2013-03-07

Long Term Drug Rehab is a term that can mean many different things to many people, and Long Term Alcohol Rehab is similar in that respect.   The reason there is no blanket definition for these terms is that rehabilitation is an overall term for treating those addicted to any substance, from illegal drugs, to alcohol, to prescription medications.  This treatment is absolutely necessary for an addict to get off drugs or alcohol, and often quite literally saves his or her life.  The only alternative to this type of treatment is to go on using, which will almost undoubtedly lead to a wide range of physical, social, legal, and psychological problems, or even death.  So, of course, the primary goal of any detox or rehab program is to help the addicted person to live without the need for the addictive substance to which they have become dependent, but the methods of getting to that point vary widely.

Long Term Drug and Alcohol Rehab Centers in California, and throughout the United States, offer a broad range of treatment methods and recovery philosophies.  Some are faith based; some have a “tough love” approach; and others are gender specific, such as those specializing in drug rehab for women.  Some programs offer short term or outpatient care, others offer only Long Term Drug Rehab, and still others offer both short and long term care.  Most experts agree that the most effective Long Term Alcohol Rehab and drug rehab programs are those providing long term residency programs that address the root causes of drug and alcohol dependency, including the psychological and physiological factors surrounding addiction.

Drug detox and rehab are the first steps in the Long Term Drug Rehab process, but there is much more to attaining a sober lifestyle beyond the initial detoxification and treatment.  Many people think primarily of the withdrawal from drugs and alcohol when considering entering a rehab program, but the truth is, even though the physical and psychological pain that can be experienced during this time is often severe, it is relatively short lived.  So to think of this relatively minor period of time as being what Long Term Alcohol Rehab or a drug rehab program is all about is short sighted.  The reason behind a person’s addiction has a lot to do with the body’s building of a tolerance for the offending substance.  The more an addict uses a particular drug or drinks alcohol, their brain adapts to the substance, which causes the addicted individual to need more of whatever drug they are taking to feel the effects of it.  This cycle can be a deadly one, as it leads to heavier use, often to the point of overdose or serious physical damage to the body’s organs and nervous system.  This is why it is so important for anyone with a drug or alcohol addiction to seek out Long Term Drug and Alcohol Rehab Centers in California, or wherever they can find a quality, long term, gender specific program.  It is the breaking of this cycle of dependence that is the goal of any Long Term Drug Rehab program, and the initial detox period is, again, only the first step in the process.

Another factor that quality Long Term Alcohol Rehab and drug rehab programs take into consideration is the element of psychological dependency.  Rehab centers focus on this aspect of treatment in order to teach patients ways to interact in an atmosphere free of drugs and alcohol.  Part of this approach is to help addicts through the challenges associated with living without contact with family or friends who are abusing drugs and alcohol.  Individual and group counseling, often including former addicts, has been found to be very helpful in this regard.  Counseling sessions after initial treatment are also recommended, and sometimes required by the court, if the addict was referred to treatment though the legal system.  Through these counseling sessions, people suffering with drug and alcohol addiction are also taught to look at the habits they have surrounding their addictions as well as methods for changing those habits.  We know that much of the cycle of addiction is somewhat ritualistic.  In other words, people get into patterns that include the use of drugs or alcohol, and breaking these patterns is critical in getting sober.

Long Term Drug and Alcohol Rehab Centers in California offer the programs and treatment methods mentioned above, and they offer something else as well.  Sothern California in particular, is known for its sunny climate and carefree beach living.  And while a person attending a Long Term Drug Rehab program is obviously not in a position to feel carefree (yet), just being in such an environment is conducive to healing, and a great place to begin a life of sober living.  There is something therapeutic about being close to the Pacific Ocean, and waking up to sunny skies almost every day.  It lifts the spirit and helps to create a mood of positive energy, which is important during treatment for drug and alcohol addiction.  It makes sense, even to anyone not trained in alcohol or drug treatment, that the better one feels about the environment they are in, the less stress they feel, and the more they can focus on the task at hand; which, in this case, is getting off drugs or alcohol.  For women especially, feeling as though they are in a safe, comfortable environment helps them to relax and open up more, which is critical for counseling and treatment to progress at a healthy pace.

Safe Harbor Treatment Center for Women is an encouraging, relaxed, safe haven for women who want to overcome addictions to drugs or alcohol.  Located in Costa Mesa, California, Safe Harbor is one of the preeminent Long Term Drug and Alcohol Rehab Centers in California.  Safe Harbor offers programs for a wide range of drug addiction, and their drug and alcohol detox and rehab programs are designed specifically for women.  For more information on Long Term Drug Rehab programs in California, please visit http://www.safeharborhouse.com or email us today.

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