Why Replacement Drugs Don’t Work
Have you ever been told that if you take a certain drug that it will help with symptoms of addiction? It happens to be only partially true.
Yes, if you replace one drug with another, then the person will temporarily not use the original drug, such as methadone maintenance or Suboxone for heroin or Oxycontin addiction, but it will never completely solve the problem.
Believe it or not, the same holds true when people are given anti-smoking drugs, anti-drinking drugs, anti-anxiety drugs, anti-psychotic drugs and even anti-depressant drugs. None of these drugs ever completely solve the addiction or cure the symptoms - they’re only temporary treatments to relieve the discomfort.
Ultimately, for the individual to be considered ‘rehabilitated’, he or she must be off of those drugs as well, and sometimes that can be just as difficult or even more so than the original drugs they were on. Many drugs given as a form of treatment these days, especially of the mental variety, actually have very severe side effects such as increased suicidal thoughts, irrational behavior, decreased libido, diabetes and dependency as well. Withdrawal from some of these drugs can even cause a temporary psychotic break and even a siezure.
Finding a Long-Term Drug-Free Rehab
Many medications prescribed in addiction treatment are meant to address the body’s ‘chemical balance’ issues caused by drug use. However, by forcing it in one direction or another with a new drug this very natural process is still damaged and incorrect. A long-term drug-free rehabilitation program allows enough time for the body to start to readjust its own natural balance, and proper nutrition and exercise greatly increases that ability. Our bodies are built to repair themselves, so why should it be any different regarding the damage caused by drug addiction?
There may still be the reality of a situation where an addict cannot simply stop taking a drug suddenly, illicit or prescribed, in this case a medical detox program may be beneficial instead of a slow wean off the drugs.
You can contact us today by calling 1-800-475-4553 for an initial consultation and assessment followed by a recommendation of effective drug detoxification and rehabilitation services around the country.
Drug Rehab Success Rates
Researching treatment programs online, you can see that there is competition among drug rehab programs to tout who has the best success rates. The truth is, these published success rates are relative. What one group deems a success is different for another. Some people count their success based on the reduction in overall drug use, so even if someone uses drugs twice per week instead of every day they would still call that success. Other programs get it right and measure whether or not someone is using drugs at all. That is a true success rate. However, some may stop counting when the person leaves the program, or within the first few months after completion. The longer they measure that success and drug-free state, the better. Additionally, it should be noted that retention rate is a factor. Retention rate is the number of people who enroll in the program vs. the percentage who actually complete it. Generally, a retention rate above 50% is better than average. The best retention rate for long term residential programs participating in the national Drug Abuse Treatment Outcome Study (DATOS) was 65%.
Contact us to find a successful long term drug addiction rehab program. Fill out the form above right or call 1-800-475-4553.
