Residential Drug Treatment

When an individual is ready to conquer their addiction to drugs or alcohol, they often need a safe place, away from the distractions of everyday life, to undergo the rehab process.  Residential drug treatment programs provide those struggling with drug addiction a way to focus on their recovery and nothing else.

What is residential drug treatment?

Residential drug treatment programs are those where the individual leaves their home and goes to live at a facility devoted to recovery from addiction.  These facilities provide detoxification programs followed by counseling to help the individual change their behavior and overcome their addiction.

What can you expect at a residential program?

Residential drug treatment programs are generally located in an area well-removed from the hustle and bustle of daily life.  This remote location is by design, as it gives the individual a “quiet place” to focus solely on his or her recovery.   Once drug detox is complete (most residential programs provide that service) rehab counseling begins.  The individual works with a counselor on a one-to-one basis for a portion of the time, and meets in a group setting on other occasions.  These sessions, as well as all the activities in the program, are designed to help the addict individual make real behavioral changes.  These changes will eventually form the skill set necessary to function without drugs in the outside world.

Other things that an individual can expect at a residential drug treatment facility include:

·         A strict set of rules regarding behavior, visitors and attendance at various sessions

·         A program that lasts no less than 30 days, and generally no more than a year

·         A quiet, peaceful setting designed to help the individual relax (as well as remove them from the environment where temptation and old habits lurk).

·         A staff of caring professionals that include: doctors, psychiatrists or psychologists, nutritionists, trainers and counselors

·         Access to information about after-care programs including Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous and other 12-step programs.

Why is residential drug rehab important?

Many people are unable to rehab properly while living in the same environment where they used drugs and interacted with other drug users.  Quite simply, the temptations are often too great, and the distractions too intense for the individual to filter out the noise and make real changes in their life.  Residential programs are effective not only because of the expert staff that treats the individual, but also because of the physical distance they put between the addict and their familiar surroundings.  Another important element of residential drug rehab is the peer group.  For many drug addicts, the time at the facility is their first opportunity to interact with other people who share the same struggles.