Addiction is a terrible disease, one that can derail an individual’s romantic life, career, relationships with family and friends, and even their long-term health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, not only is addiction involuntary, but it’s an affliction to which many people are highly vulnerable. Their studies on how addiction not only alters the body, but the mind and behavior of the sufferer, demonstrate the need for long-term solutions to this devastating condition. Long-term addiction treatment is a necessity, and an unfortunately small segment of the population is even aware of it as a treatment option. Most adults have at least heard or rehab and may even know of addiction counseling centers in their town, but when it comes to long-term addiction care in Orange County, what are your options, or a suffering loved one’s?

About Addiction
Addiction to drugs or alcohol affects tens of millions of Americans every year, and of those who suffer from addiction, less than 1 percent will likely receive the proper treatment, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. This staggering statistic points not to a lack of treatment options, but rather a lack of awareness. The intent of this article, therefore, is to shine a light on one of the most powerfully effective treatment options: long-term addiction treatment.
What Works and What Fails
Addiction to drugs or alcohol creates a chemical dependency in the body. Simply discontinuing use of the substance is not only ineffective at treating addiction, it can actually pose a tremendous health risk to you or a loved one. However, independent and self-managed “phasing out” of the substance is also ineffective. Once the human body has become chemically dependent on alcohol and/or other drugs, it’s difficult for the sufferer to successfully decrease their use of the substance, especially as the user’s body develops intense cravings and demands for more. Once someone is addicted to a substance, their choices and independence become subject to the body’s chemical dependence, leaving the sufferer to feel lost or helpless.

The only successful treatment plan for addiction is focused, professional care based on a scientifically crafted approach. Long-term treatment plans, which range in duration from 120 to 180 days or more, can provide a structured and direct plan of healing the body and restoring the mind. This is the most successful treatment option for you or your family member, coworker, or friend. Note that treatment plans must be individually designed for each patient’s specific needs and behavior. Routine programs do not work for everyone.

Rehab Approaches
Supervised addiction recovery typically divides itself into 3 stages, each with a specific set of goals. These include detox, or medically assisted cleansing of a substance from the body; rehabilitation, or assistance with behavioral and physical recovery from the drug’s effects; and aftercare in the form of long-term support and accountability to prevent relapse. These treatment approaches are offered at outpatient and inpatient facilities. Either type of facility should incorporate a structured, guided, and scheduled program that requires full patient participation for completion.
Long-Term Treatment Details
Long-term treatment plans typically separate into about 1 week of detox, then 90 to 120 days of therapeutic rehab and aftercare, based on the patient’s progress. Long-term rehab may even last up to 1 year, based on a patient’s risk of relapse, behavioral challenges during recovery, and those who are working to rebuild their lives if there were destructive effects while in the throes of addiction.

Successful long-term treatment should balance a variety of approaches to tackle the numerous mental, physical, and spiritual challenges associated with addiction. These may include a traditional, 12-step recovery program, physician supervision, therapy with a licensed psychotherapist, classes to help with lifestyle recovery, the development of positive self-care habits, and the integration of interpersonal relationships for highly motivated recovery.

Treatment Options
Addiction sufferers face many roadblocks to recovery, including shame, social stigma, peer pressure, denial, self-doubt, and much more. A successful program like A Better Life Recovery has been shown to guide patients through addiction toward recovery and re-integration with their lives—all in an environment that is caring, forgiving, rewarding, and founded on successful medical practice. Our staff of drug and alcohol treatment counselors, as well as all support staff, are experienced in helping people like you or your loved one recover from the terrible effects of addiction, all in our comfortable, sober living facility. We understand that facing addiction head-on can seem difficult or even terrifying. However, our guided long-term rehabilitation program is your best route toward achieving recovery and a more positive, healthy lifestyle on the other side. There are many drug treatment programs available to you, and simply researching our own can help set you or your loved one on a path to recovery.