What is Drug Rehabilitation and How Does It Work?

Before we begin to understand how drug rehabilitation works and how it can help us, let us first understand what drug rehab actually is and what it entails.

Rehabilitation, also known as rehab, is a sort of treatment that can be used to help a person recover from addictions, physical or mental illnesses, and even injuries. Drug rehab e.g alcohol medical detox is basically the process of medical or psychotherapeutic treatment for people who are dependent on psychoactive substances like alcohol, prescription drugs like pain killers, cocaine, marijuana, heroin, etc. The primary intent of this treatment is to help the patient confront substance dependence and stop substance abuse altogether to avoid the harmful effects like financial, physical, psychological, and legal consequences.
 

How Does Drug Rehab Work?

Before any form of treatment is started, a mental health professional or an addiction counselor shall perform an assessment. This assessment takes into account self-reports and medical records to understand the patient’s medical history, patterns of substance abuse, physical conditions and problems, mental health, physical disabilities, living conditions, suicide risks, past rehab history, etc.

Once the results are with the counselor, he or she shall chalk out an individualized treatment plan that is tailored to suit the needs of the patient. Some of the common treatment plans suggested for drug rehab are the following. 

Cognitive-behavioral therapy – This is a form of treatment that helps patients identify, avoid, and cope with the situations in which they are most likely to relapse. CBT also helps to improve mental health and also helps to improve cognitive distortions and behaviors. Unlike many other forms of treatment, CBT is an "action-oriented" and "problem-focused" form of therapy that is used to treat explicit problems related to a mental disorder. CBT is extremely helpful in treating less severe forms of disorders, eating disorders, psychotic disorders, bipolar disorder, substance abuse, eating disorder, etc. 

Motivational interviewing – This is a form of treatment that is client-centered and directive. This counseling style is designed to draw out behavior change by helping clients to explore and resolve conflicting emotions and behavior. This form of treatment is more goal-directed and focused. The four processes that are included in motivational interviewing are engaging – where a working relationship is based on trust and respect between the patient and counselor, focusing – which is a process of seeking and maintaining direction, evoking – which involves building confidence and hope and planning – which includes developing a plan of action and the patient committing to change and turn over a new leaf.