Clinical drug rehab can radically change the courses of addicts' lives. While addiction never goes away, effective treatment can allow people to maintain successful careers, build loving relationships, and raise healthy and happy families. Addiction is not a simple matter of willpower, but people with drug problems can absolutely make the choice to seek help and better themselves at their local treatment facilities.

Although different clinics use different methods to treat their patients, most therapies are offered as part of one of three different treatment plans. These are inpatient, partial hospitalization, and outpatient programs. It is crucial that addicts understand the differences between these plans so that they can make the right decisions when they seek help.

Inpatient Drug Rehab

For people who suffer from severe physical dependencies on drugs or alcohol, inpatient programs are typically the best choice. These highly-involved programs require extended in-house stays of thirty, sixty, or even ninety days. Receiving fifty or more hours of therapy per week, inpatients essentially make recovery their full-time jobs.

The most common treatments used are called evidence-based therapies. These have been scientifically tested in controlled environments and approved for nation-wide use by government and private institutions alike. The most common evidence-based methods are individual counseling, family therapy, and peer group discussions.

In individual counseling sessions, addicts make personal breakthroughs and develop coping strategies and long-term sobriety plans which work with their specific life circumstances. Family therapies patients put their plans into place by involving their relatives. Families talk about how they have all been hurt by addictive behaviors, and they discuss ways to maintain safe, drug-free homes. Finally, group therapies allow addicts to come together, talk about their shared struggles, and give each other helpful advice on how to deal with cravings.

Partial Hospitalization

Some addicts complete inpatient rehab but still do not feel ready to take on the responsibilities of independent living. Partial hospitalization allows them to gradually transition into normal life. Patients still attend several hours of therapy each day, but they are allowed to return to their homes during the evenings.

However, they are supervised by clinic staff whenever they are away from their treatment facilities. This supervision ensures that they stay away from drugs, and that they continue to practice the coping strategies they learn during therapy.

Outpatient Addiction Treatment

Inpatient rehab programs are incredibly effective at producing lasting lifestyle changes in drug addicts, but they require a great deal of time and effort. Some addicts cannot afford to take one to three months away from their careers or families, so they use outpatient programs to get better.

Outpatient treatment still involves the evidence-based therapies of inpatient and partial hospitalization programs. However, addicts who attend these programs receive just a few hours of therapy per day. They are free to use the rest of their time as they see fit to manage their personal obligations.

This level of freedom may not work well for substance abusers who are extremely dependent on drugs in their daily lives. However, addicts who suffer only short relapses often find outpatient treatment to be a perfectly workable way to get back on track.

If you or someone you know is struggling with an addiction, click the links below to find a treatment center near you. Addiction is a crippling disease, but you can get your life back on track with a treatment program from one of the most successful rehab clinics in the country.