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When 30 Days Isn’t Enough: Extended Addiction Treatment

When 30 Days Isn’t Enough: Extended Addiction Treatment

When 30 Days Isn’t Enough: Extended Addiction Treatment

Popular opinion has us believe that 30 days of inpatient treatment for addiction is the standard approach. But further research into addiction and rehab shows that extended addiction treatment should be the norm.

The initial 30 days begins to address the physical addiction and can complete the detox process. But the actual person behind the addiction needs to be treated as well; this process can be far more drawn out and complicated.

What is Extended Addiction Treatment

An extended addiction treatment approach means that the plan goes beyond the common 30-day inpatient rehabilitation center. By extending the program, room is made for holistic treatment of the individual and ongoing support and restructuring that allows the individual to begin a whole new life and routine.

There are a variety of options for treatment beyond those initial thirty days. This includes outpatient treatment; talk therapy, group therapy, yoga classes, and basic wellness. The hard truth is that there is no magic bullet for treating addiction. To that end, no two people are the same, and there is no “one size fits all” treatment approach. 

Thirty Days: The First Step

When the public hears the phrase “rehab,” the most common connotation is the 30-day inpatient stay in a brick and mortar facility. Contact with friends and family is limited, and the emphasis is on the withdrawal from the drug and a successful, safe detox process.

The detox process, depending on the substance, generally takes 7-10 days.  The remaining few weeks in an inpatient facility can be used for additional therapy and a few coping tools on how to maintain sobriety.

Most people assume that the 30-day model is all that is needed to stop addictive behaviors.  But often, the addict needs more prolonged care. 

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Chance of Relapse

Once those in recovery complete the detox process and the remaining 30-day treatment program, they are not “cured” of the addiction. This is a massive lifestyle shift, and the need for a new structure and new routines, new friends, social activities, and habit changes is a lot to deal with alone. The upheaval caused by this process leaves many addicts open to relapse.

According to drugabuse.gov, 40-60% of those with substance abuse disorders will relapse. Sometimes, a relapse manifests as replacement addictions. This is why it’s helpful for rehabilitation options to exist on a continuum, so the addict is appropriately guided through all the bumps and bruises in starting a whole new life.  

Extended Treatment: Cost-Effective

In the grand scheme of things, extended addiction treatment can be less expensive for patients. 

According to drughelpline.org, the average stay in a 30-day rehab facility can cost up to eight hundred dollars per day, or $24,000 total; some facilities run up to $30,000 total. The price will vary, depending on what type and how intense the rehab needs to be and what kind of health insurance the individual has. Extended residential care can run as high as $80,000 total.

Meanwhile, outpatient care can run for 30 days or up to three months and usually doesn’t cost more than $10,000 total. Payment programs are always an option as well, so you can expect continued care on a more manageable budget.

Extended Care: Higher Success

Long-term care yields better results when it comes to treating addictions.  The idea is to help the individual address underlying trauma and all residual facets of drug abuse so that both the physical addiction and the person underneath are equally treated. They are then able to successfully re-integrate back into society. This means navigating new jobs, new social circles, continued treatment, and any ancillary therapy needed.

Intensive outpatient treatment is an excellent start for anyone needing consistent guidance towards a life focused on maintained sobriety and overall health. If you or someone you know would like more information about outpatient options for addiction treatment, give us a call today.

extended addiction treatment

Benefits of Extended Addiction Treatment – 28 Days Isn’t Long Enough

When 28 Days Isn’t Long Enough; Extended Addiction Treatment Benefits

Drug and alcohol addiction can wreak havoc on a person’s life, sometimes for decades, and the societal cost is exponential: Conservative estimates place a $442 billion price tag on the economic impact of drug addiction. The number includes health care costs, criminal justice costs and loss of workforce hours.

Substance abuse can also negatively impact families and interpersonal relationships, and the cost of addiction in those cases is difficult to measure. The majority of addicts experience the onset of addiction before the age of 25, and the condition is typically a life-long struggle.

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The Numbers Around Addiction

What often begins as a way to unwind on the weekend can quickly turn sour. While concrete drug-related hospitalization numbers are hard to come by, data collected by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) shows an upward trend of ER visits related to drug and alcohol use from 2009 – 2011.

The estimated number of drug-related emergency room visits across the U.S. in 2011 was 1.52 million, with another 1.2 million hospitalizations where illicit drug use was reported. And as early as 2009, the World Heath Organization placed drug addiction on their top 10 list of preventable diseases with the highest overall cost.

But within the sobering data lies a possible solution: Extended addiction treatment may improve an addict’s chances of staying sober for the long haul. Extended treatment means a period of time lasting at least 90 days, a far cry from the traditional 28- or 30-day model used by many treatment facilities.

Why Does Addiction Treatment Fail?

Substance abuse is more than a social problem; addiction is recognized as a medical condition, but it’s often treated using psychological methods alone. This single-faceted approach to treatment is the primary reason why so many people who abuse drugs or alcohol remain addicted or stuck in a relapse-recovery cycle.

One of the biggest fallacies regarding the treatment of drug and alcohol addiction is the idea that relapse equals failure. Relapses occur for a number of reasons, most of them highly personal, but they are not indicative of treatment failure.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 40 – 60 percent of drug addicts relapse following treatment. That number dwindles in extended treatment settings, however, as addicts are continuously monitored and given a variety of resources that serve as alternatives to their addict lifestyle.

Benefits of Extended Addiction Treatment

Time plays a crucial role in addiction recovery: Among addicts seeking treatment or order to do so by a court or other legal entity, only about 10 percent receive treatment in a timely fashion, as reported by the U.S. News & World Report in 2016.

In addition, a large percentage of addicts are only involved in an active treatment program for a short time – typically one month, a time-frame that almost lends itself to failure, according to health care professionals. Even a 90-day treatment program may not even be a sufficient amount of time for substance abuse recovery, experts say. In fact, individuals dealing with opioid addiction may require methadone maintenance for years.

Drug addicts and alcoholics are often standoffish and demonstrate a lack of trust in regards to authority figures and clinicians, especially if addiction treatment is court ordered. Extended treatment, whether performed in an inpatient or outpatient setting, allows health care professionals an adequate period of time in which to develop a trusting, positive relationship with their patients.

How Successful is Extended Treatment?

Recovery rates among drug addicts and alcoholics are hard to measure, for several reasons. First, the definition of “rehab” is not standardized. To one addict, rehab could mean a self-administered, cold turkey method of detox. To another, the word is synonymous with a facility, such as an addiction center or hospital.

But no matter what rehab means to the individual addict, many experts agree that continual evaluation and follow-up treatment are the keys to overcoming substance abuse. Without active participation in a recovery or treatment program, it’s easy for an addict to fall back into old habits, especially during periods of stress or when experiencing a change in life.

In many cases, addicts fall into a cycle of treatment-relapse-legal problems that can seem impossible to overcome. But extended treatment at facilities such as Desert Cove Recovery has been shown to help a number of addicts and alcoholics escape the bondage of substance abuse. And when addicts break free from the crutch of addiction, they can begin to rebuild their lives, develop stronger interpersonal relationships and increase productivity both at work and within their household.