Those who struggle with addiction to drugs or alcohol or have seen a loved one suffer may assume that a set timeline will be enough to help them overcome their struggles. There is a myth that 28 or 30 days will be enough for people to learn what they need for recovery. This is like saying that a broken arm takes 6 weeks to heal, or a person will get over the flu in 3 days.
There are many factors in determining how long it takes to treat an addiction. Just like with medical injuries, everyone is built a little differently and heals at a different rate. The severity of the addition is also a factor, along with how long and how much a person has been drinking or using. The complexity of the addiction is also a concern–is there trauma, anxiety, or depression along with the alcohol abuse? Does a person have an injury with chronic pain associated with their opiate dependence? Or is a person having severe family or marriage problems while they are battling cocaine or Kratom?
If you are wondering how long to seek treatment for addiction, below are some of the most common treatment options and how long the research shows is most effective to create long-term recovery.
Individual Assessment
The biggest element to remember when it comes to recovery is that each person needs individual treatment. Each person struggling with addiction will need different treatment methods, therapy, and coping skills. Rehab and addiction therapy will look different for everyone and can adapt as your life changes as well.
The best way to understand what a person is needing for their treatment is to complete a drug and alcohol assessment. A substance abuse treatment professional can collect a personal history and use assessment screenings and questionnaires to determine the level of care that you need and the best types of services needed. As the addicted individual engages with this plan, therapy, and treatment will be adapted and changed depending on how they respond to it.
Individual Treatment Plans
Each person may struggle with a different reason for their addiction, so methods that are used for trauma or mood-based addiction, may not work for those struggling with disconnection from family or friends. The stage of addiction will also play a role in how treatment is approached. Some may need more aggressive techniques than those who have just started using substances.
There are also different stages of treatment that a patient will move through. Some patients will be in the contemplation stage, where they may not be fully convinced they need help or are not addicted. But others will be in the action stage, where they are committed to change or may have experienced a relapse. This will change how a therapist or addiction specialist will approach recovery.
Treatment programs like Red Willow Counseling And Recovery work to develop individual plans and techniques that help each person learn about themselves. Each individual gets a unique therapy plan.
Information About 30-Day Programs
One of the most common lengths of rehab or residential treatment programs is 30 days. Staying in an addiction program for at least a month is one of the best ways to help therapists understand the addicted individual’s mood and triggers. Residential programs work on stabilizing moods, dissecting the most common emotions, and helping identify triggers that will send patients into relapse.
Rehab Programs Longer Than 30 Days
Once the clinical team at a residential program has been working with a person, they may recommend adding more days to give a therapist and patient more time to work through emotions, trauma, and addictive habits, and life a more in-control life. Programs that are 60 days, 90 days, or longer can give patients more time to work through core issues and clean time from their substance.
Extended care for addiction is more medically supervised and provides therapy, creative outlets, and access to medication. It gives more time to learn about emotions, understand why addiction took over daily life, and improve the patient’s mental well-being. Many patients may not feel they have done any real work in just 30 days.
Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP)
Frequently people who are completing rehab step down into an Intensive Outpatient Program or IOP. These programs offer groups multiple times a week while allowing the person to live at home, go to work or school, and otherwise integrate into life. In many instances, people in active addiction attend an IOP without going to residential treatment in an effort to address their addiction early before it becomes too damaging in their life. People who go to an IOP usually stay for 3 to 6 months.
Other Treatment Options
There have continued to be more and more addiction treatment options available for those who are struggling. These extended sessions work on deep diving into the emotions and helping addicts live a fulfilled life without the need for substances. Some additional extended treatments for addiction include:
- Monitored sober living
- Outpatient therapy
- In-patient and out-patient programs
- Peer support groups (AA, NA, SMART Recovery, Dharma Recovery)
- Recovery Coaching
Adjusting To Life Without Substances
One of the hardest parts of addiction recovery is learning how to function with daily stressors without alcohol or substances. Life will continue to change, so it is essential for patients to develop coping skills and relapse-prevention tools to help them avoid falling into harmful patterns.
Adjusting to living without substances can be harder for people who don’t live in a sober environment. Surrounding yourself with supportive peers and attending addict recovery groups are some ways to help you stay sober. While relapse is common and it is possible to still refrain from addiction after a relapse, avoiding it altogether should be the goal.
Treatment For Addiction With Red Willow
The process of addiction can put a strain on a family and lead to emotionally turbulent times. Red Willow Counseling and Recovery strives to help people kick their addiction while also providing them with after-care and resources for the future. Our team offers Prime For Life programs, Intensive Outpatient Programs, and outpatient counseling to help those at all stages of recovery.
If you find yourself making high-risk choices or are feeling dependent on substances, reach out to Red Willow today.
