Residential Rehab for Addiction Treatment
Residential rehab is one of the main addiction treatment programs for people in the U.S. with substance abuse problems.
You may qualify for a residential program if you’re heavily affected by addiction.
You may also qualify if you have any form of addiction accompanied by a major mental illness, also known as a dual diagnosis.
Residential programs can help you address all of your most important treatment needs.
These needs include halting your current pattern of substance abuse. They also include establishing a new, substance-free daily routine.
What Is Residential Treatment
Residential treatment provides one of the highest levels of care for substance abuse problems.
It’s mostly intended for people with severe drug or alcohol problems. These problems may include substance abuse, addiction or any combination of the two.
To participate in a residential program, you must live at your treatment facility while receiving care. This round-the-clock approach has several positive effects.
First, it gives you time to focus exclusively on your recovery. It also provides you with rapid access to any treatments you need.
In addition, residential programs make it easy for your doctor to keep tabs on your condition.
Residential services are broken down by their level of intensity. Potential options include low-intensity care, medium-intensity care and high-intensity care. They also include medically managed care.
Low-intensity residential treatment is a good fit for the most straightforward cases of serious abuse/addiction. People at this level of care get their treatment needs met.
However, their daily schedules tend to include more personal time.
Medium-intensity treatment proves a bit less personal time. It’s often used for residential care of teenagers with behavior problems. Without extra monitoring, such problems can interfere with successful addiction recovery.
The presence of a separate mental illness may make you a candidate for high-intensity care. That’s also true if you have serious physical health concerns. At this level, much less personal time exists.
Medical management provides immediate help for people affected by severe health concerns. These concerns are often related to withdrawal complications.
However, they may also involve other major problems. Time spent in medical management is typically brief.
Once your health crisis ends, you’ll move to another level of treatment.
Residential Alcohol Rehabilitation vs. Residential Drug Rehabilitation
You may wonder what to expect at a residential program. That depends, in part, on whether you have alcohol- or drug-related issues.
Some of the options used to treat drug and alcohol problems are the same. However, at least some treatment options will differ. So, how to start residential treatment?
Regardless of what happens later, all effective residential rehab begins with a course of detox (detoxification). Detox is the place where you bring your alcohol or drug use to a stop.
It’s also where you go through the process of withdrawal. Depending on your situation, your withdrawal symptoms can range from mild to severe.
At their worst, these symptoms can put your life at risk. A residential detox program will protect you while you go through withdrawal.
It will also provide any treatments you need to make the process less dangerous or uncomfortable. When you finish detox, you’ll be prepared to enter your primary rehab program.
Primary Alcohol Rehabilitation
In alcohol rehab, you will probably receive medication as part of your primary care. The list of options includes three substances approved for this purpose:
- Naltrexone
- Disulfiram
- Acamprosate
Each of these medications provides certain benefits. Your doctor will help determine which of them are needed in your case.
Residential alcohol rehab also includes the use of something called behavioral therapy. This is a form of talk therapy that can support your recovery in a variety of ways.
That includes helping you maximize your results while in treatment. It also includes helping you steer clear of alcohol after your program ends.
Specific therapy options for people with alcohol problems include:
- Contingency management
- Cognitive behavioral therapy
- 12-step facilitation therapy
- Motivational enhancement therapy
- Community reinforcement
Primary Drug Rehabilitation
Medications are not as widely used in residential drug rehab. In fact, only one drug-related condition, opioid addiction, has approved medication options.
People with opioid problems may temporarily receive an opioid-based medication to stabilize their condition. The two possibilities here are buprenorphine and methadone.
Treatment of opioid problems may also involve the use of anti-opioid medications (e.g., naloxone, naltrexone). Most of the behavioral therapy options for drug problems are the same as those for alcohol problems.
However, one option – the Matrix Model – is only used for people addicted to stimulants.
Residential Rehab Vs. PHP Rehab
You may sometimes hear residential rehab compared to another option called a partial hospitalization program (PHP). So, what’s the difference between residential treatment and PHP rehab?
One big difference is setting. While you must live onsite during residential care, PHPs are outpatient programs. Every week, people under partial hospitalization receive about 20 hours of help at their facility.
PHPs also serve a narrower purpose. They’re specifically designed for outpatients with additional, unstable health problems. Such problems may include mental illness.
They may also include serious physical issues.
Who Qualifies for Residential Addiction Treatment
Who attends residential rehab? Generally speaking, residential programs are meant for two groups of people. The first group includes people with severe forms of substance abuse and/or addiction.
What makes abuse/addiction severe? The presence of at least six out of 11 symptoms within a year’s time.[iv] In addition to withdrawal, potential problems include things such as:
- Damage to your ability to control your substance use
- Serious disruption of your ability to remain functional in daily life
- An increase in the amount of alcohol or drugs you need to feel drunk or “high”
- An inability to change a pattern of substance use that you know harms your health
The second main group in residential rehab includes people affected by a mental illness. Unfortunately, addiction and mental health issues often overlap.
The most common illness in people with drug or alcohol problems is depression. Additional common illnesses include bipolar, eating and anxiety disorders.
Mental illness is a significant concern in addiction treatment. That’s true even for people with mild substance problems. Why? Because people with mental health problems have an unusually hard time getting and remaining sober.
As a rule, residential care is needed to produce any lasting results.
How Long Will You Stay in Residential Rehab
Residential programs often take between 30 and 90 days to complete. However, this is just an average. Some programs require enrollments of six months. Others last for a year or more.
We encourage everyone to stay in treatment for as long as you can. By doing so, you’ll boost your chances of getting the help you need for lasting results.
The Cost of Residential Rehab
The cost of a residential program is often a topic of concern. No matter your situation, we can help find an affordable option for treatment at Pathfinders Recovery Center.
There is one major question to consider. Does your insurance cover residential addiction treatment? If so, you won’t have any problem finding a program that fits your budget.
Fortunately, you can also find budget-friendly options if you don’t have insurance. How is that possible?
We offer options that feature payment plans or agreements. These arrangements allow you to pay over time instead of all at once.
Get More Information on Residential Rehab Options
Residential rehab is the gold standard for people with severe substance problems. It’s also the standard for anyone affected by substance problems and mental illness.
Residential programs require you to live on site while you get help. That help includes drug or alcohol detox. It also includes primary substance treatment.
Treatment requirements differ for each type of addiction. They also differ from person to person. This means that residential programs provide individualized care for all participants.
It also means that a day in residential treatment is not the same for everyone. Your treatment plan may include the use of medication. In addition, it will probably include some form of behavioral therapy.
Residential Rehab at Pathfinders
Our residential programs vary in the amount of time they take to complete. They also vary in their cost.
We will put together the best program to meet your treatment goals and your time requirements. You will also find programs that fits your budget.
To get more information on residential rehab, contact us today.
We’re standing by with the expert guidance you need to support your recovery.