Alcohol Rehab: What is the Optimal Duration?
When it comes to alcohol rehab, many experts recommend a 28 or 30-day program. Twenty-eight or thirty day programs are extremely common and meet the primary initial objective of an alcohol rehab program, which is to stabilize the person long enough to give them a solid foundation for beginning a life of recovery. However, many programs offer extended stays of months to years. So, what is the optimal duration? It can be confusing when there are so many options which vary considerably by time, quality, content and cost. Following is a brief outline of some of these factors for you to consider when evaluating what is best for you or your loved one.
Focus on Symptoms: In order for any alcoholic to increase his or her chances of staying sober, they need to address the underlying issues that brought them to alcohol rehab in the first place. Drinking is simply a symptom of deeper problems.
These can stem from any number of factors, eg, childhood abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, low self-esteem, parental neglect, etc. Identifying and focusing on underlying issues that perpetuate the cycle of drinking helps the alcoholic to start to heal from past pains, hurts, or unresolved issues. This begins the healing process.
Education: Educational lectures, presentations, readings, videos, and assignments helps many in alcohol rehab understand the nature of their problems and to begin to understand various forms of addressing them in healthy ways without needing to resort to drinking.
Many drinkers may cognitively know that alcoholism is a disease, but until they understand all of the factors that contribute to the disease, they consistently blame themselves for being "weak and/or no good." This brings into focus the next point -- counseling.
Counseling: Counseling is an essential part of any alcohol rehab program. Various forms of cognitive and/or behavioral therapy are employed. Usually, alcohol rehab patients undergo individual and group counseling sessions.
Individual sessions help alcohol rehab patients to focus on their own story, issues, and often internal pain. Many patients discover facts about their lives during these sessions that they had no idea impacted their lives so much. Long-buried childhood issues, sometimes including abuse, neglect, hurts, angers and resentments are often brought to the forefront. As discussed in the "focus on symptoms" section above, this helps alcohol rehab patients to deal with deeper problems.
Group therapy is important for alcohol rehab patients for it helps them to realize that they are not alone and to see their issues from another's perspective. This fulfills a basic human need to belong, to not feel different. Many alcohol rehab patients have low self-esteem because they've behaved in ways that they never would have, had it not been for the disease of alcoholism.
Hearing from others that they've been in the same situation helps curb feelings of isolation, low self esteem and self-degradation.
Seeing your issues, behavior patterns, and healing in others helps you to begin to process your own and to reinforce your healing changes and recovery gains
Extracurricular Activities: Part of any successful alcohol rehabilitation program is a lifestyle change that includes recreation and leisure. Restoring balance in one's life is important. Extracurricular activities can range from the spiritual -- eg, yoga and meditation -- to the physical, e.g. outdoor sports like hiking and horseback riding. Many alcoholics are excited to find that they can have fun in recovery without drinking!
Holistic Elements: Alcoholism is a disease affecting all aspects of an individual's life and therefore any successful program needs to address the whole person in mind, body and spirit. In addition to education, cognitive therapy, counseling, physical activity, recreation and leisure, other important elements are important to help restore balance and set the foundation for a healthy life of recovery. Spiritual exploration (not necessarily religious in nature) is vital. Twelve step programs and philosophy such as Alcoholics Anonymous is critically important in support of long term, abstinence based recovery. Simple life style changes such as healthy eating and regular sleep patterns are tremendously important. Various other holistic elements include yoga, meditation, prayer, journaling, sharing feelings, massage, sauna, animal care or therapy, music, and art. The more complete the program, the more complete the recovery opportunity.
Continuing Care Program: An important aspect of any alcohol rehab program is that recovery continues beyond the initial in-patient or residential treatment program. Relapse prevention is often discussed to help provide coping mechanisms to sustain recovery and avoid situations that can trigger drinking. The more complete the aftercare plan, and the more the individual is involved and invested in developing it, the greater the chance of long term sobriety.
So, having looked at some of the important elements in a primary residential program for alcoholism or alcohol rehab, how long is optimal? Clearly, the longer the better. Twenty-eight or thirty day programs have become traditional but may not be optimal for everyone. Seeing that so much of recovery is experiential, healing from past hurts, learning and practicing new behaviors and copying skills, it can be seen that longer programs afford greater chances of recovery success and continued sobriety. What is best for you? What do you deserve? Look at your life, consider what its worth, look at your options, and take as long as you need. For many, 28 days isn't long enough. Six weeks seems optimal to establish new thought patterns and behaviors. For some, extended stays of up to 3 months help reinforce the new life of recovery. Alcoholism is a deadly disease; give yourself the best chance to recover and to have the life you deserve!
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