Current State of Drug & Alcohol Addiction in the U.S.
The United States is currently embroiled in the worst drug & alcohol addiction crisis it has ever experienced. It has been declared a national public health emergency as the overdose death rates continue to reach historic highs and beyond.
Despite these unfortunate facts, some people still avoid seeking out treatment for their substance use disorders, either due to the stigma surrounding addiction, denial that there is a problem, or otherwise being unsure about how to seek out professional addiction treatment and what the process exactly entails.
Currently, only about 11 percent of people who require treatment for drug & alcohol use disorders actually receive any form of treatment.
For many, drug & alcohol addiction may feel like a life sentence, something untreatable that makes them feel like there is no point in trying to get help.
And while addiction is classified as a chronic brain disease that will require lifelong management, much like other chronic illnesses such as diabetes or Crohn’s disease, it can be treated, and people struggling with addiction can learn to successfully maintain sobriety and escape the destructive cycle of substance abuse.
The only way this can happen, however, is with the proper drug & alcohol addiction recovery treatment. Addiction treatment helps those with substance use disorders trace their addictive behaviors back to their roots, addressing the underlying issues behind their addiction so that they can understand how to more effectively combat them.
Addiction treatment doesn’t have to be intimidating or overwhelming or something to be afraid of. While it can and most likely will be quite challenging, it is the key to being able to get on the path to recovery and a substance-free life, and to stay on it even years after you have completed your addiction recovery treatment program.
The aim of addiction treatment is, of course, to help those suffering from substance use disorders understand, address, and learn how to stop their compulsive drug-seeking and use as well as to prevent future relapses post-treatment.
Whether someone is checking into drug rehab or alcohol rehab, the treatments still have the same goal and, while every case is different, addiction treatment tends to follow roughly the same path, starting with detoxification as the initial stage of addiction treatment.
Medical detox is the necessary first step because you cannot start recovery if there are still drugs and alcohol in your system. You must be sober in order to properly commit to the recovery process. Similarly, the uncomfortable and distracting symptoms associated with withdrawal from alcohol or drugs make it nearly impossible for someone to focus on recovery as they struggle to deal with symptoms that can range from depression and insomnia to hallucinations and seizures.
Medical detox programs are designed to ensure both your safety and comfort, applying medication and addiction therapy as necessary in order to help ease the symptoms of drug or alcohol withdrawal. Depending on the substance, detox can last anywhere from three days to several weeks.
Detox, as well as the next stage of addiction treatment, can be conducted on an outpatient or inpatient basis depending on the severity of someone’s addiction and what will work best for them given their unique set of circumstances.
Whether your ongoing care is completed while living onsite at a treatment facility or by visiting an outpatient clinic, this stage of addiction treatment will involve a series of therapy techniques designed to help you regain your emotional, mental, and spiritual health.
Most Addiction Treatment Programs Will Utilize A Combination Of Different Treatments That Can Include:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy
- Individualized counseling
- Group therapy
- 12-step programs
- Addiction education workshops
- Family therapy
- Relapse prevention planning
- Holistic therapy (ex: yoga, mindfulness, art therapy)
The amount of time spent in an addiction treatment program will depend largely on the severity of your addiction as well as whether or not you are suffering from what are known as co-occurring disorders, which will be discussed more in-depth further down.
Once you have completed your addiction treatment program, you are encouraged to follow-through on the final step, which is continued aftercare. This can be done in several ways, including support group meetings, alumni programs, and outpatient therapy sessions. Actively engaging in aftercare post-addiction treatment can help to greatly lower the chances of relapsing.
What Kinds of Addiction Treatment Programs are There?
As previously mentioned, there are several different kinds of programs available depending on what is going to be most effective for a given individual’s needs. Addiction treatment is not going to look the same for everyone, as what works well for one person may not be at all useful for someone else.
If someone’s substance use disorder has not been particularly intense or been carrying on for an extended period of time, then they will most likely not require the higher level of care that inpatient or residential treatment provides. Instead, they will most likely find outpatient treatment to be enough support for their needs.
Outpatient addiction treatment programs are exactly like they sound, involving regular check-ins and sessions at an addiction treatment facility multiple times a week, but not having to live onsite and still being able to continue with your normal life and responsibilities. Outpatient treatment requires a good deal of self-monitoring and a lot of responsibilities, which can be overwhelming for those in the early stages of addiction recovery, but for others, this is the optimum form of treatment.
There are also different levels of outpatient treatment, including:
Intensive Outpatient Treatment
Intensive outpatient treatment programs are a sort of middle-ground between regular outpatient treatment and inpatient treatment. People in intensive outpatient programs will usually attend sessions at an addiction treatment facility for at least three days a week for around two to four hours at a time. Intensive outpatient treatment combines some of the higher levels of care usually associated with inpatient treatment with the freedom and flexibility of outpatient treatment.
Partial Hospitalization Treatment
Partial hospitalization treatment programs are generally best suited for those who require significantly more medical supervision and care and usually have a co-occurring disorder but are deemed safe enough to still return to their home environment every day, provided that it is stable and they have a strong support system. People in partial hospitalization programs are typically required to attend sessions at least three to five days a week for about four to six hours per session.
If someone’s substance use disorder has been more prolonged and is more severe overall or if they have a history of previous addictions and relapses, then outpatient treatment will most likely not be able to provide an adequate level of support and care and they should instead opt for inpatient addiction treatment.
Inpatient treatment involves living, sleeping, and eating onsite at an addiction treatment center, removed from the possible triggers and temptations of your regular environment and daily life so that you can focus solely on having a successful recovery experience. When it comes to inpatient treatment, it is typically broken down into two subgroups, which are as follows:
Residential Treatment
is used to treat the psychological and physical aspects of substance use disorders. Residential treatment is a long-term form of inpatient care that usually has amenities similar to dormitory-style living, where you can have your own room, and usually a shared kitchen or living area. Residential treatments centers provide 24-7 support and medical treatment if needed, and residents are typically required to do at least five hours or clinical service a week.
Intensive Inpatient Treatment
This level of inpatient treatment is for extremely severe addictions where someone requires round-the-clock medical care and supervision and cannot be left unmonitored in a residential setting due to how much stabilization they will most likely need. Intensive inpatient treatment still provides the same access to therapy sessions and support groups, but in a more controlled, hospital-like environment, although still with extra amenities and comforts not typically provided in a hospital setting.
Will I be Given Medication in Medical Detox?
During a medical detox, medications can be used to help ease the often uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous withdrawal symptoms associated with the cessation of drug and alcohol use. In the case of opioid dependence, it is common to receive medical maintenance therapy drugs such as methadone, buprenorphine, Suboxone, and naltrexone. Don’t let the fact that a drug was prescribed cause you to think that it is any less dangerous. Prescription drugs, whether they are opioids, stimulants, or other substances, are generally treated with the same medications as illicit substances to curb withdrawal.
Generally, though, medication is only administered during the detoxification phase of addiction treatment, but there are exceptions to this. If you have been diagnosed with a co-occurring disorder and are going through dual-diagnosis treatment, you will most likely be taking whatever medication is required to treat it, such as SSRIs for depression.
How are Co-Occurring Disorders Treated?
People with substance use disorders are typically far more likely also to have a mental health disorder as well and vice-versa, as many will turn to substance abuse as a means of coping with the symptoms of mental illness. According to the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS), nearly half of all Americans that seek out substance abuse treatment have also been diagnosed with a co-occurring disorder.
For these individuals seeking addiction treatment, it is difficult, if not impossible, to successfully treat one disorder successfully without also addressing the other. This is why dual-diagnosis treatment is so important. Without ensuring that both disorders are addressed effectively, it is extremely likely that someone will relapse back into using drugs or alcohol after they complete their addiction recovery treatment program.
Dual-diagnosis treats substance use disorders and other co-occurring disorders simultaneously to ensure that they are not merely putting a band-aid on an unresolved situation.
This treatment combines medication administration as well as different forms of behavioral therapy that work to acknowledge and address how someone’s substance use disorder can feed into their mental health disorder as well as the other way around in an unhealthy feedback loop of negative reinforcement and harmful behavior. Only through integrated treatment is someone likely to find success in maintaining sobriety in the long term.
How Long Does Addiction Treatment Last?
For those wondering how long their addiction treatment last, while there are typical standard lengths of treatment time, it will still vary a bit from person to person based on the severity of addiction which may require long-term residential care to effectively treat as well as how long of a stay someone’s insurance policy will cover.
Generally, inpatient therapy programs can last anywhere from about 28 to 90 days. Anything short of a month is almost guaranteed to be ineffective for being able to manage addiction in the long term and remain sober. Some people with more intense addictions who have a history of relapse may require longer stays. Also, some residential treatment programs can last as long as six months or even a year, although it is not as common for insurance to cover that length of treatment time.
The median for time spent in addiction treatment is around 45 days. While this might seem like a long time, it goes by much more quickly than you would think as you work towards understanding your addiction and addressing the root cause, giving you the tools and skills necessary to curb addictive patterns of behavior and learn to live a sober life. The time spent in addiction treatment is also more than worth it when the difference between 28 and 45 days can be a successful recovery and substance-free life.
How are Co-Occurring Disorders Treated?
People with substance use disorders are typically far more likely also to have a mental health disorder as well and vice-versa, as many will turn to substance abuse as a means of coping with the symptoms of mental illness. According to the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS), nearly half of all Americans that seek out substance abuse treatment have also been diagnosed with a co-occurring disorder.
For these individuals seeking addiction treatment, it is difficult, if not impossible, to successfully treat one disorder successfully without also addressing the other. This is why dual-diagnosis treatment is so important. Without ensuring that both disorders are addressed effectively, it is extremely likely that someone will relapse back into using drugs or alcohol after they complete their addiction recovery treatment program.
Dual-diagnosis treats substance use disorders and other co-occurring disorders simultaneously to ensure that they are not merely putting a band-aid on an unresolved situation.
This treatment combines medication administration as well as different forms of behavioral therapy that work to acknowledge and address how someone’s substance use disorder can feed into their mental health disorder as well as the other way around in an unhealthy feedback loop of negative reinforcement and harmful behavior. Only through integrated treatment is someone likely to find success in maintaining sobriety in the long term.
How Much Does Addiction Treatment Cost?
One major question that many people have regarding how much does addiction treatment cost may be unaffordable, but that is simply not the case. This will depend on a few different factors, including a given individual’s insurance company and what they will cover, whether the treatment facility accepts that particular insurance, and the level of care that is required.
All of these elements can create a wide range in the cost of addiction treatment. Most addiction recovery treatment centers generally accept all major insurance providers, but it is always important to double-check rather than just assume you will be covered.
However, depending on the length of time you spend in treatment or the level of care you require, some insurance policies will not cover the entire cost of addiction treatment. If you do not have insurance or your policy does not cover everything, many facilities will work with you and offer self-payment plans.
How do I Find The Addiction Treatment Program That's Right for me?
As we’ve previously stated, finding the right treatment program that will most effectively meet your needs requires an evaluation of the severity of your substance use disorder as well as if you need to be removed from your regular life and environment.
Where you choose to attend your addiction recovery treatment can be the determining factor that can make or break your success in both becoming sober and staying that way. This is your life, after all, so be sure to carefully explore all of your options. While it may seem a bit strange, finding an addiction treatment program that is out of state or in a different area than the one you live in can often be a beneficial option, as a familiar environment can keep you from fully focusing on and committing to your treatment.
How Effective is Addiction Treatment?
The effectiveness of a given addiction treatment program is another thing that is going to vary for a given individual. It depends on the length of time spent in treatment, the dedication and active engagement of the person, as well as other mitigating factors. Some people can recover from their addiction after just one treatment, while others may need several rounds of addiction treatment before they are ready and able to control their sobriety.
The important thing to keep in mind is that even though addiction treatment is overwhelmingly beneficial, addiction is still a chronic, incurable disease that will require active management for possibly the rest of your life.
Relapse does not mean that you have failed or that your addiction treatment has been proven ineffective. Relapses are fairly common and a normal part of the recovery process. They indicate that your relapse prevention plan may require reevaluation, or can serve as a wakeup call to unhealthy behaviors that you have let creep back into your life.
What matters is that if you relapse you get help for it as soon as possible and that you learn from the experience to better prevent it in the future.
An addiction treatment program does not cure you, but it does give you the tools and techniques you need to make managing your addiction possible and preventing relapse an easier and more feasible task.
Addiction treatment teaches you how to understand addiction, which makes you more effective at identifying and recognizing unhealthy behaviors so that you can change them or avoid them before they become an issue that could cause you to lapse back into using drugs or alcohol.
What Happens After Drug & Alcohol Addiction Treatment?
Even though we’ve said this before, it still bears repeating: addiction does not stop once your addiction recovery treatment program has come to an end. Graduation from addiction treatment should, ideally, be immediately followed by continued aftercare for the best possible results and a higher likelihood of avoiding relapse.
Aftercare can come in several different forms, including a more relaxed, laid-back version of an outpatient program that does not require as rigorous a schedule or lengthy sessions of a regular in-treatment outpatient program.
Another very useful method of aftercare that has been found to be extremely effective and preventing relapse and promoting long-term sobriety is an alumni program, which many addiction treatment facilities offer. This allows for people who bonded socially through their shared experiences while in treatment to remain in contact and act as a support network where members can keep each other on track, celebrate victories, and offer help and advice.
If your addiction treatment center does not have an alumni program, 12-step programs and other support groups can often serve the same purpose. Ultimately, you need an informal but safe environment in which people can freely share their feelings and offer guidance, comfort, encouragement throughout the post-recovery process.
Knowing that there are people you can regularly meet with and confide in that have shared similar experiences to your own can take away the loneliness and sense of isolation that can sometimes accompany the early phases of post-treatment life.
Ultimately, what matters most is that you continue actively working towards managing your addiction and remaining sober, which aftercare can make much easier. In a way, addiction treatment does not really end; you just gain the knowledge and skills necessary to continue treating your addiction in a more independent manner as you take back control of your life.
