Short-Term Inpatient Addiction Treatment

March 17, 2008

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Short-term inpatient addiction treatment typically lasts anywhere from one week to a month. Patients live in a rehab facility and receive help for alcoholism and drug addiction in that period of time. They are closely monitored, but can gain additional freedoms and trust as time goes on. The staff consists of counselors and medical professionals who are specially trained in the field of addiction treatment.

The goal of these treatment programs is usually to provide the patients with the help and resources to live a life completely free from drugs and alcohol. Many of them follow a 12-step program or a modified version the 12-step program to accomplish this. They focus on addiction education, psychological counseling, support groups, and teaching patients how to make lifestyle changes. Short-term inpatient programs are more intensive than outpatient addiction treatment.

Some of these programs offer medical detox services for the initial withdrawal period. This is the time immediately after an addict stops using drugs and alcohol. Detox typically lasts a few days and can make the patient rather sick. Other short-term inpatient centers require that patients go through detox at another facility and then transfer. They may not have the medical support necessary to provide this service. These treatment centers sometimes offer other options, such as outpatient programs, in the same building.

Many people choose this option because it is what their insurance coverage will pay for. However, short-term inpatient care is not the most effective method for individuals suffering from a serious alcoholism or drug addiction problem. Research shows that at least 90 days in a residential rehab facility provides much higher success rates for long-term addicts and those dealing with a serious addiction. This amount of time is needed for additional counseling and to begin building a new lifestyle without the old habits.

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2 Responses to “Short-Term Inpatient Addiction Treatment”

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