Addiction Help - Different Types

By : David Richards


Maybe you have just realized that you have an alcohol or drug addiction problem and are ready for seeking help with your addiction. Or maybe you are affected by the fact that you have a friend or someone you love who is struggling with and alcoholism or a drug addiction problem. Addiction help is everywhere and is possible to get, but where should I start, you may ask? We know there are many varieties of assistance and help, and all in all this can be very confusing and even overwhelming. The kind of help that you or your loved one need depends on such factors as

* what the addiction is,
* the patients history of alcohol or drug addiction,
* the patients financial situation
* the severity of the alcohol or drug addiction problem.

Addiction help repeatedly includes a trip to inpatient drug rehab. Rather than the scary, institutional setting in most cases depicted in film and legend, inpatient drug or alcoholism rehab units tend to be modern, open, airy and pleasant. In an inpatient drug or alcohol rehab program, you will have the opening to work through not only the detoxification process but also the issues that led up to your drug addiction problem. A stay at an inpatient drug or alcohol rehab will generally be short-term, lasting no longer than a month, unless your individual situation requires a longer period. The main benefit of inpatient drug or alcoholism rehab is that you will have access to 24 hour a day, 7 days a week help and support. The major drawback of inpatient drug rehab is the cost. You will need to decide if your private insurance will cover your stay and if not, whether the institution offers a sliding scale rate based on ability to pay.

Twelve step programs are another rationale that works well for many people. Twelve step programs are commonly run by peer counselors who were once addicted to drugs themselves. This form of addiction assistance is either free or very low cost and generally provides you with a strong support network of those who understand your drug addiction. The biggest disadvantage to this type of program is also its major advantage: that it hands over the full responsibility for working the program to you. Whether or not you are capable to handle this responsibility while living in your current situation is a decision you must make carefully.

Another alternative for addiction help is outpatient counseling. This is done with a trained addictions therapist and occurs about twice a week or just one or a few times a month. This all depends on the patient's treatment plan. A therapist will help work through the problems and issues that may have caused the drug addiction to occur in the first place, offering assistance in several forms.

Whatever form of addiction support you choose, remember that getting over drug or alcohol addiction is a lifelong process. While a few former alcoholics claim that they are now able to drink responsibly, current professional thought on the topic is that it is a hazardous game to play. Once you been addicted to a drug - alcohol included - your likelihood of relapse is much higher than the risk of develop addiction for someone who has never been addicted. It is optimal for you to remain free of that drug and any others for the rest of your life.

Actually there is nothing called "the best solution" to the problem of alcohol or drug addiction. Many addicts find that the best solution is to take advantage of a range of addiction help services as they go through the process of becoming drug or alcohol independent The patients decisions will ultimately be based on a multitude of factors and should ideally be made with the assistance of a trained and licensed addictions counselor, doctor or psychologist.

David Richards is a publisher of alcoholism facts You can go to alcoholism treatment for more.

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