Statistics of Drug and Alcohol Rehab

With so many treatment facilities to choose from, the decision for drug rehab may be confusing.  At a critical time in an addicts’ life, an overabundance of may not be the best thing.  It is a big enough step for an individual to admit they need treatment in the first place; it may not be the time to be searching for things like treatment methods, length of stays and success rates.  The problem is that there are many different types of rehab, and clear records of success rates and length of stays are often not kept, leaving addicts and family members unsure of what to expect.  However, the type of rehab you choose will determine the length of stay you can expect, as well as the success rates.

Outpatient Rehab
The least invasive and least time consuming type of treatment is outpatient rehab.  This treatment involves attending therapy and counseling for a few hours per week.  Because of the small amount of time an individual is required to devote to this type of rehab, this type of treatment is only for drug and alcohol users that are not completely addicted to a substance.  The time spent in this type of treatment can vary from weeks to months (median length of stay is reported to be 76 days), and it can be very successful for those in the early stages of substance abuse.

Day Treatment
Day treatment is a more intense type of rehab, where an individual spends all day, every day at the treatment facility.  The only difference between this and inpatient is that the patient is allowed to go home at night.  Because this allows the individual to possibly be exposed to the temptation of their substance, this type is not as successful as inpatient rehab.

Inpatient Rehab
Inpatient rehab, particularly long-term inpatient rehab, has proven to be the most successful for those suffering with severe addiction.  The minimum stay for inpatient is usually 30 days, which usually consists of a detox period and intensive therapy.  Patients in this therapy may continue to stay past the 30 days, often for months, with the median length of stay for this treatment being 53 days.  This length of treatment will allow a patient to learn to change their behaviors and work to become a functioning member of society.

Statistical Reports
Every year, SAMHSA publishes data on the statistics of drug rehab programs from facilities that are licensed or certified by the state substance abuse agency.  According to the report for 2005, the number of patients that dropped out of all types of treatment without completing them was 24 %.  Another 24% of patients had their treatment terminated or failed to finish because of incarceration or other reasons.  In 2005, it is reported that 44% of patients completed treatment, although it is hard to say whether or not the treatment was successful in the long run.  It is common for addicts to revert back to their old lifestyle if their treatment was not effective.  Some states have begun mandating better recording practices by rehab facilities in order to more successfully treat substance abuse.

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