What is Rehabilitation?

In loose terms rehabilitation is the restoration after illness with the aim of being able to manage with everyday life, without having to depend or participate in the destructive behaviour that led the person to develop a dependency.

With reference to addiction, rehabilitation could be described as a medical intervention or psychotherapeutic treatment provided for individuals with a dependency. It can help people gain control of their problem using a variety of methods.

Where Does It Take Place?

Rehabilitation can take place in a number of different ways, but perhaps the most prominent of these is were the person suffering from an addiction is treated as an in-patient. The person resides in a specially designed centre until they are ready to become more independent, as an out-patient attending sessions, using a drop-in centre or by attending groups and discussions when needed.

Services offered during rehab can vary greatly between the different settings with variable factors being duration of sessions or programmes, techniques used, costs, staff and environment.

Occasionally rehabilitation may be part of a sentence given by a court and the individual is told they must attend as part of the court specifications and conditions; this is particularly noticed with alcohol related crimes.

What Happens During Rehab?

During rehabilitation the individual can expect to manage all or some of these issues: the detoxification process including the symptoms of withdrawal, attend counselling, identify the root of their problems and underlying reasons for having developed a dependency, learn how to avoid relapse and learn to cope with everyday issues without the need of artificial support such as alcohol or drugs. The person may also learn how to participate in activities that they have not considered before, learn how to live in an environment that is free from potentially negative influences and will be educated on the negative affects of relying on their chosen addiction.

Each centre will have its own methods and plans that they have developed to suit each addiction. Centres may vary greatly in their approach to treating addicts; some choose harder more overt treatment schedules, whilst others are more holistic. There is no evidence that one method works better than another as it is very variable depending on the individual and their circumstances.

Many centres focus purely on one or two types of addiction as this may provide a more dedicated service with programmes specially formulated for these individuals whilst others take a more general approach.

The duration of each programme will vary greatly with each person and flexibility may be largely reliant on issues of trust between the centre and the attendee.

What are the Costs?

Costs are another consideration that must be addressed as again this is an area that can vary enormously. Many rehabilitation programmes are funded by the government or charities whereas others are private and can charge extremely high fees on a weekly basis.

Families are often an integral part of the rehabilitation process and many centres encourage the involvement of the family in the treatment plan, though these issues are usually left until symptoms of withdrawal have passed or been managed adequately.

For many people suffering from an addiction, rehab can offer a way of learning to manage life without the addiction. The success of the programme is largely dependent on the individuals honesty, willingness and participation in treatments.