Success rate of drug and alcohol rehab

Throughout the years, movies have given society the stereotype that drug and alcohol recovery is laced with frequent relapses and an impossible situation for anyone who is found to be addicted. While each person is different and each program varies, there are success stores that give hope for every addict to achieve and maintain their sobriety. People don’t always see the positive story behind the person who previously lived on the streets but turned it all around by seeking out the help that was necessary to find their way back to happy life. Happiness looks different to each person because individuals possess their own assumptions and personalities. This means that the success rate of each drug and alcohol rehab program will also differ; however, those who really commit to recovering from addiction can be successful and live the life that they always wanted.

How does drug and alcohol abuse affect society?

It isn’t completely possible to accurately gauge statistics regarding substance abuse, but there are standard methods used to get an idea of how it affects everything from the healthcare system to the legal system. The CDC (Center for Disease Control) approximates that an average of 114 people each die because of drug abuse each day, while other sources estimate the number to be even higher. Hospital emergency rooms witness approximately 6,748 people seeking treatment because of drug and alcohol abuse. Sadly, SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) believes that as many as 90% of people who need drug and/or alcohol rehab do not receive it. Statistics change every year, but the following numbers represent drug and alcohol abuse:

• 2.1 million nationwide visits to the emergency room are from drug and alcohol abuse every day
• 23.5 million people have a problem with illicit drug and alcohol abuse
• Only 11.2% get the help that they need

How successful is drug and alcohol rehab?

One of the most important questions that a user should be asking a potential drug and alcohol rehab center is their success rate. Along with the medical credentials and training of the staff, it’s one of the gauges that can determine if it’s worth someone’s time or if they should move on to investigate another facility.  

The media is full of stories of those who have died after a relapse within months of successfully completing a rehab program, but this isn’t the most common story. The best success is found in programs that offer a combination of psychotherapy and prescription medications. Most studies only measure behaviors within the first year after rehab due to the fact that this is when the most changes take place. These rates also do not take into consideration the addicts who dropped out and never completed the program.

Is it possible to recover from substance abuse without professional help?

While there are instances of those who were able to walk away from their alcohol and drugs use on their own, it isn’t in the majority of cases. Studies point to the fact that there may be levels of addiction, and less serious cases won’t have as hard a time stopping as those with severe addictions. What gave them the ability to achieve their “spontaneous recovery”? Some of the reasons include:

• They developed an aversion to it because of a physical reaction
• They were happier feeling physically better than how they felt finding, using, and recovering from drug or alcohol use
• They had a life-changing revelation that they no longer needed the substance
• Sheer willpower

What is considered a successful rehab?

While there is no standard that measures the success of a rehab program, there are statistics that can be obtained to rate its ability to help treat effectively. What do they measure their success on?

• Completion of the program
• Interviewing previous participants based on quality of care during treatment
• Internal studies of the program
• Post-treatment sobriety rates

What are some real-life statistics of post drug and alcohol rehab?

Again, it’s difficult to accurately count, but there is an average that can be seen across the board. Some statistics that have been collected by various clinics are collected based on outpatient rehab, as it’s generally the step that follows leaving detox and an inpatient facility. So what is the success rate of rehab? It is as follows:

• 89% of the Betty Ford Foundation “graduates” from rehab remain sober after one month.
• According to post-treatment drug interviews, about 85 to 95% of those completing rehab state that they are still sober after nine months.
• 76% report sobriety from alcohol at three months and 70% at nine months
• 40 to 60% of previous users relapse after treatment
• Success completion of an alcohol outpatient program was after an average of an 81 day stay.
• An average of 53 days were the stays of those who remained sober after drug rehab.
• Only 40% of people who successfully finished outpatient rehab made the initial decision to seek treatment.
• The highest rates of successful recovery were those who recovered from alcohol and marijuana addiction.
• 67% of those who finish rehab treatment had it covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and other government funding.
• 80% of patients state recovering from their disease offered them an improved quality of life and health.
• 68% of those who complete the detox phase successfully finish a rehab program.

What can I expect of a successful rehab program?

When choosing a program, there are key questions that the patient needs to ask. The success rate is based off of the facility’s ability to help the previous user stay sober, as well as the user’s ability to pick the right facility. Both sides have the same goal, so the matches must be suitable for both the patient and the center. If the center doesn’t think that they can help the patient, their success rates won’t be as high, and if the patient doesn’t think they can be helped, they won’t have success at maintaining their sobriety.

There are a variety of statistics that gauge the success of any drug and alcohol rehab center, but only the participant knows for sure if it really worked for them. Like a diet, not everyone will benefit from the same treatment program, so success rates will vary. It depends on the person’s genetics and mental status, the drug that has been abused, and the facility itself. If someone could mentally and physically feel the benefits of being healthy and know that it can last, maybe they could realize the happiness that’s in store for them. If they could only know that they can live a normal life without the constant thought of addiction and the guilt of having cravings. Signs of a happy, healthy life are an improvement in mood, feeling of well-being, a healthier, more energetic life, and longer breaks between relapses. This will eventually lead to a permanent sobriety. Relapses are a normal part of recovery that is experienced by 40 to 60% of the drug and alcohol rehab population. A combination of medication and psychotherapies are the most effective combination. Most previous addicts love the memories that they have created since finding and maintaining their sobriety.