Drug rehab centers tend to treat the problems of addiction and recovery to the point where the patient graduates successfully from the rehab program. However, most treatments don’t extend to what happens once the resident completes the program and leaves the facility. Relapses are a very common problem, given the nature of addiction, and lead to a recurrence of the problems associated with substance abuse in the workplace and in family life. A treatment that’s designed to prevent relapses can be much more effective, helping residents to make a complete recovery.
The nature of addictions
The nature of addiction makes it a complex problem, to which there are no easy solutions. Drug and alcohol addictions are frequently correlated with mental illness. People who have problems with substance abuse in the workplace and at home are also three times more likely to have a mental illness.
Overall, more than 15% of people with substance abuse problems also have a mental illness. Conversely, one out of five or 20% of people with mental illness also have problems with substance abuse in the workplace and at home. This indicates that there are no simple cures for addiction, and drug rehab centers have to take this tendency for addictions to return into consideration when planning treatments.
Substance abuse is an urgent problem
The problem of substance abuse in the workplace and elsewhere is an urgent one. As many as 47,000 deaths per year in Canada are linked to substance abuse. Treatment for substance abuse costs the Canadian health system $8 billion each year. Substance abuse affects families and communities, trading apart relationships and destroying trust.
Worldwide, alcohol is the third leading cause of disease and injury. It is a matter of concern that Canadians drink much more than other nationalities. They imbibe 50% more alcohol than the global average, according to a study by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). There’s a gender dimension to addiction as well, and men have higher rates of addiction than women. Women with addictions are however 54% more likely to die prematurely due to drug abuse.
Three phases of complete recovery
The problem of substance abuse in the workplace and the community is a complex one, and the drug rehab process should take this complexity into account. Private drug rehab centers are better placed to provide support to people who have formally graduated from their inpatient rehab program, with aftercare that aimed at preventing relapses.
The three steps to complete recovery are: assessment and stabilization, recovery and aftercare.
- In the first phase, the individual is assessed and stabilized physically. Evidence-based tools are used to assess the extent of the addiction and other problems.
- The second phase is recovery, with patients receiving best practice models of chemical dependency treatment. The patient also participates in intensive group therapy, individual counseling, and 12-Step programs.
- The third phase, which continues after the patient has left the facility, offers aftercare through extended follow up program. This helps to prevent relapses through development of problem solving and coping skills.
A successful recovery program provides support through follow up programs that prevent relapses. It offers a lasting solution to the problems of substance abuse in the workplace, at home and in the community.
