What’s Out There? – Different Types of Addiction Treatment Services

No one form of addiction treatment is best for all people – treatment works best when it’s matched to the needs and wants of the individual.

Addiction Treatment Programs

Here is a brief overview of some of the more commonly available types of addiction treatment programs:

• Private Counseling – Some people find working individually with a community based counselor or psychologist helpful in overcoming moderate substance abuse

• Support Groups - Community based support groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), can be found in most American communities. Research shows that people who maintain a participation in community addiction treatment after a period of primary care are more likely than those who don’t to maintain a successful recovery.

• Outpatient Addiction Treatment Programs – Outpatient addiction treatment programs typically offer a structured mix of therapeutic elements (group counseling, relapse prevention education, 12 steps work, addiction education etc.) offered during evening and weekend sessions.

• Intensive Outpatient Programs – More intensive versions of a typical outpatient addiction treatment program, at the most intensive level, these programs can be whole day programs for weeks or months in duration.

• Residential Detoxification – Specialty medical clinics (sometimes inside larger hospitals) offer nursing care and medication to those requiring stabilization during the initial withdrawal period. People dependent on alcohol, benzodiazepines and opiates will often need a brief period of detoxification prior to entry into a residential or outpatient rehabilitation program.

• Residential Addiction Treatment Programs (Drug Rehabs) – Residential addiction treatment programs offer lengths of stay that typically range from 28 days to 3 months in duration. The addiction treatment offered can vary greatly, but would be similar in nature to that offered in a day treatment program.

• Hospital Based Inpatient Addiction Treatment – Hospital inpatient care is the most intensive level of addiction treatment, typically for people who need stabilization from a co-occurring mental health disorder. Once stabilized, people in inpatient treatment programs will typically ‘step-down’ to residential care.

• Therapeutic Communities – These long duration residential programs are best suited for people with long and severe histories of addiction, often people who have tried and failed at alternate addiction treatment programs in the past. Therapeutic communities consider a re-socialization necessary for complete recovery (like a child needs to learn how to live in the world – so to does a long using addict need to re-learn how to live without the use of drugs or alcohol) and so the community works, plays and lives together for treatment durations that can last for as long as 2 years.

• Sober Living Houses - Also called halfway houses, sober living houses are supportive living environments for people who are new to recovery. People entering into a sober living home will typically have first completed a period of primary care addiction treatment. These home environments offer low cost, safe and sober living to people trying to remain abstinence during the tough initial months of post rehabilitation recovery.

Addiction Treatment Statistics

• In 2008, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 23.1 million people required substance abuse treatment (people who were classified as either substance dependent or substance abusers). Of these people, only 2.3 million received treatment.  (SAMHSA)
• Every dollar spent on addiction treatment yields a $4 - $7 savings in eventual social costs (reduced crime, increased productivity, decreased social assistance, etc). Experts estimate that if lifetime healthcare costs are factored in, every dollar spent on addiction treatment saves $12 in eventual expenses. ¹