Addiction specialists have developed a number of effective drug rehab treatments over the last several decades. Whereas people once thought addiction was the result of a simple lack of willpower, medical professionals now understand that it is a neurological disease which requires clinical treatment. Here are some of the most effective types of therapies in drug rehab programs.
Detoxification
Before addicts can work on long-term recovery strategies, they must get rid of their physical dependencies on drugs. To do this, they must undergo detoxification – a painful but necessary process of drug deprivation which typically lasts five to fourteen days.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies
People often use drugs because they feel they have no control in their lives. Cognitive-behavioral therapies help addicts feel more in control by teaching them that they can control their negative emotions – and subsequent drug cravings – by changing the ways they think. Instead of feeling powerless over their drug problems, they become empowered to live healthy, sober lives.
Reality Therapies
Reality therapies also address the issue of control by teaching addicts to recognize the difference between situations they can and cannot change. By recognizing this difference, addicts can make positive choices to avoid or mitigate their drug cravings. They can also avoid negatively affecting others with their drug problems.
Biofeedback Therapies
Biofeedback therapies help addicts reestablish the mind-body connections they often lose during physically harsh periods of active drug use. Peripheral biofeedback helps them recognize the physical signs of stressors that lead to drug use. Neurological biofeedback allows rehab clinicians to monitor dangerous fight-or-flight responses in the brains of addicts who are about to relapse.
Evidence-based Therapies
The most effective therapies for addiction treatment are evidence-based – those which have been scientifically tested and statistically proven to help addicts maintain long-term sobriety. These counseling sessions, group discussions, and family therapies comprise the most widely used and effective treatments at drug rehab facilities.