DOES REHAB WORK

Often, people who are considering drug rehab want to be convinced that treatment is going to be successful. They want proof that a treatment plan will help them stop using drugs for the rest of their lives.

Can we give you that kind of guarantee? In other words, does drug rehab always work?

The most honest answer is that it can work. And for thousands of people every year, it does work. But instead of thinking about rehab as a quick fix with a magical formula, think of it like a diet. If someone is overweight and out of shape, he can hire a personal trainer and nutritionist to help get him on track. But just having the right people and the right plan isn’t enough. He has to willingly and faithfully follow the plan.

Or, better yet, think of rehab as being in the same vein as treatment for diabetes. Like diabetes, addiction is a lifelong disease. And, like diabetes, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk – but the disease will always be part of your life.

This isn’t meant to be discouraging, just realistic. The worst thing a person can do is go into a rehab program expecting to come out completely free from their addiction.

What’s more likely to happen is that you’ll come out with the tools and support you need to manage your addiction, just like a diabetic has to manage his diabetes. You’ll learn about underlying causes of drug use and addiction, and will be better prepared to resist temptations to use again in the future. Through detoxification, your body will also rid itself of the drug so that it can begin to heal and function properly.

There are few guarantees in life – but if you follow your treatment plan, heed the advice of the professionals with whom you work, and commit to making the changes that are necessary to pursue a healthier future, drug rehab can work.