Is 30 Days Long Enough For Rehab?

Addiction is a chronic and incredibly complicated disease. If you’re planning to go to rehab, you may be wondering whether 30 days is long enough to get the help you need. Unfortunately, there’s no single approach to addiction treatment that’s guaranteed to work well for everyone. What is known, however, is that the more treatment a person receives; the more likely they are to succeed in recovery. Although attending a 30-day rehab is definitely a great start, you’ll need to follow a shorter treatment like this one up with plenty of post-rehab support.

One of the most important things to understand about rehab is that much of your first two weeks will be spent in detox. During this time, your focus will largely be on overcoming the physical and psychological symptoms of withdrawal, and regaining your basic health. After approximately seven to 10 days of detoxing, most people are finally ready to start tackling other aspects of their addiction treatment. In rehab, you’ll have a lot to learn about the nature of addiction, the underlying causes of your addiction, and the best strategies for maintaining your sobriety. Certain factors can determine whether or not a longer inpatient or intensive outpatient treatment is best for you. For instance, if you’ve been using large amounts of drug or alcohol for a very long time, you may want to consider enrolling in a program that lasts 90 days or more. This is also true if you’ve been using a highly addictive substance, or if you’ve completed rehab before but have had several relapse events since your initial treatment. There are even several co-occurring mental health disorders or comorbidities such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and general anxiety disorder among others that can also make longer treatment more beneficial.

Finding the Right Rehab and Treatment Length for Your Needs

Making a commitment to receive professional addiction treatment is the first and most important step in getting well. Once you’ve found a rehab center that’s capable of meeting your full range of needs, you’ll have to decide upon a treatment length. One of the best ways to do this is by calling your chosen rehab directly and speaking with an admissions consultant. Before admitting new patients into their programs, rehab centers conduct over-the-phone, pre-intake interviews. These interviews include a number of questions about medical histories, substance use histories, and the general health of prospective patients. Pre-intake interviews give rehab professionals the ability to accurately assess the needs of each person, and to make recommendations for needs-specific care. Based upon your answers, an admissions counselor can let you know whether a 30-day program is the best choice for you.

When choosing rehab centers and treatment types, you’ll have the option of attending inpatient treatment, outpatient treatment, or intensive outpatient treatment. With inpatient treatment, you’ll live on a secure, closed campus throughout the duration of your care. This will keep you separated from harmful relationships and environments, and give you the opportunity to focus exclusively on getting well. Outpatient treatment requires a 12 to 36-hour commitment each week, depending upon a program’s level of intensity. These options for work best for people who’ve only been using moderately addictive substances for relatively short periods of time, and who have ample support from their families or friends. Outpatient programs make it possible for people to continue attending school or work, and to regularly spend time with their loved ones.

No matter how long your addiction has been, or the nature of the substances you’ve been using, a 30-day rehab stay on its own is never enough to ensure lasting wellness. Shorter programs like these are always best when followed by structured relapse prevention programs or other forms of post-treatment support. Given that addiction cannot be cured, it’s important for patients to spend sufficient time in treatment for learning the right long-term management strategies. Moreover, because initial detox services take time, with a 30-day program, you’ll likely have fewer than three full weeks to actively participate in rehab therapies, workshops, and other treatment-related services. Conversely, with a 60-day or 90-day programs, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to learn new coping strategies, establish sustainable plans for your post-treatment life, and tackle the issues that lie at the heart of your addiction.

If you or someone you love is struggling with drug or alcohol addiction, we can help. Call us today at 833-846-5669 to learn more about the available options in inpatient and outpatient rehab programs, and about the many different program lengths and types. Our counselors are always standing by.