Drug rehab programs assist drug abusers in recovering emotionally, psychologically, and physically from long-term substance abuse. These rehab programs provide addicts with the tools and support they need to begin living a sober and healthy lifestyle.  Many drug rehab facilities offer a multi-step approach to treatment, as the highly trained caregivers know that each person is different, and so are the individual’s recovery needs.  The two primary forms of drug rehab are inpatient and outpatient.

Inpatient drug rehab programs are recommended for addicts who have a moderate to severe drug and/or alcohol problem which is substantially interfering with day to day life. These users typically have a long history of trying to maintain a sober lifestyle without success. Inpatient rehab programs, as the name suggests, consist of care that is provided 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The treatment is of course delivered by a trained medical staff, dedicated to the patient’s full recovery.  Many long term drug rehab centers offer inpatient care for a length of time as little as 28 days and as long as 12 months.

Outpatient drug rehab programs, on the other hand, are designed primarily for substance abusers who have a mild to moderate case of drug and alcohol addiction.  For many, this is the first step in the recovery process. Outpatient rehab programs are ideally suited for those who have jobs, families, and a strong support system in place outside the treatment program. It is often the case that patients use outpatient programs after leaving inpatient treatment.  This can serve as a transitional period and as a way to maintain sobriety long term.

While men and women can share the same addictions, it is critical to understand that, in order to offer the highest success rate possible, treatment programs should be gender-specific. For example, for women undergoing treatment, it is even more important to deal with the underlying reasons behind their addiction. It is also crucial that any woman addicted to drugs and/or alcohol feels completely comfortable in the treatment environment. A warm, compassionate, and encouraging atmosphere is very often the first step in the recovery process. This kind of environment allows for the woman to more easily open up about her addiction. We often see women enter long term rehab centers after they have attempted an outpatient approach, due to family and work responsibilities.  These women then end up in a long term program after falling back into addiction.

Unlike their male counterparts, women often experience addiction for reasons that are more emotionally rooted. Some of the emotional factors contributing to addiction in women can include being raised in an abusive household and witnessing their parents or close relatives abuse drugs or alcohol. Factors such as a damaged self image, low self-esteem, and strain due to traumatic events – like a family tragedy, the death of a friend or family member, divorce, or economic stresses – can also be significant.  Depression resulting from these events can often lead women to start using drugs and alcohol and to continue to use until an addiction develops. Obviously, substance use and abuse does not relieve the original issue, so the addict is then left with the same problems to deal with, plus an addiction. Getting involved in relationships that either introduce them to drugs or enabled drug or alcohol use to continue can also be a dynamic that contributes to addiction.

For women, some of the most prevalent addictions are alcohol addiction and addiction to prescription painkillers. The main reason for this is that each of these is readily accessible to any woman who wants it. A bottle of alcohol is as close as the corner liquor store, and a bottle of sedatives can easily be obtained with a visit to a doctor’s office. For these reasons, access by itself is a significant factor in the onset and growth of drug and alcohol addiction.  One of the advantages then of a long term drug or alcohol rehab program is that it takes the individual out of an environment where access to the offending substances is easy, and it removes temptation by eliminating the ability to purchase drugs and alcohol altogether.  This allows the patient to focus on recovery, knowing that continuing to use during treatment is not even an option.

An effective drug rehab program for women will not only include a nurturing and safe environment but also a qualified staff that will provide comprehensive counseling on self-esteem issues and the damaging effects of ongoing drug and alcohol abuse. The staff will also help with teaching proper nutrition and other life skills.  Mental health counseling is another critical element of treatment that will help to uncover the core causes for abuse.  A complete drug rehab for women will address all of the patient’s stressors that perpetuate addiction and will also teach the addict to tackle them head on.  Many facilities such as this are staffed mostly or even entirely by women. The reason for this is that women have been shown to have a higher chance of success in beating their dependence when they are in a warm, nurturing, all-female environment.  These drug rehab programs will of course have qualified counselors on hand, but many will bring in recovering addicts as well, who have gone through or are continuing treatment. These patients can act as inspirational role models and proven success stories for the new clients in the rehab center.  Perhaps one of the most important factors in a successful recovery is for an addict to feel as though she is part of a family. This family-like bond not only aids in successful recovery for the present but can also help with future sobriety, as the connections made often last a lifetime.START YOUR JOURNEY WITH
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