What Are 28 Day Rehab Programs Really Like?

28 day rehab programs are some of the most common types of treatment centers for addiction recovery. But what is it really like to receive care in one of these programs? Call 800-430-1407Who Answers? now to find rehab centers that will provide you with the treatment you need for your current recovery situation.

What Are 28 Day Rehab Programs?

Also sometimes lasting 30 days or 4 weeks, these rehab programs provide patients with intensive addiction treatment for a short period of time. They are also called short-term rehab programs. Short-term rehab programs can be found in either inpatient or outpatient centers, although many individuals choose inpatient care in this type of program as an intensive start to their recovery.

According to the Journal of Addictive Diseases, this rehab program was originally called the Minnesota model, and it was based around the blending of professional and nonprofessional methods for addiction recovery, including the 12-step approach.

What Is the Purpose of This Treatment Option?

The main purpose of 28 day rehab programs is to stabilize an individual and prepare them for a life in recovery. The treatment program isn’t necessarily meant to stand on its own as an addiction cure, but instead, it is currently being used as a way to stabilize and assess patients, which is necessary in the early stage of recovery.

Why Are 28 Day Programs So Popular?

28 day rehab is preferred by patients who don’t want to spend too long away from home.

These treatment options are actually very popular for a number of reasons.

• Insurance plans are usually willing to cover about 30 days or so of addiction treatment. Finding a long-term rehab center that will be covered can sometimes be a bit more difficult.
• Patients feel comfortable with the idea of a month-long rehab program that allows them to navigate the early stages of their treatment and set up for the long-term part of their recoveries. Having an inpatient program that lasts this long is usually tolerated well by most patients who otherwise might not want to leave their homes or their families for too long.
• The treatment option’s connection with AA and other 12-step groups has increased its popularity as well because these programs are still extremely in demand among recovering addicts. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, mutual-help groups “remain the most commonly sought source of help for [alcohol use disorders] in the United States.”

In some ways, the idea of a quick fix still continues to follow the 28 day model, and while most rehab programs that offer this type of care insist on patients seeking help afterward, many patients do not do so simply because of the continuing belief that someone can overcome addiction in 30 days.

What Happens in 28 Day Programs?

28 day rehab programs offer a number of essential treatment options to patients, usually those who are seeking addiction treatment for the first time or after a relapse or legal issue. In most cases, this is the first step in a treatment regimen, either early or later on in one’s recovery.

These programs usually involve a simple process for early recovery.

• Intake: Intake is the part of the recovery process where the patient is assessed and asked questions about their medical and substance abuse history.
  • They will also be screened for any comorbid disorders, including mental illnesses or mood disorders, and they will usually be tested for HIV and other transmittable diseases often associated with substance abuse.
  • It is during this process that the doctor creates a treatment plan for the individual. Both parties usually work together to ensure that the plan provides the patient with everything they will need from their treatment program.
• Detox: Individuals who begin addiction treatment often need to detox from the substance(s) they have been abusing.
  • This is because most drugs of abuse cause intense withdrawal symptoms when a person stops taking them because they have created a strong dependency in the individual.
  • According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, detox ensures that the individual’s withdrawal symptoms will be managed safely while they are weaned off the drug.
  • This, however, is not a treatment for addiction but merely a way to put an end to an individual’s dependency syndrome.

• Therapy: Because it is the most commonly used form of addiction treatment, according to the NIDA, most 28 day rehab programs offer therapy as part of their care.
  • Patients can expect to attend both individual and group therapy sessions.
  • Behavioral therapies, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, group therapy, and motivational enhancement therapy, help patients understand why they began using drugs in the first place and learn better coping skills for the future.
• Aftercare: Most addiction treatment programs that only last 28 days are very focused on helping patients transition into an aftercare option in order to help them continue using the lessons they learned in the program and to strengthen their recoveries.
  • Aftercare options one can choose after 28 day rehab include
    • Sober living home
    • Halfway house
    • Outpatient care
    • 12-step group or another type of mutual-help group
  • Your doctors, nurses, and counselors at your rehab center will want to ensure that you have something set up for aftercare before you leave the facility.

What Are These Programs Like?

Treatment can be intensive and fast-paced. Many individuals are able to get through detox quickly, although this doesn’t mean they are over their addiction in any way, which can be confusing. Patients can sometimes make friends in these types of programs, but it is often likely that the same individuals will return to the facility over and over. Usually, treatment is more focused on stabilizing the patient and moving them on to the next phase of recovery than anything else.

How Long Should Inpatient Drug Rehab Be?

Are These Programs Really Effective for Recovery?

In some cases, individuals can begin a strong recovery in a 28 day rehab center, but in truth, these programs also have their downsides.

Many people feel frustrated when they finish a month-long treatment program and they are not cured of their addictions. While no one should ever expect to be fully cured of a substance use disorder (as they are similar to other chronically relapsing illnesses like asthma and hypertension), these programs can sometimes create a false sense of hope for patients that believe their troubles will be over after a month. Even when doctors and nurses tell these individuals this, there are still sometimes problematic results.

Unfortunately, the relapse rate among those individuals who only attend a short-term treatment program is higher than among those who attend long-term care or multiple treatment programs. This is why a 30 day rehab center may be helpful as a part of one’s overall treatment regimen but also why one should not rely on this as their only type of recovery treatment.

Should I Seek Help in a 30 Day Rehab Center?

No one treatment option is right for every individual patient, and this is why you may want to consider whether or not this rehab program is right for you.

• Do you want short-term care in an inpatient center followed by longer-term treatment in an outpatient program?
• Do you have a strong social support group of friends and family members you can go back to after your month-long program ends?
• Have you been in treatment for substance abuse problems before and need a refresher on the basics?
• Will your insurance pay for or partially cover the costs of a 30-day program but not a longer option?
• Are you able to transition easily into an aftercare option once your treatment at the facility ends?
• Are you highly motivated to put an end to your substance abuse?
• Do you want to go through detox quickly and put an end to your dependence on drugs?
• Are you looking for a treatment option that will initially be more intensive so that you can transition into a less intense one?
• Do you understand treatment that lasts less than 90 days has been scientifically proven to be less effective, and individuals who seek longer-term options or multiple treatment programs that last longer than this often fare better in their recoveries?

If you answered yes to several of these questions, 28 day rehab could be a helpful addition to your recovery plan.

Where Can I Find Treatment for Addiction?

Let us help you determine which treatment options are best for your needs and locate the safest, most effective rehab centers for your recovery. Call 800-430-1407Who Answers? now.