Who Needs Short Term Rehab?

Who needs short term rehab? Short term rehab is ideal for individuals who have only recently been struggling with substance abuse, individuals who have newly relapsed and need additional support getting back on track and individuals who cannot or do not want to be away from their daily life for an extended period of time. This type of treatment is best for individuals whose recovery is complicated by ongoing physical issues, emotional problems or a combination of both that need stabilization.�' Many times a program participant’s potential to experience a relapse back to substance use in spite of their great level of motivation is increased because they lack a stable support system, adequate living arrangements, healthy relationships, or a mixture of external stressors that continue to hinder their rehabilitation process; these are just a few of the reasons why enrolling in a short term rehab is a wise decision.

When considering if a short term rehab is right for you there are several advantages and disadvantages to be aware of. The primary advantage of a short term rehab is that it is less expensive than other treatment options, it is less time consuming and overall less disruptive to your life. Typical services provided at most short term rehab centers include: intake assessment and evaluation, physical evaluation by a physician or nurse practitioner, 24 hour monitoring by nursing staff, individualized plans of care, individual and group therapy, family sessions if applicable, educational groups, self-help support groups and a continuing care planning.

The length of time a short term rehab lasts is often between twenty eight days and a full month; whereas a long term program is usually a minimum of sixty to ninety days up to a full year in length. This length of time is often not adequate for an addicted person to withdrawal from the substances they are dependent on and make the major changes in their thought processes and behaviors to consider themselves fully recovered when short term rehab is over. This is why short term rehab is usually an initial step in a person’s recovery process. From there they will continue on into a sober living facility our outpatient treatment.

Because short term rehab usually only lasts a month or less this type of treatment is not right for individuals who have struggled with addiction issues for an extended period of time. Long term addicts will not be able to receive all the benefits of treatment from such a short duration in rehab. When addicted persons with a long history of substance abuse choose this type of treatment it leaves them susceptible to relapse. As with anything in life, if a person experiences too many failures they may begin to lose hope that they can ever really kick their habit. So, a person who truly wishes to end their addiction problems needs to make sure that choosing a short term rehab is the correct level of treatment they need. If it is, then enrolling and completing a short term rehab will likely provide them with the care and support they require. Once treatment is complete it is important that along with the rehab staff, they assess their level of recovery to determine if further treatment is necessary (i.e. sober living, outpatient care, therapy, etc.).