How did your morning begin today? If the first thought that came into your mind involved drugs or alcohol and how to get them, you might have a problem. If your day's first behavior involved taking drugs to get high or taking drugs just so you wouldn't feel withdrawal pains, you may require addiction treatment. An inpatient drug rehab program may indeed save your life. Addiction is a serious medical condition that requires help in order to overcome.

What is Inpatient Rehab?

At a residential or "inpatient" rehab center, treatment continues around the clock. A typical stay at an inpatient drug rehab program lasts between 30 days and one year. In some situations, a recovering addict may move into a 'halfway house' before returning to their usual day-to-day life. Generally, inpatient facilities are serene places where clients focus on getting well. Reflection on past events and learning how to deal with former trauma is often included in an inpatient recovery program. Peer group meetings with others who have "been there, done that" offer a lot in the way of emotional support and learning to live happily and wholly without drugs or other substances.

What is Addiction?

Addiction is a complex condition that is characterized by compulsion and craving. When a person is addicted to, say, heroin or narcotic pain medicines, their body has an awful time if the drug is ever denied. This sort of drug dependence occurs because of the way the human brain reacts to certain substances. In fact, there are a number of specialized proteins within the brain that accept narcotic molecules and deliver pleasure in return. Once these pleasure centers become used to the presence of narcotics, the absence thereof will cause a sickness called withdrawal.

Are you Really Addicted?

Mayo Clinic notes numerous symptoms and behaviors that can be indicators of addiction:

* The feeling that drugs are needed just to feel "normal"

* Intense and overwhelming thoughts about drugs

* The need for more drugs as time goes on

* Ensuring a steady supply of drugs by any means

* Failure to meet obligations

* Continued use of drugs despite horrible consequences

* Alterations of behavior such as stealing, lying, and cheating

* Spending more money than one can afford to buy drugs

* Spending an inordinate amount of time obtaining and using drugs

* Wrecked family relationships

* Ruined interpersonal relationships

* Repeated failed attempts to quit

* Withdrawal when drugs are denied

How Addiction Happened to you

If you are like many people who seek help via an inpatient drug rehab program, your addiction started innocently enough. Perhaps you experimented with friends, then started trying more and more on your own. Maybe you started first using drugs or alcohol because you felt that it was a way to fit in with a social crowd that you admired. There's also a very likely chance that your trusted doctor wrote a prescription for OxyContin or another powerful pain reliever after you were injured in an accident. How you got habituated is not as important as knowing that help is available today, if you contact a confidential care facility and ask them about their inpatient drug rehab program options.

Who is at Risk for Drug Addiction?

Mayo Clinic addiction experts describe several factors that are common among persons who become addicted to drugs. This incomplete list of risks includes things like:

* Unemployment, under-employment, and poverty

* Substance-abusing family members, especially those who live in the same house

* Social inexperience and youth

* A history of criminal behavior, whether or not caught

* Thrill-seeking behavior and daredevil activity

* Mental illness and emotional disorders

* Anxiety and depression

* Stressful circumstances

Addictions and Habits Are Not the Same Things

If you think that a habit is the same as an addiction, please think again. Nail-biting and hair-twisting are habits that may be overcome with enough concentration. A bad habit such as skipping classes may be remedied with a reward for good grades. An addiction, on the other hand, is an intense dependence on one or more chemical substances and is not likely to be stopped without carefully supervised intervention. Someone who has the habit of chewing gum all day doesn't need to check into rehab to get over their problem. An addict, on the other hand, stands their very best chance of recovery from substance abuse if they start the road back to wellness at a qualified inpatient drug rehab program.

What an Inpatient Rehab Program Can Do for You

An excellent inpatient program will not only help you to wean off drugs; it will teach you how to live a good life without them. In-house therapy programs may be offered in group and individual settings. Follow-up therapy is often an integral part of a great inpatient rehab program. Some facilities offer counseling for family members who are affected by the bad behavior of their loved one.

If you came upon this page because you were searching for reliable info about inpatient drug rehab programs near you then that is a step in the right direction. At a skilled inpatient rehab program, you will be able to get yourself off of alcohol and drugs and learn how to live a happy, healthy and productive life without the crutch of chemicals.

Not all inpatient rehab treatment programs are equal

First, let's take a look at the similarities between the various types of drug rehab centers. Any good center for drug rehab will focus on helping you get off drugs and stay that way for life. If you relapse as many addicts do, a superior facility will help you back on track with your recovery program. Now, let's talk about the differences.

Some rehab centers are spartan by design. Many rehab centers offer inpatient drug rehab programs based on the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. Not all do. Some facilities provide a faith-based rehab program that requires clients to believe in a certain concept of God. Others are more humanistic and provide a holistic, whole-person approach to addiction therapy. We can't say that one or the other is better. All you need to know, really, is that there is an inpatient drug rehab program that's just right for you as an individual.

Relapse-Prevention and Aftercare Programs

The National Institute on Drug Abuse explains that the relapse rate for drug addicts is between 40 and 60 percent. This is similar to relapse rates associated with other chronic medical conditions. This is because addiction is classified as a relapsing disease.

Relapse is not necessarily a failure. In fact, many former addicts who now happily abstain from drugs checked in and out of inpatient rehab more than once before they finally "got it." Of course, relapse is not guaranteed to happen. A few people do detox once, put addiction behind them and never try drugs again. Maybe one of these people is you.

How to Choose an Inpatient Treatment Facility That's Right for You

It's not always easy to choose the appropriate treatment center for your addiction. The National Institutes of Health, or NIH as it is often referred to as, explains that most addiction treatment programs start with detoxification and medically managed withdrawal when deemed necessary. Detox is the biological process by which the body metabolizes and rids itself of whatever drugs are present. The process can be unpleasant at best, and may even be fatal if not done with medical support. If you need medical help during the detox process, seek a facility that offers on-site medical management along with counseling and emotional support.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA notes numerous treatment modalities that may be used to treat alcoholism and drug abuse. Among these are 12-step fellowships, intensive outpatient therapy, case management, and partial hospital programs. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, helps many inpatients learn to cope without resorting to drugs and drinking.

As is the consideration of most other expert sources, SAMHSA agrees that the surest way for a person to get off drugs and stay clean for life is by way of a customized inpatient drug rehab program.

Residential inpatient programs may be offered at various facilities that cater to a certain demographic group. For instance, there are rehabs specifically designed to treat women and care centers that are male-only or cater to the LGBT demographic. Upscale luxury rehabs and pared-down facilities are available in practically every region of the country. Folks who prefer to keep their rehab private may travel far to obtain high-quality treatment at a rehab center they trust.

Get Help Now

The structured environment of a confidential inpatient drug rehab program is just the thing that helps many addicts understand why they started using in the first place while providing them with psychological tools and emotional techniques that may ensure a clean and sober future after discharge.

If you are ready to feel alive and well again, make the first call and ask for help. Inpatient rehab has helped a lot of people to reclaim their happiness, and they can help you or your loved one, too.