| Not every treatment program will work the same | | | | the drug cold turkey. In this case the patient may |
| nor will each addict go through the same treatment | | | | need ongoing supervised medical care to make sure |
| process. The method of treatment will depend upon | | | | they come off the drug in a safe manner. |
| the persons history including how long they have | | | | Once the addict has gone through the medical care, if |
| been using and what type of social environment they | | | | it was required, then the real recovery begins. This |
| have been living in. Regardless, there are few stages | | | | process is one that will differ with each patient |
| that most drug abusers will have to go through. They | | | | depending upon what type of assessment they |
| are as follows... | | | | received. |
| The first stage of treatment is the assessment or | | | | Some drug abusers will need counseling so they can |
| screening portion. This stage is to evaluate | | | | help get over whatever psychological or emotional |
| everything about the patient in order to give them | | | | issues they have. These issues can be the root |
| the best chance to succeed in recovery by finding | | | | problem of the drug abuse and if not dealt with, the |
| the treatment program that is best suited for them. | | | | addict may go right back to using drugs again. |
| Some patients may not need a full assessment and | | | | Besides meeting one-on-one with a trained counselor, |
| will only require screening instead. The screening is | | | | there are also peer counseling sessions where the |
| not only for the trained medical professionals that | | | | individual would meet with a group of likewise peers |
| work at the treatment facilities but it also helps the | | | | who are dealing with similar issues. |
| addict become aware of their own problem and how | | | | Most addicts will either have to go through inpatient |
| they need to address it. If the severity of the | | | | or outpatient therapy care. Generally speaking, the |
| problem is elevated then the addict would move on | | | | people with the most severe addiction issues and |
| to the assessment portion of the treatment process. | | | | emotional problems will likely need inpatient |
| After the screening and assessment stages the next | | | | supervised medical care. This will make sure that they |
| stage is the actual medical care the addict may need | | | | are out of the environment in which they were once |
| to go through. Since many drugs affect the body | | | | in that influenced their drug use. Most inpatient stays |
| physically there may be complications with cutting off | | | | require a minimum of 90 days. |