What Types of Treatments are Offered by Drug Rehab Centers?

Drug rehab centers offer a variety of treatments for drug-addicted patients, many of which start with detoxification. From there, patients may be prescribed medication to help them as they work through various other forms of treatment, including behavioral therapy and counseling. The type of treatment offered depends on the center, its facilities and the training of its personnel. There is no one treatment that is effective for all patients and treatment is not based solely on the type of drug being abused. Instead, recommending one form of treatment over another is based on the needs and capacity of the patient.

Many drug rehab centers start treatment with detoxification, which involves cleansing the body of toxins, specifically the abused substance or substances. The withdrawal phase associated with detox, as it is known, is unpleasant and can be fatal. Patients who undergo detox are observed closely during the process and may be prescribed specific medications to help them through the toughest parts.

Once detox is complete, a formal assessment is made with recommendations about other types of treatment needed. It is a complex process, because substance abuse often involves treating both physical and psychological symptoms and illnesses. Along with being weaned of the abused substance, patients who use drugs to deal with the symptoms of a psychological disorder must receive treatment for that illness if they are to have much chance of avoiding a relapse into substance abuse.

Individual counseling and group therapy both play a role in treating the psychological illnesses, which also may be helped by legal prescription medications. Drug rehab centers also need the capacity to treat any physical symptoms caused by withdrawal from the abused substance. While some may provide hospital-level care, others may only provide emergency care until the patient can be taken to a hospital, if necessary.

One type of counseling that might be employed in drug rehab centers is behavioral therapy. Much like a smoker may have developed a habit of having a cigarette with his coffee, a drug addict may have developed a habit of taking drugs at a particular time of day or in certain social settings. Behavioral therapy attempts to help the patient see that he can break those habits and continue to function without the drug.

Along with various treatment options, drug rehab centers often offer various treatment lengths and settings. Treatment can be on an inpatient, outpatient or residential basis. It can be short-term, meaning six weeks or so, or it can be long-term, possibly stretching for a year or more.