For individuals who have been drug or alcohol addicts for many years, finding and developing the right treatment programmes for them is crucial for their successful recovery. It will be a very difficult and long process for them and so, the treatment centre they sign into needs to specialise in this area so that they receive the best and most effective treatment possible.
The recommended amount of time for long term addicts to be in rehab for is three months. During the three months, the addict will need to withdraw from the substance or substances they abuse, get counselling and confront their reasons for substance abuse in the first place. It will require the full cooperation and determination of the addict if the treatment is to be successful.
The only difference between treatment programmes for long term addicts and other addicts is the length of the treatment. The other aspects of the treatment such as the drug detox, therapy and aftercare are all similar. The fact that the addict has been abusing substances for many years means it may require a longer treatment time because they will need to begin learning how to live a sober life and not relapse in the future. It is not something that can be done in a few weeks, but will require months of therapy and reflection on the part of the addict.
During the alcohol detox or drug detox, the addict gets rid of the substance from their body. This can be a very difficult process because of the painful withdrawal symptoms. It is sometimes because of this that some addicts will go back to using drugs or taking alcohol again and so, close monitoring and adequate support is crucial for successful detoxing of the addict.
After the detoxing, the counselling part of the treatment is implemented. At this stage, the addict is required to search for and confront their reasons for abusing drugs or alcohol. This will help them recover for the long term and not go back to abusing drugs or alcohol as a way of dealing with the issues.
The aftercare is also very important as it will provide support for the recovering addict after they leave the rehab treatment centre. This will help prevent a relapse and help the addict continue to live a sober life.