Spending some time in one of South Africa’s quality drug addiction treatment clinics can be a necessary lifesaver for anyone struggling with drug abuse or alcohol addiction. Coming to terms with an addiction problem can be overwhelming and scary, not only for the addicted person but also for their loved ones.
The clinical support & guidance provided at a drug addiction treatment clinic in South Africa is paramount to getting to grips with how and why you’ve become addicted and what you can do to begin to take responsibility for your illness. A registered drug addiction treatment clinic will include a good aftercare support system that helps you to find ways to a healthier physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and social life. Here are some essentials you need to know about drug addiction treatment clinics:
What Is a Drug addiction treatment clinic?
Also sometimes known as residential rehab, a drug addiction treatment clinic offers a safe place for an addicted person to stay for a period of time, free from the everyday run of things and with professional addictions counselling to focus on their addiction and beginning their journey of recovery. Being admitted to an addictions treatment clinic is not an escape from work and life’s pressures but rather has the benefit of isolation and allowing the patients to focus on the primary addiction issues that are impeding them. Being in a rehab centre also removes social temptations and any other possible triggers for their drug or alcohol addiction.
A drug addiction treatment clinic serves as a haven where an addict can concentrate solely on overcoming their addiction. The World Health Organisation (WHO) and other leading medical and health authorities, view drug addiction and alcoholism as a Primary Illness. This means that no aspect of the addicted person’s life gets better until their addiction gets better. Allowing your loved one the time out in an addictions treatment clinic to sort their affairs and structure their life around their addictive problem with the professional addictions counselling offered may be paramount to their success.
What Does Staying at a Drug addiction treatment clinic Involve?
Most drug addiction treatment clinics have similar rehabilitation features. This will most likely include a drug or alcohol detox at the beginning of the programme, as it makes sense that you need to be drug or alcohol free before engaging the treatment and recovery process with a clear and level mind. Following the drug or alcohol detoxification, an addict will start a programme of psychological, educational and social therapy that is tailored to their specific needs. The aim of this therapy is to better equip the addict with skills that will help them to live a drug or alcohol free life when they leave the drug addiction treatment clinic.
There are various types of addiction rehab programs that can include the following:
12-step Programmes
The 12-step programmes are based largely on the very successful 12-steps used by Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). The AA 12-step programme has since been adapted into many other 12-step programmes that are specific to different drugs, (NA) Narcotics Anonymous and eating disorders, OA (Overeaters Anonymous), among others.
Religious-based Programmes
These programmes sometimes use a form of the 12-step programmes but also often incorporate scripture reading for inspiration and advice, group counselling and routine church attendance. While faith-based recovery programmes may not be ideal for everyone, they can be the perfect addiction treatment for those addicts who do believe in “God”.
Therapeutic Community Programmes
Wikipedia defines a therapeutic community programme as a participative, group-based approach to long-term mental illness, personality disorders and drug addiction. This type of programme usually involves the patients and therapists living together and includes group psychotherapy as well as practical activities.
Cognitive-behavioural Programmes
Cognitive-behavioural programmes are exactly what they imply: changing unhealthy behaviours and thoughts. This kind of programme teaches addicts how to fight urges, deal with uncomfortable emotions and solve financial, work and social problems that may have been caused by their addiction. The goal of this type of addiction treatment is to “rewire” the addict’s brain and open them up to a new way of thinking. The best addictions treatment clinics use a combination of the best features of all these models to provide a comprehensive, tailor made programme that suits each individual’s recovery from addiction.
The Advantages of Staying in a Drug addiction treatment clinic?
In general, rehab programmes that are carried out while staying at an drug addiction treatment clinic, have a higher chance of being successful than many out-patient programmes for dependent people. When an addict is staying at a rehab centre they will enjoy the following benefits:
- regular interaction with an addiction counsellor
- a supportive environment of professionals and others who understand what they are going through
- well-structured programmes that are clear about what needs to be done for a successful recovery
- activities that are tailored to their individual needs
Our rehabilitation has done the research though working at all the good drug addiction treatment clinics throughout the UK and South Africa, please call us for advice on how best to choose an addictions treatment clinic.
How Long Does One Usually Stay at an Drug addiction treatment clinic?
The duration of an addiction treatment programme can vary from 28 days to 90 days or longer and an addict will be advised by an addiction counsellor, who together with the rest of the multi-disciplinary team will negotiate and agree upon the best way forward for each patient.
There have been many studies which link the duration of an addict’s stay in an drug addiction treatment clinic with the success of their recovery and so the standard advice is that the addicted person commit to as long a period of time as recommended by the addiction counsellor.
What Can Be Expected After Leaving a drug addiction treatment clinic?
Most, if not all addiction treatment programmes involve a period of aftercare treatment once leaving the rehab centre. This should include ongoing counselling, group meetings and sometimes, medical support.
It is key that aftercare treatment is available in the patient’s home area as the patient will now be back in their home environment and in their daily routines and revisiting the rehab centre for aftercare treatment needs to be as convenient as possible to help ensure regular attendance.
Four Things to Ask when Looking at drug addiction treatment clinics.
- Duration of programme: This could range from a minimum of a one week detoxification to a year or longer.
- Medical cover: Most rehab centres concentrate mainly on psychological treatment and vary in the amount of medical and psychiatric care they provide.
- Accommodation: This varies greatly from clinic to clinic and will be dependent on personal preference and budget.
- Price: Again, this varies greatly from clinic to clinic and programme to programme. Price is often linked to the standard of accommodation and medical cover and not necessarily the quality of the addiction treatment. It’s a good idea to find out what your medical aid is willing to cover.
With the help of a drug addiction treatment clinic an addict can safely begin a journey of successful recovery from active addiction that has, until now, most likely turned their life upside down. Checking into an addictions treatment clinic does not make a person weak, it makes them smart for realising that they need help and a registered rehab centre will provide the tools and support they need to overcome their addiction....
If you are looking for a way to overcome addiction, call one of our rehabilitation consultants today to find a drug addiction treatment clinic that suits your needs and budget.