable (which is not recovery treatment) you are dismissed from the hospital or facility. Supervised detox is recommended for long term alcohol or benzodiazepine (Xanax, Ambien etc) users as the risk of seizures exists. This may be a required first step before entering treatment.

Outpatient Program - This is non-residential treatment usually consisting of attending a therapy group and/or individual counseling once or twice/week. This may be appropriate for a person whose use is starting to cause problems, but is not yet dependent

Intensive Outpatient Program - This is non residential but generally consists of 16-20 hours of group and individual therapy per week. Insurance is more likely to cover this form of treatment rather than inpatient treatment. This is less costly than residential, but is appropriate for a person with full dependency. Outpatient programs may be used as a 'step down' after completing residential treatment

Inpatient Treatment - This is your classic 'drug rehab'. It is residential and the programs generally consist of a full day of activities and may last from 4 weeks to a year. It is the most intense form of treatment and these facilities are usually equipped to handle additional global problems associated with addiction such as mental health, physical, emotional and spiritual areas.

I am definitely biased. That being said, I would recommend inpatient treatment for anyone with addiction or chemical dependency. The primary advantage is that the evidence is clear that a longer exposure to treatment increases the probability of a good outcome. One disadvantage is that inpatient treatment can be costly and insurance generally does not cover it.

The important thing is to get a proper professional assessment so you can be matched with an appropriate level of care.

Bonus Tip: And now I would like to invite you to access our free mini-course on the 5 most common mistakes people make in addiction recovery. To gain instant access, visit us at: http://TheRecoveryClub.com

This is the tool that professionals use in locating drug and alcohol treatment centers. You can find all treatment centers within a geographic radius of your home. This directory lists over 10,000 treatment centers the country that treat alcoholism, alcohol abuse and drug abuse problems. This a government database so there is no advertising or salesmanship...just the facts.

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Here one way to look at phases of recovery, milestones to mark your progress. Addiction recovery can be thought of as moving through these five phases:

1. Admission of a problem

This is the key starting point. If there is no addiction problem then there certainly is no need for a solution to addiction. There is a certain logic to that. What would prevent someone from admitting they have an addiction problem? Well, how about memory distortion caused by their chemical dependency. There is a jazzy phrase called 'euphoric recall' which is the tendency to only remember the good times and positive experiences of using. That is half of the equation, at the same time we are suppressing or refusing to remember the far more numerous times where indulging in the addiction has caused pain and embarrassment. Another block to admitting the problem is our distorted defense mechanisms, such as minimizing, rationalizing and good old fashioned denial. If we get to the point that we acknowledge there is a problem and want to do something about it now, we can move on to the next phase of recovery which is compliance.

2. Compliance

What is meant by compliance here is going along with the most important seeing and agreeing to the concept of abstinence. This early phase of recovery usually involves little emotional insight into the whys of the addiction; the concentration is simply on 'don't do it??? on a daily basis. Once we accept compliance as a necessary part of recovery, we can move toward the whys and wherefores. But it is not unusual to pass through the next phase of recovery which is defiance.

3. Defiance

Defiance can rear its head in several ways the most damaging is in the form of believing that the terms of addiction don't apply to me. Picking and choosing what is to be done and not. done An example might be rejection of continuing care believing that is for others not me, or I have been 'good' for awhile I deserve to use again now that I proved I can quit. Another example of defiance can be becoming engaged in anger toward others who do not have your affliction or getting on the pity pot with the 'poor me's'. Defiance and anger can also be a block toward connecting and resolving with your emotions and feelings that underlie the blanketing emotion of anger.

4. Acceptance

One of my favorite philosophers was Popeye The Sailor Man, he used to say "I y'am what I y'am". However you come to accept your addiction whether you believe it is a no fault illness, or you simple got dealt a bad hand in life, accepting your addiction allows you to move out of the problem and into the solution. People who are accepting are generally less defensive and have a greater sense of emotional and personal identity. Acceptance is the first step toward beginning to trust yourself and others, and open the possibilities of self-evaluation.

5. Surrender

We are not talking about submission but rather surrender they are very different. Submission is a temporary yielding, it tends to leave the escape hatch of returning to the addiction open. There is an implication of force being used or submitting against your will. Surrender can be thought of as wholehearted acceptance and compliance. It is a voluntary action and does not mean being defeated as does submission, but rather a conscious decision not to participate. A boxer who has been knocked out has submitted to the power of his opponent. A boxer who has retired and does not climb in the ring any more has surrendered to the idea that he no longer chooses to fight.

In summing up the points made above we can say that progress in addiction recovery can be made by admitting there is a problem and seeing the need for change. We move through negativity and emotional blocks to our recovery to arrive at a point of acceptance. Our acceptance of the need to change eventually moves through an attitude of being defeated to voluntarily seeking a better life. Stringing these concepts together can be viewed as movement through the phases of recovery.

Bonus Tip: And now I would like to invite you to access our free mini-course on the 5 most common mistakes people make in addiction recovery. To gain instant access, visit us at: http://TheRecoveryClub.com

There is a gallery of sober living and life skill information available in the Free, 103 page Resource Guide. Lot's of '10 tips to...' and 'How to' articles. These are all solution oriented. We have been in the problem long enough.
Click Here: Free Addiction Recovery Help Guide,

There is a gallery of sober living and life skill information available in the Free, 103 Page Resource Guide. Lot's of '10 tips to...' and 'How to' articles. These are all solution oriented. We have been in the problem long enough.
Click Here: Free Addiction Recovery Help Guide,

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Before entering any drug or alcohol treatment program, it's important to examine how severe the problem is and what level of treatment is most appropriate. There are various levels of treatment for chemical dependency much the same as different levels of care exist for any health problem.

Listed here are some various levels of care:

Brief Therapy/Intervention

This is a course of treatment which is typically very brief, but can be very effective. An example might be a medical doctor discussing the effects of drinking or drugging during a visit. Someone who racks up their first DUI while on a holiday binge but who has not yet established a history of drug and alcohol abuse is a good candidate for this drug and alcohol treatment level. The intervention is the arrest, the brief therapy an alcohol education program.

Detox from Drugs or Alcohol

Detox is not really therapeutic treatment for alcohol or drugs. The objective here is to provide a safe environment for an intoxicated person to return to normalcy. When the patient is no longer intoxicated and deemed safe, they are released. For acute and long term cases of addiction, supervised detox is a good idea, since there is the risk of seizures. Most drug and alcohol treatment centers will require people to be medically stable before admission.

Outpatient Program

Out-patient programs are non-residential treatment, both individual and group sessions are usually part of thr treatment program. Due to cost factors outpatient therapy can run for a longer period of time for less cost to the patient than residential inpatient treatment.Outpatient level of care is less intensive and restrictive than inpatient care.

Intensive Outpatient Program

Again, non-residential and, as is implied, a more intense level of treatment than standard outpatient. At the Intensive Outpatient level one can expect 15-20 hours of therapy per week. These programs may even be a 'step-down' treatment following the completion of residential treatment.

Residential Treatment

This is what most people will think of when the phrase 'rehab' comes up. These are residential programs, and the time frame involved can be anywhere from 28 days to a year or more. This is the most intensive form of drug addiction treatment. Inpatient drug and alcohol treatment centers handle a wide range of associated issues, such as psychological, emotional and medical issues.

Now, I'll admit that as an addiction therapist, I have a bias. I recommend the highest level of care possible that fit the diagnosis addicted. Better to be overly cautious than to take a chance.On the other hand, I do understand that inpatient treatment can be expensive, but what is a life worth?.

It is crucial that the level of care match the specifics of the patients problems and drug and alcohol rehab.

And now I would like to invite you to access even more complete information on addiction treatment. To gain instant access, visit us at: http://AddictionTreatmentChallenges.com