Alcohol dependency and other types of drug addiction are diseases that progress through predictable stages. Accurately diagnosing these conditions, and developing a comprehensive treatment plan, requires the involvement of trained health professionals, often including a doctor who specializes in addiction medicine. A drug rehab  follow a series of steps through which addicted individuals rid their bodies of the drugs they have been abusing, address the issues that either led to or were exacerbated by the substance abuse, receive treatment for co-occurring mental health or physical disorders, and develop the skills and strategies that will allow them to pursue long-term sobriety.

Effective addiction  treatment centers will offer a variety of treatment programs to meet the specific needs of each individual client. Programs may include inpatient, residential, outpatient, and/or short-stay options. Depending upon the nature and severity of an individual’s addiction, therapies completed during drug rehab may include counseling, psychotherapy, group therapy, 12-step support groups and family therapy. Some drug rehab programs use expressive arts therapies such as music therapy and art therapy, while others employ more traditional therapeutic techniques such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy.

Treatment can vary from a few days to many months. Research shows that the longer a person remains in treatment, the greater the likelihood that long-term sobriety will result. As with most aspects of treatment (such as therapy types and program structures), determining ideal length of stay involves an analysis of a number of personal factors. Treatment is a highly personal experience, and the costs associated with this process may vary considerably depending upon a number of issues, such as location, type of care (i.e. residential, outpatient, or partial hospitalization), specific nature of problem being treated, length of stay, presence of co-occurring disorders and whether rehab is conducted at a public treatment facility or private program.

The use of medications during rehab depends upon two factors: the needs of the client (you) and the philosophy of the program. Some programs use no medications whatsoever; others provide medically assisted detox services (as quitting some drugs “cold turkey” isn’t only difficult, but dangerous); while still others others provide medications to support long-term sobriety (such as methadone maintenance programs for recovering heroin addicts). Because addiction recovery often involves the treatment of co-occurring disorders such as depression or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, certain medications may be prescribed to treat these conditions during rehab.

28 Celebrities Who Have Admitted They Don't Drink
"I've never done anything, so that was hard to play this role [of a heroin addict]. I've never had a drink in my life. I'm sober. I'm like, 'Okay, this is new to me.' Normally as as actor, you have things to pull from. I was like, 'I don't know what it …
Read more on Huffington Post

Books to Read and Give: My 2013 Favorites
A heavily tattooed former stand-up comic and recovering alcoholic, Bolz-Weber decided to pursue ordination after, as the only person of faith among her peers, she was asked to lead a memorial service for a fellow addict. This is her story of figuring …
Read more on Patheos (blog)

Undisputed Truth: My Autobiography by Mike Tyson – review
That it's also addictive is down in part to Tyson's co-author, Larry Sloman. Tyson claims he "inherited Cus's ability to tell stories" but as he … There's a moment of flat-out brilliance when he gets the Maori tattoo on his face: "I hated my face and …
Read more on The Guardian

Russia: Rehabilitation centre for drug addicts in Sapernoe in the Saint …
Right from its beginnings, the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has been a work of reconciliation. For the founder, Father Werenfried, it was always a heartfelt concern and "his last and greatest joy" as he said after the collapse of …
Read more on Aid to the Church in Need (press release)

Help & support
n CELEBRATE RECOVERY: A Christ-centered 12-step recovery program based on the Scripture and open to the public, will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursdays at Bethany Church, 500 Breakfast Hill Road, Greenland. E-mail [email protected], or come to …
Read more on Seacoastonline.com

Newport treatment program focuses on video gaming addiction
Morningside Recovery, a substance abuse and mental health recovery center in Newport Beach, announced in a press release last week that it has developed a treatment program focusing on compulsive video and online gaming. Article Tab: Morningside …
Read more on OCRegister (subscription)

There is no cure for alcoholism. There is only treatment. As dismal as this sounds, recovery from addiction requires a concerted effort by the addict and everyone in the addict’s life to help him or her transition into an addiction treatment program.

Once the addict is placed into an addiction treatment program, it’s important to know that relapse will likely happen at some point down the road. However, the addiction recovery field has accepted that relapse is a part of the recovery process. Recovery from addiction simply means extending the periods of time between each relapse and eventually kicking the substance abuse habit all together. It takes time and patience to recover from the disease of addiction. It takes support from the addict’s family and friends to help the addict get into recovery.

In the early years of the addiction recovery field, little was known about addiction. People thought it was a morality issue. Over time though, scientists discovered that addiction is actually a brain disease. The brain changes after repeated use of substances.

The next time you meet someone who might be an addict, try not to discriminate. In sociology, one learns to be open minded to other cultures. Addiction is a culture by itself. The addict simply has a craving for a substance to satisfy a chemical imbalance in the brain. It has nothing to do with morality. The only real cure for alcoholism is a concerted effort by the addict, family and friends to transition into an addiction treatment program.

Ocean County drug forum held in Stafford
Coronato said stricter penalties are needed for dealers, as well as more beds in treatment units for recovering addicts. Bob Goldschlag of the DART Coalition of Ocean County said safekeeping of prescription drugs is also a critical element in slowing …
Read more on Asbury Park Press

Guest Column – Heroin: We need to change our approach
My support for some of the bills stems from the community forum on heroin I hosted earlier this fall. It was a productive discussion with input from law enforcement, human services, recovering addicts, prosecutors, the medical field and the faith …
Read more on hngnews.com

Bills aim to curb heroin, prescription abuse
House Bill 369 (Sprague): Requires each county to have the full spectrum of opioid addiction recovery treatment and recovery housing. About $ 180 million in Medicaid savings dollars would pay for these programs. • House Bill 378 (Sprague, Smith …
Read more on Bucyrus Telegraph Forum