Does Rehab Work?
In the world of addiction recovery, there’s a landscape littered with treatment centers, each one boldly declaring they have the magic wand to whisk away your addiction. But let’s keep it real: How many of these claims are genuine, and how can we measure the actual impact of rehab on a person’s life? The Office of National Drug Control Policy answers these questions and others in a podcast about recovery.
Here’s what the organization lists as rehab success:
- Reduced substance use
- Better employment status
- Healthier relationships
- Enhanced physical and mental health
- Less frequent to no criminal activity
Remember, addiction is as personal as your fingerprint. If you find you’re not ticking off these boxes, it might mean an extended inpatient stay in rehab or considering alternative outpatient treatment avenues. Call Zinnia Health at (855) 430-9439 to learn about our person-centric treatment options.
The Chronic Relapse Rollercoaster
Relapse doesn’t mean failure. Similar to any chronic illness—be it type 2 diabetes or hypertension—addiction also has cycles of relapse.
Finding out that a family history or lifestyle choices led to your hypertension or diabetes doesn’t automatically solve the problem. Sure, obtaining a prescription from your primary physician or pounding the treadmill might temporarily alleviate some of the symptoms.
But stop those treatments, and you could be right back to square one. Addiction walks along the same line. Getting therapy could tamper down the cravings, but those can flare right back up under stress or financial struggles.
Evading Relapse and Maintaining Sobriety
Just because relapse is common doesn’t mean it’s mandatory. You can and should, construct a defense mechanism against it. But how?
By arming yourself with treatments that confront the root cause of addiction head-on, fortifying you against the sometimes unavoidable temptations that lurk in the real world.
Some of the most promising treatments include:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): This is a behavioral health therapy method that teaches you to scrutinize your behavior and develop healthier reactions to triggering circumstances.
- Somatic experiencing: Imagine this as a psychological defrag. It’s an experiential treatment that focuses on unpacking past traumas and dismantling the triggering episodes.
- Meditation and physical exercise: Think of this as your daily mental vitamin. This alternative therapy nourishes your mind with a natural sense of calm and satisfaction. However, consider this a supplement to your main treatment course.
- Peer support groups: Picture this as your safe harbor. Organizations like AA offer an empathetic community, a tribe that understands you and fortifies your journey toward long-term sobriety.
Many substance abuse treatment facilities offer CBT and other behavioral programs, but somatic treatments or meditation techniques may not be available. All treatment centers are not equal.
While a luxury rehab may cost a little more, the availability of evidence-based treatments with the addition of experimental treatments is the real perk.
Can You Trust Published Rehab Success Rates?
Asking a rehab center, “What’s your success rate?” is like asking a chef for his secret sauce. Many rehab centers guard these statistics like a treasure, mainly because tracking post-treatment success isn’t always easy, especially if the facility doesn’t offer aftercare programs or the person doesn’t remain in contact.
Let’s say Rehab A claims a 95% success rate because no client has returned for a second stay, while Rehab B reports 65% since they did the heavy lifting of one-year follow-up and drug tests. Who would you believe? Your instincts might gravitate toward the 95% because it sounds better, but let’s get real: the 65% is the golden nugget, the measure far more likely to predict future sobriety.
Instead of fixating on success rates, shift your line of questioning:
- Ask about offered treatments.
- Ask about certifications held by the treatment staff.
- Ask about accreditations held by the facility.
- Ask about evidence-based vs. experimental treatments and efficacy.
The answers to these questions provide a much deeper understanding of whether a specific treatment center will work for you. To learn more about Zinnia Health and our nationwide network of substance abuse treatment facilities, call (855) 430-9439.
Substance-Specific Rehab Success: A Comprehensive Look
The intricacies of drug addiction treatments often stem from the substance itself. Each drug has its own unique properties and interacts with the brain differently. Add to these differences the breadth of experiences and circumstances of recovering addicts, and you can see why treatment demands a tailored approach to be effective.
Let’s delve into the specifics of various addictions, their typical rehab program treatment modalities, and rehab program success rates.
Opioid & Heroin Addiction
Opioid addiction, often commencing with a genuine need for pain relief, quickly spirals into dependency and substance use disorder (SUD). Drug rehab for opioids, heroin, and other drug abuse often combines Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) with behavioral therapies, with Suboxone, Methadone, or Naltrexone as the medication component.
Treatment success rates for heroin and opioids:
- 60% of recovering addicts relapse in a week post-treatment
- 80% relapse within a year post-treatment
- 61% of users who took part in Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) during rehab are still sober 3.5 years post-treatment
- Only 10% of MAT recipients use opioids on a regular basis at 3.5 years post-treatment
Measure success by looking at the following:
- Reduction in illicit drug use
- Enhanced ability to maintain a job
- Improved relationships and social functioning
Alcohol Addiction
Given its social acceptance, alcohol addiction treatment for alcohol use has its own unique challenges. Alcohol treatment often begins with detoxification.
Detox is usually followed by intensive alcohol rehab in the form of inpatient treatment, long-term behavioral therapies like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or intensive outpatient programs, and Twelve-Step Facilitation (TSF) in groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), those who achieve two years of sobriety have a 60% chance of relapsing, but reaching five years of sobriety decreases relapse likelihood to less than 15%.
Treatment success rates for alcohol:
- 80% of recovering alcohol users will have at least one alcoholic beverage within a year post-treatment
- If a person abstains for five years post-treatment, they have an 85% chance of remaining alcohol-free
Measure success by looking at the following:
- Prolonged periods of sobriety or reduced alcohol intake
- Improved physical health, including liver functions
- Strengthened interpersonal relationships
Cocaine Addiction
Cocaine creates a euphoric high but is viciously addictive. The primary treatment approach is behavioral, including Contingency Management (CM) and CBT. A study from the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology showed that a 90-day treatment significantly improves chances for long-term sobriety.
Treatment success rates for cocaine:
- 79% of recovering cocaine users will remain substance-free a year after treatment
- 75% are still clean five years after treatment
- The same study also revealed that a 90-day rehab stay is more successful than a 30-day rehab stay
Measure success by looking at the following:
- Consistent negative drug screenings
- Improved mental health and reduced anxiety
- Enhanced career or academic performance
Methamphetamine (Meth) Addiction
Meth is dangerously addictive, offering highs lasting up to 12 hours. Treatment often combines various behavioral therapies. According to a study in the American Journal of Psychiatry, meth users have relapse rates as high as 73% even five years post-treatment, underlining the need for robust aftercare plans.
Treatment success rates for meth:
- 39% of meth users who complete treatment remain clean a year after treatment
- 26% are still clean three years after treatment
- 27% maintain sobriety at five years post-treatment
Measure success by looking at the following:
- Reduced dependency or complete abstinence
- Better social integration and family relationships
- Enhanced mental health and coping mechanisms
Your Journey Towards Healing for Good with Zinnia Health
If you or a loved one is struggling in the grips of addiction, remember: the journey to sobriety is a marathon, not a sprint. Zinnia Health understands each substance requires a unique approach and continuous care even after you’ve left the rehab facility.
Success in rehab is not just about saying no to the substance but about continuing to say yes to a new, better life. Call our caring professionals at (855) 430-9439 to take your first step.