In a 60-day inpatient rehab program, you are expected to stay at the facility for 60 days. Clients can still see their family and friends but their movement is restricted to the facility so access to drugs and alcohol is cut off.
Some of the advantages of inpatient care include:
- Monitoring and Supervision: Clients are not alone as there is qualified personnel in the facility who monitor for any signs of danger. This is particularly important for addicts who are at risk of experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms.
- Focus: Clients can focus on recovery since day-to-day distractions have been eliminated. Drugs and alcohol are prohibited at the facility. The addict is also more focused since most triggers, such as places, people and events, are unlikely to appear.
- Community: Clients spend time with other people who are seeking substance abuse and alcohol treatment at the facility. Lifelong friendships often start in rehab.
- Amenities: Rehab facilities, particularly luxury rehab facilities, provide more amenities to make the stay more comfortable while cutting off outside influences. One of those amenities is privacy.
A 60-day program provides for additional care that may not be available in a 30-day program but is easier to commit to than a 90-day program. The drug and alcohol treatment options available for a 60-day program include:
- Detox and Medication Assisted Therapy
- 12 Step Programs
- Individual and group counseling
- Family therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Motivational Enhancement Therapy
You may be tempted to self-medicate or go cold turkey in order to overcome the habit. Taking part in an evidence-based program is the best bet for people trying to recover from addiction. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, DSM-5 provides details of all known mental conditions which includes substance abuse and alcohol addiction.
The criteria for determining substance abuse addition is summarized in 11 main points:
- You Continue Using Substances Despite The Dangers: Substances can have a serious impact on your health and may put you at risk of contracting HIV or may increase the chances of cardiovascular diseases. You may also put yourself in danger through risky behavior such as drinking and driving. If you’ve continued to use despite the presence of these risks then you need to consider rehabilitation.
- Unable to Function: Your addiction has compromised your ability to take care of your responsibilities at work or at home. You risk losing your job or being kicked out of school due to your habit.
- You can’t seem to Stop: You’ve tried several times to kick the habit, but you still find yourself seeking out another fix.
- Ruined Relationships: You’ve had conflicts with close friends, family members and colleagues at work. You continue to abuse substances despite these relationship problems.
- Isolation: You continued drug use has led you to isolate yourself. You may have stopped engaging in activities you enjoyed before in order to use drugs or alcohol.
- Withdrawal: You have intense cravings every time you go for a considerable period of time without using the drugs. Using the drug helps you to cope with the symptoms of withdrawal.
- Tolerance: You find yourself needing a higher dose to get to the same level of high.
- Your Life Revolves around the Substances you abuse: You spend a lot of time either looking for drugs and alcohol, using the drug or trying to recover from the intoxicating effects of the drug.
- Excessive Use of Drug and Alcohol: You find yourself using more of the substances than you initially intended to.
- Mental Disorders: You continue to use despite indications that the substances are having an impact on your mental health.
- Physical Harm: The abuse of alcohol or drugs has caused physical harm at work or at home.
The DSM-5 provides a guideline for professionals at treatment facilities to determine the severity of your addiction. The number of symptoms a patient has can tell clinicians how severe the addiction is. A patient is said to have mild substance abuse disorder if they exhibit up to three symptoms, the moderate disorder is when the patient has four or five of the above symptoms, while severe patients are those with more than six symptoms.
When talking about substance abuse and alcohol treatment, it is important to understand these three terms. It’s a common misconception that they are interchangeable.
- Tolerance: Refers to the body’s diminished reaction to substances, due to prolonged use. As chemical changes take place in the brain, the user needs a larger quantity of the substance to get the same high. Even though many addicts experience tolerance, tolerance doesn’t necessarily mean that someone is an addict.
- Dependence: Dependence is when the body experiences symptoms of withdrawal if the addict goes for a significant time without using the drug. Alcohol, prescription medication, and other opioids are known to cause withdrawal symptoms that can be severe, but even caffeine can cause mild withdrawal symptoms.
- Addiction: Addiction differs from tolerance or dependence in that it is an illness. People who are addicted to drugs or alcohol find it hard to stop even when there is evidence that the drug harms their physical and mental health. It is, however, possible for someone to have tolerance and dependence without being an addict.
Certain substances can have severe withdrawal symptoms that need to be treated through medical detox. While users of marijuana, cocaine, and crystal meth may experience a lot of discomfort if they stop using, they will not face serious or life-threatening symptoms of withdrawal except in unique cases.
The following drugs may, so withdrawal may require the supervision of a medical professional:
- Alcohol: Withdrawal symptoms can be categorized as mild, moderate and severe depending on how long the addict has used alcohol. People who engage in binge drinking or have been taking large amounts of alcohol for a long time will experience severe symptoms such as nausea, hallucination, seizures, and delirium tremens (DTs). If you experience any of these symptoms, you need to seek medical supervision from a qualified professional.
- Benzodiazepines: Extended use of benzos can cause severe withdrawal symptoms which can be a serious risk to your health. Symptoms may include palpitations, muscle pain, stiffness, nausea, and panic attacks. The use of alcohol or sedatives can intensify the withdrawal symptoms.
- Methadone: Methadone remains in the body for up to six weeks, prolonging withdrawal and making it difficult to address the symptoms, which may include suicidal ideation, tremors, nausea, and head and body aches.
- Barbiturates: Barbiturates have been phased out in favor of safer depressants. Withdrawal from barbiturates is risky and should never be attempted without the supervision of a qualified medic. Symptoms, which can begin within a few hours of last use, include delirium, hallucinations, cardiovascular collapse, tremors, and seizures.
The prospect of participating in a drug rehab program may cause apprehension for those seeking rehabilitation. Understanding what happens at a rehab facility can reduce anxiety and motivate individuals to seek the help they need.
Checking In
Before checking in to inpatient rehab, you’ll be required to take a questionnaire and answer a few questions to help the staff design a customized plan to ensure you get the best treatment plan. Although you will be discouraged from leaving early, you can’t be forced to stay. However, staying for the duration of your program will yield the best results.
Medical Detox
The first step or pre-step of rehab is a medically monitored detox by a qualified medical professional. Detoxification eliminates the toxins with or without drugs, depending on the severity of the addiction or withdrawal, to reduce withdrawal symptoms and allow rehab with minimal distress. Clients are monitored around the clock to ensure any risky symptoms are detected on time.
Behavioral Therapy
Behavioral therapy is based on the fact that people with substance use disorder need to learn new coping skills to replace their alcohol and drug abuse. Behavioral therapy also can treat the co-occurring underlying mental condition that may have triggered the drug or alcohol addiction. Both must be addressed simultaneously to control the problem effectively.
The 60-day program may include the following therapies:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Family Therapy
- Group and Individual Counseling
- Education and Life Skills Training
Aftercare Program
Evidence-based programs also should include aftercare programs to reduce the risk of a relapse. Before leaving rehab, we refer you to an intensive outpatient program (IOP) that will tailor an aftercare plan to help you stay sober. A counselor will guide you through the post-recovery process.
The cost of rehabilitation can be high and is one of the reasons some people don’t seek treatment. Most people don’t realize that the Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act requires most insurance policies to cover substance use disorder. The specifics of your coverage will depend on your state and your insurance policy.
Even if it isn’t fully or partially covered, look on alcohol and drug rehabilitation as an important life investment. The longer you put off rehabilitation, the worse the consequences and the higher the financial costs are likely to be. Considering the potential costs of prolonged drug use to your life, relationships, and career, the costs of rehab are comparatively low.
Taking the Crucial Step
To avoid future complications, seek rehabilitation as soon as possible. Dependence on drugs and alcohol can have a serious impact on your health, relationships, and career. No matter how debilitating your addiction, you can recover from alcohol and drug abuse and get your life on
