The 5 Levels of Care in Treatment

The 5 Levels of Care in Treatment

Addiction and substance abuse takes the sufferer into a downward spiral of an increasingly chaotic circle of neglect and danger causing pain and suffering to the addict and also to loved ones and family.

The only way of breaking these chains of addiction, is when the sufferer or addict decides that it is time to break them. This is an extremely hard decision to make so it is crucial that once an addict makes the choice to get clean, the information available is clear and easy to follow.

Breaking any addiction is hard and most people need support to be able to follow it through, preferably as soon as possible to avoid slipping back into their old habits.  Most people do not become addicts overnight. It takes time for a habit to develop so it also takes time for an addict to recover. Likewise there are 5 essential pathways of care designed to help addicts beat their addiction.

Detox

Detoxing from alcohol or opioid drugs such as heroin, means that your body must undergo a physical withdrawal from the substance and this can lead to dangerous and horrendous life threatening symptoms. Undergoing a detox program mitigates these symptoms by the use of medication as well as by constant monitoring and support. This step is mandatory in all addiction treatment.

In patient Rehab

Spending time in Rehab to detox makes the whole process much easier as you are under constant medical supervision and do not have the opportunity to go out and score drugs or drink alcohol. In addition, you will undergo various therapies in groups or on a one to one basis to help you understand your problem.

In patient rehab facilities can vary depending on their own criteria. Some facilities, insist that you have detoxed before you enter the facility. Others take you as an addict and carry out the full process of detox and recovery in the same location.

Part time hospitalization

If you lack the funds or have family commitments, partial hospitalization can be an effective way of beating your addiction. This requires you to attend hospital on a part time basis where you receive physical support and therapy. This solution is not suitable for everyone because you may be open to temptation in your home environment but it can be a good choice if your addiction counsellor recommends it.

Intensive Outpatient Treatment

Once you have undergone rehab or partial hospitalization and may be on the road to recovery, Intensive Outpatient Treatment or IOT can give you valuable support with counselling and group therapy sessions. Many addicts find that understanding their addictions and sharing experiences is valuable in keeping them clean. IOP is not residential. You do need to return home once the sessions are over, so there is a risk of re using once in the home environment.

Aftercare

Aftercare is crucial to keeping clean long term. Research shows that many people can manage to stay clean for around 4 weeks but once they start feeling physically better, they often get tempted back into their old habits. Attending regular support groups helps to keep the addict clean. Many people still attend support group meetings years after they have broken their addiction and these can be in the form of faith based meetings, 12 step programs, workshops or specialized activities.