How Does Rehab Work?

Most addiction rehab programs follow the same type of process and use similar steps when you first enter into treatment. These steps usually include:

Intake: Intake can either be done online or through an in-person interview. During the intake process, there will be a thorough assessment of your medical history, drug usage habits, and social background which will help the center determine the next course of action.

Detoxification: This consists of ridding the body of harmful toxins that can cause medical complications without continued use. Detox is often the first step in the recovery process especially if the patient is using Opioids, Benzodiazepines, or alcohol. Detox will make sure a patient is stabilized and withdrawal free before entering into the next step of the recovery process. 

Addiction treatment program: Once the client or patient has been cleared and stabilized it is time to enter into a program to help handle all the underlying conditions that lead to the addiction in the first place. This can either be done in an inpatient drug rehab, outpatient treatment program, or a partial hospitalization day treatment center.

Aftercare: Aftercare programs, are as they sound, and for continued care after going through a drug or alcohol rehabilitation treatment program.  After completing a treatment program for 30-90 days, aftercare programs often can last for a year or for many years depending on circumstances discovered through treatment. The time spent in rehab is a short period of time, and for many the challenges of daily life, changes in routine, and getting rid of bad influences and other external factors can make recovery challenging without an after-care program.

There are many types of treatment programs available, all of which can have different methods and approaches, but for the most part, drug rehab centers follow the same common methods. These treatment methods and models are as follows.

One-on-one therapy helps the individual learn coping skills that are essential to finding the derivation of the addiction issue and learning how to reduce your chances of relapse. This therapy approach helps address all areas of a person’s life such as legal issues, family dynamics, employment, and habits that can impair long-term recovery.

Family therapy can be a very important part of any drug rehab center program. Families can be great help or hindrance to the recovering addict during therapy and after treatment is completed. Family can help the individual through accountability and ongoing support during the recovery process. Family members and loved ones will need to learn to avoid behaviors that may have helped maintain the substance abuse disorders within the family.

Group therapy helps with ongoing accountability and support as part of the recovery process. Group therapy can be used in conjunction with individualized therapy programs.

Activities or art therapy are a part of some substance abuse treatment programs. This type of therapy can help the individual reconnect by discovering how to have fun without the need to use a substance. Often times what we loved to do before the addiction has taken hold has been pushed aside and forgotten. Rediscovering fun activities and artistic talents can help the client fill their life with meaning while relieving boredom.

The most common treatment approaches used during drug or alcohol treatment can include:

CBT or Cognitive Behavior Therapy helps a person handle their thoughts and how they react to our thoughts through learning ways to cope with stressors that can lead to relapse. This is a very common approach to addictions to drugs or alcohol.

CMMI Contingency Management Motivational Incentives involve incentives for staying in recovery. Treatment programs may offer prizes or awards for completing a step or goal in the recovery process. This can be in the form of vouchers for movies, special treatment for the day, or a certificate for dinner.

When making the decision to enter into an addiction treatment program for a substance abuse disorder (SUD), you may have some questions as to what the daily routine will hold while in treatment. Not all programs are the same but most programs incorporate individual therapy, group therapy, activities, reflection time, and support groups. 

When determining how long a stay in rehab is, it is important to take into account that everyone is different. The answer to this question can differ based on factors including the length of addiction, amount of the substance abused daily, mental health, physical health, and types of substances abused just to name a few. Most drug or alcohol rehab centers last from 28-30 days while others may last from 60-90 days up to 6-18 months in treatment. 

The cost of a private inpatient drug rehab without insurance can vary from about $5000 a month up to $60,000 a month depending on the type of program and location. Treatment at a drug rehab center does not have to be expensive to work. It all depends on what you bring to your recovery and the motivation to move forward.

Using your insurance is one of the more cost-effective ways to enter into a program for addiction. Depending on your deductible and type of insurance plan, all or at least some, of your treatment may be covered by your insurance plan. To find out if one of our programs can accept your insurance give us a call. We can verify your insurance and see if you are in-network with our programs. 

A typical day can look like this:

7:00 am: Wake up, clean room, breakfast, self-reflection

9:00 am: Treatment group therapy

10:30 am:  Personal time, meditation, workbook

11:00 am: One-on-one therapy session

12:30 pm: Lunchtime, an hour break

1:30 pm: Activities, yoga, exercise

3:00 pm: Group treatment such as equine therapy, art therapy, or music therapy

4:30 pm: Personal time, workbook, or journal writing

5:30 pm: Dinner 1-hour break

6:30 pm: 12 Steps meeting, or other group programs such as Celebrate Recovery

8:00 pm: Evening group and daily reflection processing

9:00 pm: Personal time TV, recreation, games, and social time
11:00 pm: Bedtime



Once you have all the knowledge about how rehab works- you can know what to expect when entering a drug rehab center program. You will know how long you will need to stay in a center, the costs associated with the programs, the types of therapy offered, and what to expect when you enter into treatment for addiction. For more information, please give us a call or fill out this form to have someone call you back.

1-800-513-5423