There is a lot of confusion out there about how long it takes to beat a drug or alcohol addiction problem. The confusion is enough to keep people from seeking the treatment they need, which is not a good thing.
In an effort to educate and perhaps motivate substance abusers to get help, we want to talk truthfully about how long drug programs last. Before getting into the details, we want to preface everything by saying the only reliable way addiction sufferers have to beat their addiction problems is by going to rehab. It is a waste of time to try any other option.
As for how long rehab takes, it takes as long as it takes. Every person who enters rehab does so with a very unique set of circumstances. They are addicted to different drugs and live different lifestyles. This would be a good time to mention some of the factors that go into trying to estimate how long rehab takes:
- The length of time the substance abuser has been abusing their drug of choice
- The actual substance or substances they have been using
- The frequency of their drug abuse
- The amount of drugs or alcohol they consume in a day
It might seem we are being a little brash when we say it takes as long as it takes, but there really is truth to that. When someone enters rehab, they need to be committed to the entire process. If it takes 30 days for recovery, that is fine. If it takes longer, so be it.
Since you might be seeking realistic information, we encourage you to keep reading.
How long do drug rehab programs last?
When you enter rehab, you can anticipate going through a detox program and therapy. Most detox programs will last five to seven days, depending on the same factors from above. The only exception would come if you entered rehab with a severe addiction to alcohol or a drug like heroin. In such cases, you might go through a tapering detox program, which could take two to three weeks.
Therapy is where it becomes more difficult to provide time estimates. The amount of time you have to invest would depend a great deal on the issues that seem to be driving your addiction. For the most part, the more issues you have, the more time you will likely need therapy.
As we mentioned above, getting through treatment in about 30 days is a good thing. By industry standards, that is the normal timeframe administrators and counselors are working towards. Even if treatment extends out to 90 days, it is not necessarily considered out of the ordinary.
If you were to enter rehab with a long-standing addiction and a wide range of issues driving your addiction, you might need long-term care. Long-term care is generally considered to be in the 91 to the 180-day range.
If you were to get placed in a long-term program, you could consider that to be an indication that the rehab facility staff feels your addiction is quite significant. They simply want you to stay safe in the treatment facility until you feel truly strong enough to navigate life on your own without relying on your substance of choice.
From your perspective, your best chance for a full recovery is to enter rehab with the mindset you are willing to do whatever it takes to get sober and stay sober.
It is worth noting that long-term treatments are also prescribed for clients who are having chronic relapse issues. If they aren’t getting what they need in 30 to 90 days, drastic measures would be the right call. Again, it takes as long as it takes, and every client should be willing to do just that. Anything short of that would almost ensure there will be relapses.
As you contemplate getting help for your addiction issue, we encourage you to not worry about time if possible. You would be far better off instead focusing on the task at hand. That would be recovering from your addiction no matter how long it takes. When you are ready to start, we will be there to help you through the entire process. We do our jobs right, and clients don’t come back to see us as clients. For more information about our addiction treatment services, please give one of our associates a call at the following number: 844-844-3463.