Substance abuse is one of the problems that many people are encountering nowadays, and it certainly brings its fair share of challenges. It can be very difficult for anyone to handle substance abuse, which is why it’s imperative for that person to enter various treatment programs. Here are some of the best!
Medical Detox
Medical detox is a great introductive treatment for people that are addicted to benzodiazepines, alcohol or heroin. Patients have supervision from trained experts that monitor the symptoms. The staff offers medication appropriate to the addiction in question. This can be anything from methadone, lofexidine, buprenorphine and other chemical compounds. The medication is only used for withdrawal purposes, and the patient can only get it if they are cleared by a medical expert.
Inpatient Treatment
This treatment is offered by a specialized hospital or clinic. Here, the patients have non stop access to nurses and their assistance. They receive counseling services and medication. This program focuses on the addiction assessment, and it also brings in great goal monitoring. After the patient completes this treatment, they are moved to another treatment solution.
Medication-Assisted Treatment
Patients can be allowed to use medication during the medical detox process. This can be a very good starting point, and it will help eliminate any addiction concerns, especially in the beginning. This type of treatment is ongoing, and it can even be split in multiple steps or processes, depending on the situation. You can use this type of treatment to cure addictions like alcohol, opioids and many others.
The great thing about such a treatment is that it helps stabilize the brain chemistry. It will also push the cravings away, thus making it easier to handle any possible type of substance abuse. Yes, it’s a process that will take some time, but it does provide incredible results. On top of that, it can also help people stay in treatment, while making sure that survival rate is increased. It’s also suitable for lowering criminal activity and reducing opiate abuse.
Some of the compounds that are commonly prescribed here include buprenorphine and methadone, as they are delivering proven results. Alcohol abuse will be treated with Acamprosate and disulfiram.
Residential Rehab
While residential rehab is very similar to inpatient treatment, the difference is that it can take a lot more time. The NIDA states that residential services take place in a home-like environment in order to make this entire process feel natural and not forced. Just like impatient treatment, the patient receives full time care and assistance.
In this situation, the recovery process can take anywhere from just a few weeks to multiple months. Aside from removing substance abuse and addiction, this treatment helps people change their ineffectual behavior. It’s also a great treatment that will help boost the social skills of a person too, which is extremely important to focus on.
Partial Hospitalization Program
As the name suggests, the patient will need to go to the hospital for treatments during the day or weekend for example, but they are allowed to go home at night for example. Of course, if the home environment isn’t free of addiction problems, then the person in question will be moved to a sober living facility where they can go whenever they want, once they go out of the hospital.
This type of treatment is more suitable for patients that are not endangering themselves due to addiction. But they still need assistance and support, and this is the right way to do it. Using a teletherapy app is a great solution, since patients can receive treatment and assistance through it.
Outpatient Treatment
The world of outpatient treatments is quite varied. But in general, the person that’s in an outpatient treatment situation will receive less than 9 hours of assistance per week. These programs involve counseling, medical service access and medication. The patient will need to schedule appointments, and they will need to continue their lives, while still undergoing treatment. It’s one of the most flexible treatment options, but it can still do wonders, especially for people that are not heavily affected by substance abuse.
Intensive Outpatient Treatment
This is a step up from regular outpatient treatment because it involves individual and group counseling. The patient also needs to take medication and even access medication management solutions. Patients might also be able to live in a sober living housing solution or off-site. This is a great alternative for impatient programs or hospitalization.
The intensity of this program can vary quite a lot. Sometimes it can be at least 9 hours of service every week, but there are programs that can be more expensive. That’s the thing to keep in mind, especially if you need medical assistance and support.
Co-Occurring Disorder (Dual Diagnosis) Treatment
In case the patient has both a mental health problem and addiction issues, then the dual diagnosis solution can be the right pick. This works great for someone that has the bipolar disorder and which is also addicted to alcohol for example. The dual diagnosis can help treat both problems at the same time. However, there’s a separate treatment for each one of the options, to ensure everything is working exactly as expected. Both the main and underlying problems need to be handled, otherwise there will be issues.
→ Read more about Dual Diagnosis Treatment
Faith-Based Rehab
As the name suggests, this particular treatment is more focused on the spiritual aspect. Many religious principles can lead to healing, so it’s a great idea to take into consideration. this type of program shows that patients can have less stress and anxiety, and they have a lot more optimism. It’s extremely important to give it a try especially if the traditional, medicine based rehab options are not as powerful or efficient.
Aftercare
The aftercare programs focus on people that are looking to maintain the newly-gained sobriety after fulfilling the requirements of a recovery program. They will need to enter support groups, not to mention receive ongoing counseling and assistance. Aftercare is something that needs a lot of time to deliver great results!
It’s imperative to ensure that any patient dealing with substance abuse receives the right treatment and support. Thankfully, these treatments are very efficient, and if they are chosen correctly, they can provide an astounding result. It all comes down to picking the right program and sticking to it. That’s especially true since many treatments are long term!