Pros and Cons of Long-Term Residential Treatment
Long-term residential treatment refers to any program that provides 24-hour care for anywhere between six months and a year. Most are based on the idea that drug and alcohol use are isolating and that recovery, in order to be most effective, is best achieved in groups. In these groups, addicts and alcoholics can learn to relate to others without the lubricant of drugs and also get the support they need to keep them accountable for their actions and remain abstinent.
On the plus side, for those who have serious emotional issues and need to go back to the basics, long-term residential treatment programs are great for building up self-esteem and learning how to socialize and create positive friendships. For those whose drug abuse has left them homeless, with health problems and out of work, these rehabilitation centers can provide the resources and referrals that they need to graduate from treatment, not only drug-free but also on the road to employment and in temporary housing.
For those whose addiction is less severe, professionals who have developed an addiction to painkillers after surgery or an injury, long-term residential treatment is not necessary. If you’re addicted to a relatively low dose of prescription medication and have been for brief period of time, you need help with the physical addiction and the ability to focus on work and family. Long-term residential treatment provides neither of these. An outpatient treatment program with a focus on medical detox like Meditox is a much better choice for situations like these.
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