How to Tell if a Drug Rehab Center Is Qualified or Effective

Countless individuals struggle with drug or alcohol addiction throughout the United States. Fortunately, many of these people will seek help through organizations such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), or Narcotics Anonymous (NA), and the thousands of residential and outpatient clinics that are devoted to treating addiction. 

If you have gone through the continuum of care but repeatedly failed at achieving long-term sobriety, it may not be your fault. While addiction treatment teaches accountability, it’s possible that one of the rehab centers you’ve attended is not up to the industry’s standard or just isn’t the right fit for you.

In 2014, 21.5 million adults struggled with a substance use disorder (SUD), which occurs “when recurrent alcohol or illicit drug use causes clinically significant impairment, including health problems, disability, and failure to meet major responsibilities at work, school, or home,”  writes the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Substance use disorders have contributed significantly to the burden of disease in our country, and they have become costly due to lost productivity, health care, and crime. Substance use disorders are not only preventable, but they are treatable with proper care. There are several benefits to attending a quality drug rehab center, but research indicates that many people will not receive the treatment they require.

While addiction has always been an issue throughout history, the option for treatment has never been more advanced or straightforward than it is today. In 2017 alone, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that 70,237 drug overdose deaths occurred in the United States. 

The age-adjusted rate of overdose deaths increased dramatically by 9.6 percent from 2016 to 2017. Opioids are the main culprit driving this crisis, and they were present in 47,600 of these 2017 deaths (67.8 percent of all drug overdose deaths).

With increased access to care and a drug crisis wreaking havoc, many rehab centers have opened with the intent to make money. Unfortunately, when you see a rise in those needing help, you will also find those looking to profit off someone else’s misery. 

Counterfeit drug rehab programs are a problem throughout the country, and it’s essential to know if the drug rehab center you choose is qualified and has the right certifications to be effective.

Principles of Effective Treatment

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) released a list of criteria that highlight the most effective and practical treatment. These guidelines help an individual find a tailored program that best suits their needs. These guidelines include:

• Treatment must be readily available.
• The center must know that addiction is a complex but treatable disease that affects brain function and behaviors.
• Treatment must be tailored. No single treatment model will suit everyone.
• Effective treatment adheres to a majority of the individual’s needs, not just their substance abuse.
• Remaining in treatment for a specific timeframe dramatically increases the chances of long-term sobriety.
• Behavioral therapies that include individual, family, and group counseling are the most commonly used in drug abuse treatment.
• Medications are a crucial element of treatment, which is especially true when used alongside counseling or other behavioral therapies.
• A majority of drug and alcohol users also have co-occurring mental health disorders
• Medical detoxification is the first stage in the continuum of care and will do little by itself to change long-term drug abuse.
• Treatment programs must test their clients for infectious diseases, such as HIV/AIDS.

The Most Effective Programs in Treatment

During your quest to find the most effective and qualified treatment center, you must consider programs that offer these programs, which include:

• Addiction education classes: To overcome and recover from addiction, the individual must understand its root cause and what drives it. The courses that will be taken will go over how addiction affects your physical and mental health, as well as your relationships.
• Treatment for co-occurring disorders: It’s standard for substance users to believe they only struggle with drug addiction, but they fail to realize that mental health disorders may be fueling their drug use. Anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) along with drug use, are called co-occurring disorders. An effective treatment center works to address these ailments as well as treat them.
• Behavioral therapy: Changing addiction patterns starts with altering one’s thoughts and behaviors. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one such approach that helps the client by empowering their thoughts and replacing the ones that accompany addiction.
• Individual therapy: Starting a new life requires you to dig deep within to heal. Individual therapy promotes accountability and helps the individual understand what caused their drug or alcohol use.
• Group therapy: Group therapy places everyone together who are on the path to sobriety and gives them the option to feel less isolated or alone in their journey. These meetings are outlets and opportunities to grow.
• Life skills training: Entering into the real world after treatment is a lot to take in when you have a fragile mindset. The client is starting over from scratch working to regain their place in society. Life skills training provides anger management, stress management, money management, and goal-setting that help them integrate back into their community.

To give yourself the best shot of abstaining long-term, an effective drug rehab center will offer what we’ve mentioned above. If you are worried about a drug or alcohol problem, Ocean Breeze Recovery wants to help. Our facility, which is a part of the Delphi Behavioral Health Group family, are qualified and offer effective treatment. We set the standard in addiction treatment and want to hear your story.

Call Ocean Breeze Recovery for Drug or Alcohol Addiction Today

Are you struggling with addiction? Ocean Breeze Recovery wants to help. Our main goal is to provide the highest quality treatment to give our clients their lives back.

Call now to speak with one of our addiction specialists about which of our treatment programs is best for you or your loved one. Let us offer you more information about your journey to recovery today.