Drug or Alcohol Addiction

Drug or alcohol addiction can afflict essentially anyone. The main characteristic of any type of addiction is a strong craving for a substance, accompanied by continuous drug seeking behavioral patterns.

In virtually all cases, the initial use of drugs or alcohol is a voluntary action, but due to the effects on the user's brain, his or her ability to abstain from the substance inevitably becomes compromised. When this happens, it may be difficult if not impossible to cease such behavior without the help of a professional.

Thankfully, there are numerous addiction recovery programs from which a prospective client can choose. Although some patients may need a unique approach to drug and alcohol abuse treatment, most treatment plans fall under one of two categories: outpatient or inpatient.

Inpatient Programs

As their name implies, inpatient programs require that the recovering addict live in the controlled environment of a facility 24 hours a day. Naturally, the primary drawback of this type of program is that the patient must leave his or her home, family and job in order to participate in the program. However, this type of treatment allows recovering addicts to escape their normal environment, which in most cases is rife with the temptation to use alcohol or drugs.

Most inpatient programs offer group or individual therapy, supervised medication regimen, if necessary, and a medically supervised detoxification program. Programs vary from one to another, and may include other features ranging from meditation and yoga to life skills training and family therapy.

Outpatient Programs

There are also some clinically proven addiction treatment programs in which one can participate on an outpatient basis. Outpatient rehabilitation therapy requires the recovering addict to make regular visits to a facility for treatment and therapeutic activities. This type of program always includes some form of counseling, which may be group sessions or individual, one-on-one appointments with a counselor.

One of the advantages of such treatment is the patient can remain at home and continue with normal social, family and work related activities as he or she is able.

However, one disadvantage, which does not come as a surprise to most individuals, is that the patient will have continuous access to the person or place where he or she acquired alcohol or drugs. For this reason, outpatient programs often begin with therapy that helps the person cope with or entirely avoid situations that are likely to trigger the desire to use the addictive substance.

Additionally, certain outpatient programs do not include a medically supervised detoxification. This means that the patient must quit the substance to which he or she is addicted "cold turkey."

The features of each program vary from one facility to the next and therefore, when searching for an affordable outpatient addiction treatment, it is wise to consider several different options before making a final decision. A person's individual needs and the severity of his or her addiction are also deciding factors regarding which treatment option is best.

Patients should also consider speaking to an addiction counselor when choosing an inpatient or outpatient facility, as such an individual can evaluate the patient and recommend the program that is most likely to offer good results. Fortunately, addiction recovery is possible for anyone, and those struggling with substance abuse problems should enroll in such a treatment program as soon as possible.