When you are dealing with a diagnosed disease, it is important to remember that everyone’s body will process the experience and subsequent treatment interventions differently.

For an individual diagnosed with cancer and needing to receive medical treatment to address their illness, the timetable for recovery can vary widely depending on the health of the individual, their biological predispositions, their social support and the quality of their medical care.

This same logic holds true for substance use disorders and the timeframe in which your loved one may need to spend in rehab in order to receive the full benefit of the program.

Imagine the manner in which something as simple as the flu virus impacts our entire society. Some people who contract the illness are able to ingest some fluids and sleep off the majority of their symptoms.

For others, a trip to their general physician is required and a prescription is given to aid in the recovery process. And then there are those people who find themselves in the ER due to the severity of their illness and the need for serious medical interventions.

In all three cases, the virus was the same, but the individuals dealing with the sickness were different, so their bodies reacted differently to the illness.

In the case of a substance use disorder, the manner in which each individual is impacted by the disease will vary from person to person and require an individualized treatment program to adequately address their unique symptomatology.

Understanding which substance your loved one is addicted to and the longevity of their addiction are two important details to factor in when deciding which potential treatment option is best for them.

Professional Drug Rehab is Essential for Your Loved One

Just as you wouldn’t expect your loved one to simply treat a serious medical illness on their own, it is irresponsible to think they can handle the complexities associated with their diagnosed substance use disorder without professional assistance.

When an addiction has taken root, the physical complications and excessive emotionality associated with the disease requires qualified clinical personnel and, at times, licensed medical physicians to oversee the detoxification process and subsequent transition into a rehabilitative program.

This clinical guidance ensures that your loved one is initiating their recovery journey in a manner that is physically safe and foundationally prepared to help them achieve long-term health and sustained sobriety.

How Long is Drug Rehab?

Most rehabilitation programs recommend at least 30-days of treatment in order to address the physical toll the addiction has taken, as well as the chemical imbalances that have been initiated within your loved one’s neurological system.

While this is typically the minimum duration recommended, studies have shown that extended time in therapy, such as 60 to 90-days, increases the chances of achieving sustained sobriety and maintaining those improved personal behavioral patterns in the long run.

Most qualified clinical facilities will initially recommend a 30-day stay within their program and then implement periodic treatment reviews in order to identify if extending your loved one’s time in rehab is clinically necessary in order to best facilitate continued personal success.

Stay Duration: How Long to Stay in Rehab

When trying to identify how long your addicted loved one should stay in rehab it is important to ask a few key questions prior to them beginning their rehabilitative stay.

  • What substance or substances are they addicted to?
    Someone struggling with an alcohol addiction will receive significantly different treatment interventions then someone struggling with an opioid use disorder. It is important to understand which substance or substances your loved one is dealing with in order to identify how long they should plan to stay in drug rehab.
  • How long have they been dealing with their addiction
    A person who has been abusing prescription pills for a few weeks and someone who has been struggling with a prescription pill disorder for over a year are in two entirely different physical states of addiction. Identifying the longevity of your loved one’s substance use disorder is essential to accomplish prior to them beginning a treatment program.
  • What is the family history of addiction for your loved one?
    Biological tendencies and addictive patterns are very real. It has been estimated that 40 to 60 percent of the risk for developing an alcohol addiction can be attributed to genetic factors and may be even higher for other addictive substances. Making sure to identify the familial history of addiction within your loved one’s life before they begin a rehabilitative program is important to helping them break the cycle of addiction that may be present in their lives.1

The fact of the matter is that your loved one’s transition into rehab, and the time they’ll spend in treatment, is on a very individualized timeframe. They are unique beings with unique needs and deserve a unique treatment program to address their specific physical and emotional issues.

Making sure to encourage them along the way and reinforce the importance of staying the course in treatment, is the best support you can provide your loved one throughout their recovery journey.

No matter which program they find themselves, or the amount of time they are recommended to stay in therapy, your loved one will inevitably experience hardships and moments of discouragement.

Having you there to pick them up emotionally can be just what they need in order to overcome any setback they may experience and keep moving toward their goals of long-term health and happiness.

Holistic Addiction Rehab at Ranch Creek Recovery

Taking the first steps in the recovery journey can be exhilarating and terrifying all at the same time. No matter which emotion your loved one is experiencing, they are not alone throughout the process.

At Ranch Creek Recovery, we believe that finding motivation from within to overcome an addiction and strive toward sobriety is both commendable and admirable. But taking the time to plan properly, establish appropriate personal goals, and create a sober and supportive social network can mean the difference between just starting the therapeutic journey and completing the expedition to sustained substance abstinence.

We make it our mission to meet your loved one exactly where they are in life and walk with them every step of the way throughout their recovery journey.

Learn more about our addiction treatment programs or contact us today to learn about our facility and holistic approach to addiction treatment.

1Psychology Today. The Family History of Addiction. Accessed February 23, 2019. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-addiction-connection/201406/the-family-history-addiction.