There are many addiction rehabilitation centres across the world, each with its own particular method and flavour of delivering addiction treatment. 

Some can be very expensive and offer extremely luxurious surroundings while others are more humble in their furnishings.  It’s not always the most expensive treatment program that offers the best outcomes for patients. 

In many cases the higher treatment fee just allows the facility to offer more luxuries, better food, and more facilities like gyms, sauna’s, tennis court, steambath and swimming pools.

What do addiction rehabilitation centres do?

Addiction rehabilitation centres provide specialized treatment for people with substance abuse disorders.  A substance abuse disorder is the clinical term for the condition that can precede addiction.  Most addicted people go through a period of drug and/or alcohol abuse before becoming addicted to a particular substance. 

Drug abuse can be treated on an out-patient basis as the two key features that swing abuse to dependence (addiction) are not yet present. These two features of addiction are 'tolerance' and 'withdrawal'.

Once an addicted person experiences withdrawal symptoms they're in need of a medically managed detox treatment at a registered addiction rehabilitation centre.

Quality addiction rehabilitation centres have a multidisciplinary team of addictions treatment consultants on hand to ensure that the best care can be delivered to meet patients varied needs.

There are of course other less formal ways to describe addiction rehab, such as having impaired control over substance use or even self-diagnosis when the addict simply admits that they have a problem without the need for confirmation by a professional addictions counsellor.

“Dependence” occurs when the addicts body becomes so accustomed to the presence of the substance that it cannot function normally in the absence of the substance.  If the person suddenly stops drinking alcohol or using drugs after chronically abusing these substances they may experience withdrawal symptoms.  Depending on the substance used and the quantity used these symptoms could include from cold sweats, aches and pains, shivers, anxiety, hallucinations, and others.

Doctors in addiction rehabilitation centres will usually provide some sort of medication to reduce the discomfort of this detoxification process. “Tolerance” refers to the phenomenon where a person’s body adapts to compensate for the presence of the toxin being introduced.  The body actually becomes able to tolerate higher doses of the substance and still function ‘normally’. 

You can think of this as being similar to jogging every morning.  After a while you will find that you can jog further with less effort because your body has become accustomed to exercise.  For the substance abuser tolerance means that they need to use increasing doses in order to achieve the desired effect, the “high” that they’re seeking.  Addiction rehabilitation centres will introduce this concept to patients and explain in more detail how the body adapts itself.

Psychotherapy in Addiction rehabilitation centres

Addiction rehabilitation centres will use a blend of psychotherapeutic disciplines helping patients addicted to alcohol and other drugs to learn new life skills and coping strategies.  After all it’s very well to stop using drugs, but unless the patient is able to make the transition to longer term, contented addiction recovery resisting the urge to use again then relapse into active addiction may well occur.  By learning how to cope with stress and other triggers the patient becomes more resilient.

One form of psychotherapy used in addiction rehabilitation centres is traditional group psychotherapy.  Patients sit in a group with a facilitator who leads them through a process of self-disclosure.  By receiving feedback from others as well as listening to their experiences the patient learns new skills and also begins to feel supported and accepted.

Another form of psychotherapy that is commonly employed in addiction rehabilitation centres is one-on-one sessions held between a trained addictions counsellor or psychologist and the patient.  The content of these sessions are not usually shared with the group which makes it a good place for the patient to share issues that they may feel unable to bring to light within the group context.  By carefully reassuring the patient the therapist will help them to process past issues and rehearse new behavior.

Addiction rehabilitation centres can save your career, your family, your very life - there are lots of reasons to choose to receive help with your substance abuse, whether it be medication dependency or alcohol addiction problems.

Don't delay - call the addiction specialists at We Do Recover on:

SA: 082-74-REHAB (73422) Normal Cellular rates apply or

UK: 0808 26 REHAB (73422) UK addictions frreephone helpline.

View less...