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Drug rehab - phases of treatment
An effective treatment program should offer a continuum of care that reflects this process of recovery. As a person progresses in her recovery so the therapeutic program should be adjusted to best cater for her particular needs at that time. We Do Recover favours referring clients to facilities that specialize in meeting the needs of a client in a particular phase of recovery. Detoxification is best handled in a hospital environment with nursing staff and medical professionals on call. However, this environment would not suit a client who has been sober for three months and is now planning a return to society. I do not dispute that a "super rehab" could offer a continuum of care all under one roof, but our local clinics have differentiated their services and offer specialized care dedicated to dealing with a particular profile of client. Early weeks:
For the first few weeks of treatment there should be a strong medical support system to ensure a safe and comfortable detoxification. Clients are typically not given a great amount of autonomy and are restricted to staying on the property of the facility.
The treatment program focuses on deconstructing denial and educating the client about the nature of the illness. The aim is to teach the alcoholic the basics of living sober. This would be akin to the classic "28 day" model which was popularized by the movie of the same name. Extended care: Once clients have fully addressed their denial and are actively working a program of recovery they can be assessed for graduation into an extended care phase. This phase can last for several months. Treatment will broaden in scope and address a wider range of issues. The focus here is to allow the addict to address the issues that block her from recovery. Issues such as childhood neglect, trauma, depression, and anxiety are addressed. An extended care facility will offer a full daily program including elements such as psychotherapy, group therapy, art therapy, drama therapy, yoga, didactic lectures, and lifestyle workshops. Clients will usually enjoy a greater degree of autonomy in this phase of treatment and will be allowed to leave the centre outside of program time. This is still usually an inpatient setting and clients will sleep on the property. Step-down: This final phase of treatment prepares the client for returning to society. This phase of treatment is sometimes done as an outpatient "aftercare" program, but can also be accomplished by an inpatient unit. The client is given a large amount of autonomy. There will be a very much reduced level of daily structured program and the client becomes responsible for developing her own strategies to structure daily life. Clients are encouraged to explore work or study options and are assisted in mending damaged relationships with families and spouses. Clients take responsibility for working their program of recovery independently of a counselor forcing them to. (clock photograph by Shlomit Wolf) »
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We understand recovery from addiction to be a process and not a single event that happens overnight. We have certainly noticed that realization dawns slowly, denial takes time to deconstruct, and physical and mental health take time to be restored.