Having worked on an alcohol and drug treatment referral line over several years, and having answered thousands of calls over those years, I know that family members frequently realize there's a drug addict in the family long before the addicted individual comes to the same conclusion. Every family member who realizes this and seeks treatment for a loved one wants treatment to work. Research has shown that there are several key considerations that need to be taken into account for treatment to work most effectively.

Supervised withdrawal is only first step for drug addicts and alcoholics, and by itself will do little to solve the problem

Withdrawing from drugs and alcohol can be dangerous. In fact about 1 in 10 alcoholics who attempt to withdrawal off alcohol without medical supervision actually end up dying. Therefore a medically supervised detox center is frequently a necessary first step in treatment. However, some people confuse this short 3 to 7 day period with treatment, which it is not. If you are looking for treatment for someone make sure that you dont stop once youve found them a place to detox. The best situation is for the person to go directly from detox to drug rehab.

What works for one drug addict may not work for another

Because there is a genetic component to addiction family members who are helping a loved one get in to treatment have often experienced treatment themselves. One common mistake is to assume that what worked for you or the drug addicts uncle will work for them. This simply is not true. The ultimate success of each individual entering treatment depends on finding the right treatment setting and methods for the individual, and everyones needs are different.

Find treatment centers that deal with more than just the addiction

Drug addiction is a multidimensional problem, and treatment needs to address all of an individuals needs. Good treatment must address the individual's drug use, but it should also attend to any associated medical, psychological, social, vocational, or legal problems.

Dont settle for any program that doesnt include therapy

Many alcoholics and drug addicts mistakenly believe that if they could just stop using for a week or two they could stop using forever. In reality, counseling (individual and/or group) is a critical part of every effective addiction treatment episode. In therapy, addicts, build skills to resist drug use, replace drug-using activities with constructive and rewarding nondrug-using activities, examine their motivations for using drugs and improve problem-solving abilities. Additionally, therapy helps individuals to rebuild and re-learn family and social living patterns.

Drug testing during treatment is important

Dont be fooled that just because you get a loved one into treatment means that they are suddenly safe from drugs. Drugs are brought into treatment centers all the time putting those seeking recovery at risk of relapse. This means that every individual in treatment should be monitored for drug treatment on an ongoing basis. In this manner treatment, plans may be modified to increase the chance of ultimate success.

Some people require medication to treat their addiction

The American Medical Association has for years recognized addiction as a disease. It should therefore not come as a surprise that many addicts need medication during and after rehab. Sometimes frowned upon by some individuals in recovery the truth is that these medications allow millions of individuals to live normal, productive lives.

Fifty percent of the people with an alcohol/drug problem also have a mental health issue

People may be using drugs to deal with mental health problems or they may have the mental health issue because of their drug use. In fact, studies have shown that fifty percent of people who have one also have the other. The most effective way to deal with these two co-occurring disorders and deal with the addiction is to treat them at the same time.

An addict does not have to want treatment for it to work

A common myth is that someone has to want treatment before it will work for them. Based on research, this is not the case. In fact, treatment is just as effective for individuals who are court ordered to do treatment as it is for people who figure out the need for it on their own. Families can be just as effective at getting unwilling addicts into treatment. Frequently, a familys first step to getting someone into rehab may be performing an intervention with the help of a professional interventionist. Call your local alcohol and drug help line to locate these professionals in your area.

Treatment duration counts

The appropriate duration for an individual depends on his or her problems and needs. Research indicates that for most patients, significant improvement is reached at about 3 months. The research suggests that this may be residential, outpatient or a combination of both depending on the individuals needs. After this initial period, additional treatment can produce further progress toward recovery.

Dont lose hope

Your loved one may successfully complete treatment, but then relapse. Dont lose hope. Alcoholics and addicts may need lengthy treatment and more than one time in rehab before they can enjoy long-term abstinence and full restoration to a drug free life.