Treatment Options for Drug Addiction and Alcoholism Addiction

*Note: This is a guest post written by one of our readers, Carl-Peters. For more information on how to submit a guest post, please send an email to Janelle [at] unlimitedwebsolutions [dot] com or see our guidelines for guest posting.

You’ve recognized that you or someone you care about needs help. So let’s look at the treatment options for drug addiction and alcoholism addiction treatment.

I believe that rehab or a professional in-patient treatment program should always be your first choice, where you will spend typically 3-6 weeks in treatment getting clean and sober (length of stay can vary depending on where you go). A focused in-patient treatment program that utilizes intensive therapy and counseling, etc. will not only help you detox; it will help you deal with a lot of the ‘baggage‘ that you carry, which causes you to drink or use drugs.

To get the level of intensive treatment and car you need is so much harder without going to a rehab or in-patient treatment program. How you stay clean and sober successfully after treatment is even more important. Therefore, a good rehab center will also prepare you for that while you’re there.

Don’t let thinking that rehab or treatment is unaffordable stop you. Yes, you hear the names of expensive rehab centers that the rich and famous go to -ones that you read about in magazines- but there are many different types. A lot of treatment centers are government subsidized; so whatever your financial position, make sure you do your research because I’m sure you will find an option that makes it possible for you to go.

Rehab would always be my first choice, but what other options have you got? You could look at Addiction and Alcoholism self-help methods. By working on yourself emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually, you have the ability to transform your life. I don’t have space for specifics here (feel free to visit my website for that), but I would still recommend proper treatment first because going it alone is just so much harder.

Alternative alcoholism treatment and addiction treatment options are becoming increasingly popular. I definitely think that there is a place for alternative alcoholism and addiction treatment, but I would recommend using these in conjunction with a more mainstream or traditional way, especially to begin with at least- because it is much harder doing it without the help of addiction treatment professionals.

So, as far as alcoholism addiction treatment and treatment for drug addiction goes, try to get yourself into a rehab or treatment center first and foremost. Addiction and alcoholism self-help methods and things like alternative alcoholism treatments do have a role to play; but try too give yourself the best possible chance of recovery by going into an in-patient program first.

About Carl-Peters (C-P): Having spent years suffering from and trying to overcome his own addictions, C-P has dedicated himself to providing you with useful and easy to use information on alcoholism and drug addiction on his website – so that your journey is hopefully that much easier.

Download your FREE Book (Addiction Uncovered) by visiting Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Help – and for further addiction treatment info visit Alcoholism Addiction Treatment.

[photo credit: Todd Huffman]

Filed under Addiction, Alcoholism, Drugs | Comments (4)

4 Responses to “Treatment Options for Drug Addiction and Alcoholism Addiction”

Gerard on October 4, 2008 6:21 pm
Sometimes people come up to me and ask whether they; or, their children; or, girlfriends, etc “should” go into rehab. I only say that, it is advised that they do. A very close friend of mine just died this year; he never became part of the 27 club; he died at 26 from heroin. But he also would not take the time out to really dry out.

A-lot of belief systems were held by him as to “what makes him worthwhile and a real man” etc. So, he didn’t make it. There [were] so many resources out their to help him, but he wouldn’t take them on. Its almost like, we alcoholics and addicts know that drugs and alcohol will kill us, but we think at the same time that we decide when we will die. We agree that we lack control and choice when using, but that we have the ability to decide the biggest event in our lives: Death.

With all of the resources these days, I feel that we are blessed with so many opps to heal – and medically supervised treatment from day one desire to quit are priceless.

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C-P on October 5, 2008 8:34 am
Good point Gerard – there is just so much good help out there. Suffering from an addiction still has this stigma attached to it that you’re pretty much a failure as a person if you admit to your addictions. People forget that addiction is now medically regarded as a disease – and so addicts should get the same support and encouragement that someone who suffers from say cancer should. But of course that doesn’t happen – so too many addicts live in shame, denial and guilt – too afraid to reach out and get the help that they need. It’s a matter of perception – and we all need to do our bit to change those.

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General Comment on March 20, 2009 11:56 pm
I do agree with you that rehab or a professional in-patient treatment program should always be our first choice.But it should be attended properly.As we know short-term treatment facilities only have the time and ability to help with alcohol detox. What this means for the alcoholic and the family of the alcoholic is that once the person leaves short-term treatment and enters into society, he or she will not have the behavioral skills needed to maintain sobriety and the probability of a relapse increases significantly.

[Reply]
Gerard on March 28, 2009 6:54 pm
Carl Jung said we need a complete change in our outlook.

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