The day you learned your loved one is struggling with a substance addiction was the day your entire world changed. You may have had some suspicions before, but actually catching him drinking or getting high, or hearing him admit it to you, makes it that much more real.
You know your loved one needs to get treatment. But where? And how long does treatment need to last in order for him to fully recover?
Researching addiction treatment programs gives you different answers to how long your loved one should be in treatment. Some rehab facilities may recommend 30 days, while others will recommend longer lengths of stay. So, what’s the right answer?
This article aims to tackle that question and give you the necessary information you need to help your loved one find the right treatment program for him.
The Ideal Length of Stay in Addiction Treatment
Research in neuroscience has shown that all drugs – no matter if it’s alcohol, cocaine or meth – change how the brain functions. But brain scans and preliminary research supports the theory that the brain can heal and return to normal functioning after substance abuse.
This is especially true for meth addiction, where brain imagery showed a slight improvement in brain function after one month of not using meth. Then, after 14 months of sobriety from meth, scans showed brain activity that looked almost identical to activity of healthy brains that never came into contact with the drug.
So, what does that tell us about addiction recovery? Well, there are a couple different takeaways.
First, recovering from addiction takes time. Substance abuse is powerful and can have serious and long-lasting results on the body and mind, so someone struggling with addiction isn’t going to be able to bounce back right away.
This leads to our second takeaway: The longer your loved one is able to stay in addiction treatment, the more effective treatment will be. In fact, the gold standard is typically 6 months to a year of residential treatment, outpatient treatment and aftercare. And at The Raleigh House, we’ve seen the most success when our clients are able to spend 90 days in residential treatment and 90 days in our outpatient program.
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What Duration of Addiction Treatment is Best for Your Loved One?
Six months of treatment seems like a pretty straight answer (because it is). But the reality is, not everyone is able to stay in treatment for six months and not everyone needs that long of a treatment program in order to recover from addiction. After all, no two addictions are alike.
How long your loved one needs to be in an addiction treatment program depends on many factors, including:
• How long they’ve struggled with addiction
• The severity of their addiction
• If detox is required
• If they’re struggling with a dual diagnosis disorder alongside their addiction
At The Raleigh House, our goal is to help your loved one determine the exact level of treatment they need.
If your loved one needs to detox from alcohol, opioids or any other type of drug, we recommend that he start with our detox program first. This will give him the time, medication-assisted treatment and supervision needed to work through the withdrawal symptoms safely.
From there, he’ll enter our residential treatment program. We recommend 90 days of residential treatment at our wellness lodge, The Ranch, but we can also accommodate if a shorter length of stay is needed.
After residential treatment, your loved one would then participate in our outpatient treatment center in Denver to continue rehab while he slowly learns to transition back to everyday life without substance abuse.
If we determine that your loved one is high functioning and doesn’t need residential treatment, we’ll work with him and your family to determine the ideal length of stay and the type of outpatient treatment approach that’s best for him. We may recommend that he live in our housing during treatment, or he may be able to attend treatment sessions while still working or going to school.
Your Loved One’s Treatment and Recovery Awaits at The Raleigh House
At The Raleigh House, our ultimate goal is to put your loved one first and do what is best for him. With our continuum of care and level of expertise, we’re able to evaluate your loved one’s condition and determine the best course of treatment that can set him up for long-term recovery and success.
When you come to The Raleigh House, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, you’re getting personalized, evidence-based and holistic treatment that can help your loved one heal from substance abuse and dual diagnosis disorders.
If you’re ready to learn more, we’re here to answer your questions and help determine the right course of addiction treatment for your loved one. Fill out our form or contact us today to learn more.
