Drug rehabilitation is essentially the medical or psychiatric treatment for addiction to psychoactive substances including legal prescriptions drugs, alcohol, and street drugs like cocaine, heroin or methamphetamine. The main goal of treatment is to help an addict to cope with the physical, emotional, and psychological aspects of withdrawal and to help them develop a drug-free lifestyle. This is sometimes done through faith based recovery program centers that offer a wide range of treatments including inpatient, residential, outpatient, or home care programs.
Treatment includes group and individual counseling, support groups, and life skills training. Relapse prevention and relapse management are essential components of any successful drug rehabilitation program. Group counseling and support is used to help individuals to cope with the stresses of sobriety and to assist them in identifying common triggers and patterns of addictive behavior. Specific psychotherapy techniques may be used to treat alcoholism and substance abuse; these include: behavioral modification, stress management, problem solving, motivation, coping skills training, and education and behavior modification.
Although people begin to experience cravings for illicit substances as young children, the brain’s programming is not programmed for this when they become adults. The drugs and alcohol imprint on the brain over time causing changes to occur in the synapses in the brain. The newer drugs have a stronger affect on the brain than the older illicit substances and they can be difficult for the brain to break down. In many cases, withdrawal symptoms are so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized to ensure that he is receiving adequate nutrients and is receiving adequate rest to reverse the brain damage that occurs with prolonged use of these substances.
Abuse of stimulants is highly common and tends to peak during adolescence and young adulthood. As the brain is not programmed to handle the effects of these substances, individuals will often resort to stimulant use to “keep up” with their normal daily activities. Although there is an increase in attention, focus, and energy, the substance continues to flood the brain and wreak havoc on the person’s ability to function normally. As a result, the person ends up using more substances to feel the same effects or to compensate for the fact that the stimulants have become less effective.
Drug rehabilitation centers employ both inpatient and outpatient programs. Outpatient programs allow patients to remain self-contained and to go their own way. Many inpatient treatment programs provide a safe environment in which to recover from addiction. These programs are usually housed in specialized facilities and include medical care and support such as onsite therapists and social workers. Both programs will need to have a set recovery plan to help provide the individual with the structure and support necessary to become clean and sober.
For those unable to seek treatment at a treatment facility, there are many local community service programs that provide alternatives to incarceration. Community service programs work closely with local law enforcement and the community to reduce crime, substance abuse, and dependence. Many community service programs offer intensive one-on-one treatment and rehabilitation services. The majority of community service programs are funded through a variety of federal, state, and local sources. These programs focus on indicators of societal problems such as low educational attainment, low family income, lack of job stability, drug use, poverty, and other social issues.
