If you’re struggling with an addiction and have come to the point where you have admitted, at least to yourself, that you need help, you may be dismayed at the long treatment periods recommended at most inpatient drug rehabs. 90 days is typically the minimum suggested stay. That’s one-fourth of a year or the equivalent of a whole season. If your treatment is court-ordered, then it’s not a suggestion. It’s a requirement. That is, unless you’d prefer to go to jail.
There are solid reasons for the 90-day stay. In fact, that’s a minimum figure. For example, people with long drug use histories, often spanning years and decades, should really stay in treatment for an entire year. This is also true of methadone addiction. The longer stays are recommended for two reasons: one, the detox period, and two, the fact that it takes time to address and change ingrained habits. This is especially true of a long-term drug habit.
Drug Detox
It can take up to a month and more for the body to function normally again after the acute detox period is over. The body is healing during this time. It’s not at all unusual for sub-acute methadone withdrawal symptoms to persist for six weeks and even longer. That’s more than a third of the 90-day stay right there. Many facilities believe that recovery can only begin after the body has healed from the drug use and the person feels normal again without drugs. That’s why drug rehab is basically divided into three parts: detox, treatment and aftercare.
Once the body is completely detoxified, then counseling and other types of recovery treatment can begin to work to change the former addict’s thinking. Recovery also provides tools to help former addicts stay clean long after they have left the facility. These methods don’t work overnight. It takes time to change ingrained behavior patterns and negative thinking habits. People don’t change easily, even if they want to. When you compare 90 day treatment to say, two decades of drug use, you begin to see why 90 days isn’t long at all. It’s easier to understand why many facilities will recommend stays of a year and more. It also takes time to understand and work through the psychological aspects of drug use. Therapy of this nature doesn’t work overnight, either.
Now that you understand the reasons behind longer stays in drug rehab, perhaps you will be ready to commit to a change. Even if it takes awhile, it’s worth it when you compare the treatment period to the rest of your life. If you’re ready to take the step towards hope and recovery, call us at 844-903-2111. We are here at all hours of the night and day to help you choose the right path towards a new life.
