Drug Rehab Effectiveness

Drug and substance abuse can have devastating effects on both the one that is addicted, and their family, friends and loved ones. If you or a loved one needs help, the first place is usually to head to a GP who might refer you to your local drug service and recommend you go to a substance abuse rehab. This is normally somewhere you stay and receive treatment for your abuse through several different methods. As well as stopping the drug abuse in itself, the goal of a substance abuse rehab is to prepare the person affected to return to a normal and hopefully more positive role in society, their family and their workplace when they leave. While no addict can truly be helped unless they want to be, rehab centers have been found to have a good result.

How can a substance abuse rehab help?

It can get them off drugs – A drug rehab centre takes away the opportunity to have drugs and can help to break the cycle as well as allowing them to see and think more clearly
It creates an understanding – Rehab can show addicts what drugs and substances do them and their bodies and can educate them in the recovery process
Therapy – There could be a deeper mental reasoning behind the person’s substance abuse and therapy can help deal with the root of the cause, negating the need for them to do drugs once they leave
It is a long-term help – Rehab can help teach long term coping methods and how to effectively continue their recovery for months or years to come

According to a 2019/20 report from the Government on adult substance misuse treatment, almost half the people who left drug rehab successfully completed their treatment and were discharged as “treatment completed.” According to a 15 year analysis that started between 2005 and 2006 and ended between 2019 and 2020, there were a total of 1,011,762 people in contact with alcohol and drug treatment services. As of the 31st of March in 2020 only 14% of those were still in treatment, 40% had left before completing their treatment and had not returned and 46% (the highest number group) had completed their treatment fully and not returned since. These statistics show that for almost half of those that go, over a fifteen year period they have likely had a successful outcome.

How Success Is Measured 

It can be hard to measure success as there are different variants and definitions depending on what you class a successful treatment as: According to a treatment protocol effectiveness study by the Executive Office of the President Office of National Drug Control Policy Barry R. McCaffrey, Director, someone who has received effective treatment should display signs of:
A reduced or completely negated use of substances and longer gaps between relapses
An improvement in education or employment attendance and status
Fewer medical visits and better standards of health
Better mental health
Better relationships with loved ones
Better legal status such as committing less crimes or following probation
Getting involved in less car accidents or injuries

This shows just how effective substance abuse rehab can be.