Private Drug and Alcohol Addiction Treatment

Edited by: Editorial Staff
Last updated on August 26, 2021

There are over 14,500 different specialized drug rehab facilities in the United States, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) reports. This means that people have a lot of choice when it comes to obtaining treatment for drug abuse and addiction. There are two main forms of drug addiction treatment programs: those that are public and funded, at least partially, by the state, federal, and/or local governments, and those that are for-profit centers or private programs.

Public drug rehab is open to anyone with need regardless of financial ability to pay. These programs often have waiting lists, as they usually have a limited number of beds available and high demand. They may also be more standardized in their care and have higher ratios of treatment providers to patients than private facilities offer.

What Is Private Drug Rehab? 

Private drug rehab programs usually provide the highest and most comprehensive level of care. These programs cost more due to individual care and attention, comfortable surroundings, and a wide range of amenities. While the price is higher, insurance may be able to cover at least part of the cost, depending on the specifics of an individual’s plan.

Private drug rehab can also afford people a higher level of privacy. The first call to a private drug rehab center is confidential, and providers at these facilities typically sign contracts ensuring patient privacy and anonymity. Private drug rehab facilities are often set up to resemble high-end spas and may be tucked away out of the public’s eye. Clients may be able to have their own private room with comfortable furnishings. Essentially, private drug rehab programs offer a high level of privacy and security where a person can work on their recovery in peace.

Components of Private Drug Rehab Programs

As the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) reports, there were over 21 million Americans battling addiction in 2014. Addiction spans many different demographics and affects people of all types and walks of life. For this reason, individual and personalized treatment programs can be highly beneficial, as they cater to each person’s specific circumstances and needs.

Public programs may not have the manpower or bandwidth to provide the same level of personalized care that private drug rehab programs can offer. Private facilities employ teams of treatment providers, including mental health, medical, and substance abuse treatment professionals who all work together to design and implement a care program that is tailored to each individual under their care.

Addiction is a brain disease with physical, emotional, social, and behavioral ramifications that all need to be addressed in a specialized treatment plan. Providers at private drug rehab facilities are well trained and understand the need for privacy and decorum. As a result, they work with families and individuals to afford everyone a high level of privacy.

Levels of Care in Private Addiction Rehab 

There are several levels of care that can be provided by private drug rehab centers, including:

Why Choose Private Drug and Alcohol Rehabs? 

Drug addiction makes changes to the brain, and drug dependence is typically a side effect of the disease. When dependence is in play, withdrawal symptoms and cravings come when the drugs process out of the body. Private drug rehab programs can provide a calm, quiet, and safe environment to allow the drugs to process out during medical detox. Privacy during this time can be paramount as withdrawal side effects may be both physically and emotionally uncomfortable.

With medical detox, withdrawal symptoms can be managed with the aid of medications as well as supportive care and encouragement. Through detox, physical balance can be achieved, and then, the client progresses directly into an outpatient or residential treatment program.

There are several levels of outpatient care, ranging from services that are flexible and made to work around a person’s existing schedule and obligations to those that are more structured and set up more like a residential treatment program, with the main difference being that the person still sleeps at home. Outpatient programs are optimally suited to those who need to attend to daily life functions outside of rehab, those who are less significantly dependent on drugs, and those who have supportive and stable home environments. Residential treatment programs provide the highest level of care and can offer stability, calm, quiet, and structure, allowing the brain and body time to heal.

Unsure where to start? Take Our Substance Abuse Self-Assessment

Take our free, 5-minute substance abuse self-assessment below if you think you or someone you love might be struggling with substance abuse. This evaluation consists of 11 yes or no questions that are designed to be used as an informational tool to assess the severity and probability of a substance use disorder. The test is free, confidential, and no personal information is needed to receive the result. Please be aware that this evaluation is not a substitute for advice from a medical doctor.

Offerings of a Private Drug Rehab Program

Private drug rehab programs strive to work closely with individuals and their families to provide the optimal level and type of care needed and desired. Individuals who need to continue working are supported, and privacy is honored and protected. The CBHSQ Report publishes that nearly 10 percent of people in the United States between the ages of 18 and 64 who were employed fulltime battled issues related to substance and/or addiction in the year leading up to the national survey.

Private drug rehab facilities often offer executive drug rehab programs to high-level professionals who need to keep working and foster work relationships while receiving treatment. Private drug rehab can provide care while shielding a person’s private life, therefore helping the person keep up with their professional life and ensuring job security. Individuals often have access to private conference rooms, telephones, and computers, and they are granted private living quarters. Other amenities that private drug rehab facilities may offer include:

  • Catered and nutritious meals
  • Fitness equipment, personal training, and exercise classes
  • Outdoor recreational opportunities
  • Yoga and meditation
  • Spa treatments
  • Massage therapy
  • Art and creative therapy
  • Room and concierge service

Private drug rehab facilities often resemble resorts with beautifully landscaped gardens and grounds that individuals can walk through at their leisure, affording a calming and serene environment. Different locations may have pools, tennis courts, horseback riding, and other forms of outdoor recreational opportunities available as well.

Therapy at Private Rehab 

Therapy and counseling groups within private drug rehab programs are generally small and intimate, further enhancing privacy and anonymity. Families may also be provided with private areas to interact with each other during visiting times and for therapy and counseling sessions together. Holistic methods can enhance traditional therapeutic methods during addiction treatment and are often offered as an adjunctive form of treatment during private drug rehab.

Individuals will undergo regular evaluations in a private addiction treatment program, detailing progress, and may move between levels of care as needed. After completing a residential private drug rehab program, for example, a person may move into a transitional housing environment before returning back into society. Aftercare and alumni programs support long-term recovery and aid in relapse prevention.

Duration of Private Treatment

Private drug rehab facilities often allow people to stay in treatment programs for longer than public programs can. This is significant as length of time in treatment is an important factor in long-term recovery. NIDA recommends that people remain in a drug addiction treatment program for at least 90 days, and often, a longer period of time is optimal. 

A person will need to remain in a treatment program long enough to learn new and effective coping strategies for stress and for managing triggers that are bound to arise in daily life. While there are a variety of public options available, private drug rehab offers the highest level of care and privacy to support a long and healthy recovery.