5 Signs Long Term Inpatient Drug Rehab is Best for You

The decision to enter drug treatment often comes with much frustration and indecision considering the state of mind a person is in at the time. With so many treatment options available, choosing the shortest path possible may seem like the best way to go, but can end up costing you in the short-run; especially in cases of severe addiction.

For people coming off long-term or chronic addiction problems, long term inpatient drug rehab offers the best chance of a successful recovery. Here are five signs that long term inpatient drug rehab is best for you –

1. Long History of Drug Use

Addictive drugs, regardless of the type, produce psychoactive effects that alter brain chemical processes over time. Long-term drug abuse essentially “rewires” brain functions as chemical levels skew further and further out of balance.

People with a long history of drug use have an especially difficult time trying to limit or stop using due to the cumulative effects of drugs on overall brain function. Long-term inpatient drug rehab programs specialize in addressing the degree of damage caused by long-term drug use.

2. Multiple Failed Attempts at Quitting

According to the New York State Department of Health, drug addiction affects the body in much the same way as a chronic medical condition, such as hypertension or diabetes. The physical and psychological damage caused by ongoing drug use has lasting effects on a person’s physical and psychological health.

As with chronic medical conditions, addiction also carries a high likelihood for relapse. People who’ve made multiple failed attempts to stop using require an in-depth treatment approach that addresses the underlying issues that drive addiction behaviors. The time spent in a three to six-month long term inpatient drug rehab program enables addicts to develop the mindset and motivation needed to get well and stay well.

3. Poly-Drug User

Poly-drug users face an especially difficult time managing the effects of addiction. As different types of drugs affect different areas of the brain, poly-drug users stand to develop the most severe cases of addiction.

If you are a poly-drug user, you should consider long term inpatient drug rehab.

Long-term inpatient rehab programs employ of range of interventions designed to address the difficult challenges poly-drug users face. Interventions commonly used by long term inpatient rehab include:

• Intensive psychotherapy treatment
• Group therapy
• Medication therapies
• Drug counseling
• 12 Step support groups

4. Mental Health Issues

More oftentimes than not, chronic and long-term drug users develop mental health problems during the course of their addiction. Mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety disorders, develop out of chemical imbalances in the brain.

The effects of long-term drug abuse create prime conditions for mental illness to take root. Long-term inpatient drug rehab programs have ample experience in treating mental health problems brought on by chronic drug use.

5. Prior Drug Treatment History

It’s not uncommon for chronic drug users to have made multiple attempts at drug treatment with little to no success to show for it. Short-term treatment programs, while effective, cannot provide the level of care needed to address severe addiction problems. In cases where shorter drug treatment programs have proven ineffective, a person may want to seriously consider the benefits of long-term inpatient drug rehab.