How Long-Term Inpatient Drug Rehab Helps Prevent Relapse

Outpatient drug rehab programs and 21-day inpatient programs can sound appealing and convenient if you’ve decided to seek treatment to overcome substance abuse. But if you’re serious about improving your life and becoming healthier through sobriety, a long-term inpatient drug rehab program may be the answer you need to help you recover successfully and avoid future relapses.

Obligations such as work, school, family, and relationships can influence your decision when choosing a drug rehab program, as can factors such as finances. But when it comes to recovering from drug addiction, it’s important that you understand rehabilitation is not a race, but a journey that can take weeks or months, depending on your unique situation and dependency.

Here’s a closer look at how long-term inpatient drug rehab can help prevent relapse and get you on the right path to recovery.

Identify the Root Cause of Addiction

One of the keys to treating drug abuse is understanding what led to addiction in the first place. Factors such as stress, anxiety, boredom, peer pressure, and mental illness are just a few common reasons some people abuse drugs. A long-term inpatient program allows more time for you and medical staff to identify the root cause behind addiction so you can work together on treating the underlying cause.

Long-term rehab provides adequate time for patients to learn stress-relief techniques.

In many cases, short-term programs and outpatient programs lack the amount of time needed to help you find out what triggered substance abuse in the first place. Plus, the detox phase can take up to several weeks for some individuals, which equates to less overall time for recovery with shorter programs.

Break the Cycle of Dependence

Long-term inpatient facilities allow you to develop a healthy, structured daily routine so you can learn how to live happily and successfully without drugs and alcohol. An inpatient facility also serves as a safe haven in which you can experience detox and other recovery stages at your own pace without facing everyday distractions. For the duration of treatment, you can stay solely focused on overcoming drug dependency in a manner that works best for you.

Improve Your Physical Health

Since different types of drugs affect each individual differently from the next, there is no real one-size-fits-all approach to treatment for substance abuse. For instance, heavy users may experience intense, severe withdrawal symptoms that can take up to several weeks to overcome. In these cases, a long-term drug rehab program allows the individual to recover completely from a physical standpoint before addressing other emotional and psychological needs.

Following detox, you may notice an improvement in sleep and nutrition habits that contribute to a greater sense of physical and emotional well-being. Feeling great from both a physical and emotional standpoint can help you curb the urge to abuse drugs in the future.

Balance Brain Chemistry

Long-term drug abuse often results in chemical imbalance and altered neurotransmitter activity that contribute to lasting addiction. Sometimes, these imbalances can take months to stabilize. Long-term treatment allows plenty of time for your brain and body to normalize so you’re less likely to experience drug cravings or dependency in the future. Improved nutrition, regular exercise, and effective stress-relief techniques can help you rebalance brain chemistry.

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Improve Family Relations

If substance abuse has led to complex dynamics within your immediate family, a long-term inpatient drug rehab program can help you overcome previous behaviors and old ways of thinking to improve your relationship with your family. Some rehab programs offer family therapy sessions, in which you and your family can work together on addressing underlying family problems that stemmed from your addiction.

Long-term rehab programs allow you to mend relations with your family at a comfortable pace so you’re not rushing back into a difficult situation before everyone is ready. Finding common ground with your family can help you avoid relapse when your treatment program has ended.

Get a Fresh Start

Individuals who may have jeopardized their careers or general livelihood due to substance abuse can learn how to become more independent and successful with long-term drug rehab programs. Long-term inpatient facilities can teach you new life skills that can be applied toward your desired career or schooling — allowing for a smooth transition from treatment and back into your new life with confidence.

If you’re struggling with substance abuse, understand that you’re not alone, and that a long-term inpatient drug rehab program can help you overcome drug dependency and lower the risk of relapse following treatment. Call our helpline at 800-430-1407Who Answers? to learn more about how long-term drug rehab programs can help you get your life back on track.