Lenght of Stay in Drug Addiction Treatment Matters
A drug treatment program needs to address life issues outside of the drug addiction. Medical, psychiatric, social and legal problems also need to be addressed in order to provide an effective drug treatment program. Because a person’s addiction recovery process does not follow any particular course, drug treatment plans need to be adjusted based on patient progress. Changes in medication, dual diagnosis treatment or questioning one’s sexuality in the gay, lesbian arena are just some examples of changes that may take place in a drug treatment plan.
Drug treatment programs also need to take into account a person’s gender, age and culture in order to provide individualized drug addiction treatment. People with drug addictions need to stay in treatment long enough for treatment to be effective. Drug addiction research has indicated that for most people, a 6-8 stay is the minimum for effective drug addiction treatment. The longer a person stays in addiction treatment the better they do. The goal of any drug addiction treatment center is to intervene with individuals and keep them engaged in treatment long enough to make an impact.
Many people in the drug treatment arena believed that drug addiction treatment has to be voluntary to be effective. We have since realized that is not true. Any leverage you have to keep a patient engaged in treatment is beneficial. It may keep them in treatment long enough to turn them around. If they choose not to stay in the treatment center, then you have done everything possible to help them.
Addiction recovery happens for everyone in different ways and at different times. All we can do is provide people the opportunity, provide direction, support and the best of our professional skills. It is up to them whether they are willing to do what it takes to experience quality addiction recovery.
