Drug and alcohol addiction remain a baffling problem, in spite of all the advances that have been made in both medicine and mental health. Success rates for recovering addicts and alcoholics are not much better than they were 50 years ago. But there is still hope, of course, and some would argue that the quality of recovery today is better than it ever has been based on a more comprehensive and holistic approach.

Drug Addiction Intervention

The idea behind an intervention is to convince a friend or a loved one who is struggling with drug addiction to seek help. Generally what happens is that the family will organize a trip to rehab, and then they will all get together and try to convince the drug addict to go and participate. In some cases the family will use a paid professional to help them with the intervention and in other cases they will simply organize it on their own in a less formal manner.

Some people believe that interventions are generally not effective, arguing that if you have to convince someone to take action, then that person is not really ready for a deep change. In other words, they argue that it is better to wait for the person to surrender and ask for help on their own, rather than trying to convince them to take action before they are truly ready to do so.

It might help to remember that an intervention is just one part of a process. There may not be instant results like the family is hoping for, but it may be an important piece of the journey nonetheless. Even if the addict reacts in a negative manner at first, it still shows how much the family cares in an undeniable way that may take time to really absorb.

Drug Addiction Treatment

Traditional treatment for addiction consists of detox and residential programs that generally last for 28 days or less. Residential facilities are typically based on the 12 step program of Alcoholics Anonymous, though there are a few rehabs out there that differ from this in some way. But the basic strategies used for treating addiction are generally pretty universal. They include:

1) Group therapy.

2) Ongoing support groups – such as AA or NA meetings.

3) Informative lectures – to learn more about addiction and recovery.

4) One on one counseling or support from a therapist.

These make up the bulk of most modern day treatment programs, regardless of their treatment philosophy. There are slight variations of course, and some rehabs will also have groups that include nutrition, fitness, recreation, and so on–but those are not central to the treatment itself in most cases.

Drug Addiction Rehab

Drug rehab starts with detox and then goes to short term residential, but it does not always end there. In some cases an addict might elect to go to long term treatment of some sort. This could require a much longer commitment, from several months to a few years. Generally speaking, the results and outcomes produced from long term rehab are going to be better than that of short term residential programs. There are a number of reasons for this:

1) Long term is simply more rehab. More education. More support.

2) Long term rehab gives the addict a stable foundation for when they leave. They have built up a longer period of sobriety and therefore they have more stability in their life.

3) Long term treatment gives the structure that is needed to establish healthy patterns in recovery. Without this structure many will end up relapsing within the first year.

4) Long term facilities assist with the transition back into normal, everyday life. Recovery is about living, and long term gives the addict a chance to transition back into normal society while they still have some protection and accountability.

Drug Addiction Recovery

Living in recovery over the long term is about much more than simply abstaining from chemicals. In order to maintain sobriety, the addict needs to create a new life for themselves with enough passion and purpose to keep on growing. Those who get complacent in recovery will end up relapsing, while those who push themselves to keep learning and growing will reap the rewards of recovery. Overcoming addiction becomes an exercise in balancing personal growth with the need to find daily acceptance. The addict cannot get too down on themselves and beat themselves up, but on the other hand they need to keep pushing themselves to grow in new ways. One way to achieve this balance is to keep taking positive action and help others in recovery on a regular basis.