How Long Does Addiction Treatment Take?

Vowing to never speak to a close family member again isn’t realistic. Issuing a final demand to someone who is not ready for change will likely result in them rejecting the terms of that demand. There’s a fine line between making threats toward someone and discussing expectations. It can be difficult not to make strong statements in the hopes of changing your loved one, but it’s always important to remember that an ultimatum can have the opposite result of what you’re hoping for. The definition of enable is to “give someone the authority or means to do something.” When it comes to addiction, enabling means providing another person the space or the means to continue their destructive behaviors.

Under the 2008 Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, both private and public insurers are obligated to provide comprehensive and equitable coverage for substance use disorder and mental health treatment and services. The Parity Act requires standards for substance use and mental health benefits to be comparable to – and no more restrictive than – the standards for other medical conditions. A person in recovery for drug addiction looks out from a substance abuse treatment center in Westborough, Mass. Other
coexisting medical and psychiatric conditions can also complicate treatment and
compromise elderly patients’ ability to comply with recommended regimens.

Addiction Treatment Programs

You may think that you need to choose just the right program for your family member and if you don’t, treatment will fail. But experts believe that any number of programs can lead to success – if the person is willing to accept help from others and invest energy in working on recovery. A physician or another health care professional can also help you choose where someone should go for treatment. After a screening, some people may need a brief intervention, usually done by a health professional. During a brief intervention, people receive feedback on their substance use based on the screening results. If they are ready to cut down, the health care professional will work with them to set a goal based on lower consumption.

(stigma alert) A non-technical term, also referred to as a “lapse”. It is used to imply a short-term resumption of substance use or heavy/hazardous use (e.g., for a night or a day) that is followed by a return to the original goal of moderate use or abstinence. Long-term recovery from a substance use disorder is considered by many to occur after 5 years, at which time the likelihood of meeting criteria for substance use disorder in the following year is no greater than that of the general population.

Your Addiction?

Those suffering from addiction may hurriedly change the topic when addiction is brought up, or directly lie about their whereabouts or activities to protect their substance abuse. Often, family and friends wonder if a loved one needs help with an addiction. Thus, recognizing the signs of addiction can be vital to saving a life.

Group therapy offers the experience of closeness, sharing of painful experiences,
communication of feelings, and helping others who are struggling with control over
substance abuse. Inpatient hospitalization includes around-the-clock treatment and
supervision by a multidisciplinary staff that emphasizes medical management of
detoxification or other medical and psychiatric crises, usually for a short period
of time. For more than 100 years, The Salvation Army has operated rehabilitation facilities across the country that provide help and hope to individuals with a variety of problems, including issues relating to substance abuse. Our charitable residential programs offer spiritual, emotional, and social assistance in an environment designed to help participants live healthy, fulfilling lives. Physical signs of addiction can manifest as side effects of use, during an overdose, or as a result of withdrawal.

Be prepared for recovery support to be a lifelong process

Primary care clinicians should continue to ask their patients about the
problem they were treated for at every office or clinic visit. During these visits,
the clinician can monitor the potential for relapse and take any necessary steps to
prevent slips from occurring (Brown, 1992). Behavioral contracting or contingency management uses a set sober house of
predetermined rewards and punishments established by the therapist and patient
(and significant others) to reinforce desired behaviors. Effective use of this
technique requires that the rewards and punishments, or contingencies, be
meaningful, that the contract be mutually developed, and that the contingencies be
applied as specified.

Depending on the type of action you take, you may learn more about addiction in the process and become a better advocate for your loved one. The best way to speak to others in general is to be straightforward and honest. The same holds true when you’re talking to someone with an addiction.

Suicide prevention

With a bit of planning and boundary setting, this can be accomplished. Discussing this idea at the start of treatment with your treatment team can lead to excellent aftercare planning and helps ensure a 90-day treatment strategy is more attainable. Your ongoing feedback will help you and your care team understand what tools, therapies, and self-care techniques are helping you feel better, and decide on a path forward once you’ve achieved your treatment goals.