By Cassandra Senior

Addiction is not measured by how much or how often a person uses drugs but by the consequences that result from that use. When people are addicted, they physically, psychologically and/or emotionally need their drug of choice to function in everyday life. Every addict is encouraged to seek treatment; however, it really is up to him or her to find it and want it. The following are the treatment options open to addicts and the order in which they are often utilized.

Medical Detoxification

Addicts will often try to detox on their own. Some just don't want to go to a hospital, and some feel they don't need the medications used to make the process easier because they are "stronger than that." An addict should never try to detox on his own. Detoxifying requires a medical staff to watch over the patient because some withdrawal symptoms, including seizures when getting off alcohol and benzodiazepines, can be deadly.

Medical detox will start the process of restoring the body back to normal. The process is not complete because Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS) can last from 6 months to two years. Symptoms of PAWS include:

• inability to think clearly
• insomnia
• tremors
• anxiety
• physical coordination problems

The symptoms are not always present--a person can go weeks or months between episodes-and are often exacerbated by stress. Unfortunately, PAWS isn't the only thing recovering addicts have to deal with. If they don't have an aftercare plan, they could end up right back on the same path they were on. For this reason, the rest of these treatments exist.

In-patient Residential Care

In-patient residential centers accept addicts who have already detoxed in a hospital or who still need to detox. Residential centers normally treat patients for 30, 60 or 90 day stints. Residents spend their days and nights on premise; they eat, sleep and work on their problem together. Centers aim to treat patients therapeutically and medically.

Now that patients themselves and their living environments are free of drugs, staff can work with them on why they use drugs. Patients will participate in group therapy session of varying size and intensity throughout the day. Group topics might include:

• addictive relationships
• triggers for using
• self-esteem
• relaxation
• spirituality
• relapse prevention

In some centers, patients are assigned individual therapists who will meet with them weekly or as needed. In these sessions, patients can get to their deep-rooted issues-depression, anxiety, self-injury, eating disorders, etc. Since many of these underlying conditions can be helped with psychiatric medication, a psychiatrist on staff will talk with patients to assess what, if any, medication would aid in treatment.

Once the recovering addict finished his run here, he has a few other treatment options.

Out-patient Treatment

Out-patient treatment allows patients to continue the work they have done at a lower level of care. Typically, they attend the program anywhere from four to six hours a day, five days a week. They are also encouraged to find an outside, individual therapist. Upon admission, each person is assigned a case manager and usually, a psychiatrist. Work done in out-patient is similar to that of residential, often with more addiction education added in and an incorporated family element with family therapy sessions and family nights where family members learn about addiction as a disease. Patients will typically stay in the out-patient setting for one to two months.

This type of treatment is helpful because patients must go into the real world every day and face their triggers but can return to their program the next day and talk about them with other recovering addicts.

Half-Way/Three-Quarter House

These houses are residential centers where the average stay is typically three months to multiple years. During the day, residents are required to hold a full-time job. Money from the job first goes to expenses owed to the house such as rent. Boarders are held to some strict rules such as needing to be out of the house certain daytime hours, curfews and "lights out."

A three-quarter house is usually where a recovering addict will go after successful completion of the half-way house program. Three-quarter house are less strict, but still provide a level of care and encouragement to boarders. This is the final step before re-integration into society.

Recovery Groups

Once an addict is back in society, he needn't feel alienated from people like him. In nearly every country, state, county and city, one can find a recovery group meeting at any time of the day. Most groups don't even care if the addict is addicted to what they're group concentrates on. In recovery, people learn that addiction is addiction.

These groups provide a forum for addicts to talk about their day, their problems, their good and bad. They can ask the group for feedback if they need it. Going to the same meetings often creates a fellowship-a sober, social support network, which is immensely important in recovery.

Recovery groups include (but are definitely NOT limited to):

• Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
• Narcotics Anonymous (NA)
• Cocaine Anonymous (CA)
• Pills Anonymous (PA)

**Please remember that not every hospital, residential center or half-way house is reputable. It is important to do homework on any program one might attend**