According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the majority of people who enter and remain in an extended, addiction treatment program will stop using drugs, reduce their criminal activity, and improve their occupational, social, and psychological functioning.

If you or your loved one is struggling with the debilitating disease of addiction, know that choosing to enter a drug addiction center is one of the most impactful and important decisions you can make in your lifetime. Effective drug treatment not only helps a person stop substance use, but also teaches them the skills needed to maintain a healthy, drug-free life – including relapse prevention. This is not to say that choosing a rehab program is always an easy decision, though. There are many different types of addiction treatment out there today; how can you be sure you are choosing the right program?

The truth is, not all addiction centers are the same. Not to mention, every person is different and has different needs. Finding an addiction treatment center that meets the needs of your loved one will significantly increase his or her chances of a successful recovery.

So, before deciding on a treatment facility, consider your loved one’s physical and psychological needs. Consider how willing he or she is to go to drug treatment. Consider the type of environment your loved one is in now, and the type that he or she would succeed in best. Then, explore your many options for rehab. Today, you can choose an inpatient or outpatient addiction center, a luxury rehab facility, a dual diagnosis treatment center, evidence-based and 12-step programs, and more.

Every addiction center essentially has the same goal – to reduce or stop a person’s substance use, and to reduce their chance of relapse – however, each center has different approaches and philosophies at their core. In this article, Turnbridge walks you through the different addiction centers out there today.

First, it’s important to understand that addiction treatment centers generally fall into two very different types: inpatient and outpatient. These are defined below:

• Inpatient or Residential Addiction Centers –

Inpatient drug treatment programs offer round-the-clock, 24/7 care for individuals battling addiction, but in a non-hospital setting. Generally, inpatient rehab facilities are placed in a secure, serene, and secluded environment, where clients can focus on their healing and steer clear from outside pressures. In addition to a safe space, residents are surrounded by caring professionals and peers (of the same age and gender) who are also walking the road to recovery. This offers clients a strong, sober support network when they need it most. Turnbridge is considered a recovery community for this very reason.

Typically, residential addiction centers offer long-term programs, lasting between six to 12 months.  The NIDA reports that most addicted individuals require at least 3 months of treatment to significantly reduce or stop drug use; the best outcomes come with longer durations of treatment. 

• Outpatient Rehab Centers –

Outpatient care is a type of drug treatment that allows a person to continue living at home while getting help for their addiction. Patients attend regular meetings, check-ins, and individual or group treatment sessions at a dedicated, outpatient setting. This is an option is ideal for people who need professional treatment, but are unable to drop everything and move into a residential setting (for example, those with family obligations). It is important to note, however, that outpatient facilities vary in their service offerings. Some outpatient addiction centers will offer intensive detoxification, drug counseling, and treatment for mental health disorders, just as an effective inpatient rehab would; other outpatient centers may offer little more than drug education.

While outpatient treatment can in fact be effective, the major downside of outpatient addiction centers is that the person in recovery still needs to return home and carry out normal errands each day – somewhere in between, he or she might be exposed to relapse triggers. That said, outpatient drug treatment is generally best for those with less severe substance addictions.

Within the buckets of inpatient and outpatient drug rehab, there are many types of addiction centers available to people struggling with substance use disorders. Here are just a few you can choose from:

• Detoxification Center – Detoxification centers help people (and their bodies) wean off their drug of choice safely, and help them monitor withdrawal symptoms. These centers often use medication-assisted therapies to help ease any discomfort in this process.
• Luxury Addiction Centers – Luxury rehab centers have a lot of appeal, often featuring vacation-like resorts for addicted individuals to “escape to,” and often come with a hefty price tag. The problem with luxury rehab is that addiction recovery requires work and dedication, and those that advertise “luxury” rehab programs do not always recognize this. Often, you can find high-end amenities, such as yoga studios and beautiful buildings, at a residential treatment center.
• 12-Step Programs – This is a common addiction treatment approach based on a set of guiding principles, where are designed to reduce or expel a person’s drug and alcohol use. You can read about the benefits of 12-step programs here.
• Gender-Specific Addiction Treatment – Gender-specific treatment programs provide an ideal healing environment for men and women to focus on themselves, without temptation or distraction from the opposite gender. Men and women typically have different experiences with drugs and addiction, and are more likely to connect and open up in a gender-specific setting.
• Dual Diagnosis Center – These types of treatment programs are equipped to treat more than your loved one’s addiction. They treat co-occurring disorders, too, such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, bipolar disorder, and other mental health issues.
• Evidence-Based Drug Treatment – Evidence-based addiction treatment is associated with the most successful recovery outcomes. These programs look at addiction as a complex and chronic disease, and, using a variety of behavioral treatment methods, show patients how to cope with drug cravings, difficult emotions, withdrawal symptoms, and ultimately prevent relapse.

Addiction treatment is not one size fits all. Not every addiction center is fit for every person. To ensure you are choosing the right addiction treatment center, schedule a tour at their facility and do your homework beforehand. Research the facilities and the rehab’s mission online. Look through the center’s website, articles and guides, and read reviews to find out what others are saying about their experiences there. When you arrive at your in-person visit, be prepared to ask questions to find out more about their philosophy on addiction treatment.

Questions to Ask a Potential Addiction Center

• What is their treatment philosophy? How do they view addiction?
• What is the staff-to-patient ratio? (The lower the ratio, the more individualized attention your loved one will receive.)
• Are their counselors and clinicians certified to treat patients?
• Do they have staff available 24 hours a day?
• Which therapy modalities do they use during treatment? Do those vary?
• Do their treatment programs help with other medical needs, such as mental illness?
• Is the program adaptable to age, gender, cultural background, and histories of trauma?
• Do they offer treatment programs for your loved one’s specific addiction? (Prescription drugs, heroin, alcohol, etc.)
• What is their recommended length of treatment?
• What are the treatment facilities and environment like?
• How do they integrate a patient’s education or work into the program?
• What types of recreational activities are offered?
• Is the admissions team transparent with you, or do they tell you what you want to hear?
• Will your loved one be comfortable, happy, engaged, and successful here?

Turnbridge is not your average in-and-out, get-sober “rehab” center. The term rehab implies fixing what is broken and returning to a previous state of life. Turnbridge, on the other hand, believes that the very person who became addicted to drugs or alcohol was never his or her best self; these people do not need to be fixed. Rather, they need to emerge out of their addictions and move forward, to become the best possible individuals they can be.

Turnbridge is an inpatient, evidence-based young adult treatment center offering dual diagnosis, gender-specific, and long-term programs for young men and women battling addiction. In addition to recovering from the disease of addiction, residents are given the opportunity to have mentors, to live and thrive alongside same-age, same-gender peers, and to build lasting, sober friendships at Turnbridge. Contact us at 877-581-1793 to learn how we can help your loved one overcome addiction.