Long Term Addiction Treatments and Their Outcomes

What is long term residential treatment in Ft. Lauderdale, FL?

Long term residential treatment is a rehab program that requires the patient to reside in a treatment facility for at least 3 – 12 months and be placed under 24-hour care during the initial levels of care. The treatment begins with detoxification as the first level of care. This is a perilous stage, and staff must observe the patients at all times. Afterward, the patient is introduced to therapy that will match that specific level of care. When the in-patient treatment is completed, an aftercare plan will occur.

What is the long term addiction treatment process?

The treatment starts with the detox process, where the patient has stopped taking drugs or drinking alcohol. The patient will be medically supervised and receive care. Medication-assisted detox and drug replacement therapy will take place. These treatments are medically managed to prevent severe withdrawal symptoms. Simultaneously, the patient’s body physiologically adjusts to operating without the use of the alcohol or drug it relied on.

 Detox is the first stage of treatment, and the process will take several days, depending on the severity, substance used, and the length of the addiction. The patient is then placed on a program within the facility because detox alone does not guarantee lasting recovery. Therefore, additional treatment is needed. Most addicts are instructed to continue therapy as part of the treatment process. This often begins with a structured daily routine as patients walk around the facility. As treatment progresses, patients’ therapeutic rehabilitation continues. They will call friends and family outside the facility for therapeutic treatment and support. Visitation may occur.

 Individually tailored treatment plans may be developed for each patient. Some of these include:

• Multidimensional family therapy:

  This is a family-based program used for treating patients with drug addiction or alcoholism which involves parents. This program incorporates the four areas of influence, the patient, family members, friends, and possibly the employer.  The purpose of this program is for encouragement and enlightenment from the family members and other support systems.

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy:

  This program helps patients identify the thought processes and circumstances that put them in great danger of relapse. The treatment plan is designed to improve and apply relapse deterrence tactics. Psychologists and counselors perform this program.

• Motivational interviewing:

  This is a considerate and non-hostile approach that helps patients increase their motivation to change and abstain from alcohol or drug abuse. This program will increase the patient’s mindfulness of addiction’s adverse effects and the positive impacts of ending drug abuse or alcoholism.

• Therapeutic community:

• This drug-free group of staff supervised patients includes is planned with recovery activities that are intended to help patients examine destructive beliefs, negative thinking, and harmful patterns of behavior. The goal is to embrace new constructive ways to relate with others without drug use. It concentrates on complete daily life changes in order to steer a healthy substance-free life after treatment is completed. The community is very supportive of patients with “special needs.”

• Contingency management:

  This refers to a type of behavioral therapy in which clients are reinforced, or rewarded for positive behavioral changes. This type of intervention has positive measurable outcomes. Reinforcers, such as drug testing or positive rewards including praise and graduation from one level of care to another. This type of treatment approach uses progressive pro-social behaviors. This program works well for patients struggling with drug use. It encourages total sobriety.

What is the outcome of long term addiction treatment?

There are various outcome studies on treatments. It depends on the substance abuse, the treatment program employed, and the length of the addiction treatment program. Some of the results are outlined below:

• Alcohol use:

  Some patients with alcohol abuse problems state that they experienced no trouble when asked by their counselors about their alcohol problems. The outcome of the addiction treatment program undertook brought about total sobriety for some patients. Other patients may relapse and may need more intensive treatment focusing on relapse prevention.

• Drug abuse:

• As similar in decline in alcohol use, the proportion of patients who received substance abuse treatment decreased at the twelve months follow up conducted by the facility, according to studies. Many former patients always report that they were not bothered or troubled by drug use in a twelve-month follow-up period.

• Physical health:

  Many patients begin to experience better physical health after overcoming substance abuse. They experience less hospitalization and emergency health problems. Alcohol and drugs have adverse effects, and stopping them will go a long way in making you healthy and live longer.

• Mental and emotional health:

• One of the expected outcomes of long-term addiction treatment in South Florida is better mental and emotional health, as this is one of the leading causes of addiction to drugs and alcohol in the first instance. Many patients report improvement in sleep, a stable mood, and regular appetite along with increased attention span. Learning new information is easier in recovery from drugs and alcohol as compared to the past history of drug use. Stable sleep patterns enable them to feel rested, thus more alert and focused which they may need for steady gainful employment.

• Family and social relationships:

  Family members of patients have an essential role to play in a patient’s rehabilitation from drugs and alcohol. This is the positive outcome of addiction treatment in South Florida. Family members have a better understanding of the patient and how to relate to them. Family members develop boundaries and enforce consequences if a negative behavior occurs. Patients are also treated with social relationships in mind. Learning new methods of interaction and how to cope with criticism of family members and employers are practiced through role-playing in treatment for addiction. Many patients usually report progress in their family relationships, as well as other social relationships. Prior to treatment for substance use disorder, family members are more cautious about the honesty with the patient.

As previously mentioned, quitting an addiction is not easy. Therefore, one must investigate the reputation of the addiction treatment center prior to having their family member receive treatment for substance use disorder. The goal is to quit and quit entirely with the idea of ensuring that the patient’s mental health, physical health, and relationships are improved again. The patient’s recovery from addiction is essential and must be treated in a positive manner.