[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”INPATIENT TREATMENT” font_container=”tag:h1|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]Majority of institutions and people measure the effectiveness of an inpatient drug treatment programs by the level of relapse rates reported. The National Institute on Drug Abuse estimates that 40 to 60 percent of alcohol and drug addicts relapse back to abusing their drug of choice once they leave rehabilitation centers. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration encourages drug users who have completed a detoxification program to sign into an inpatient treatment program and this will reduce the chance of relapsing by 40 percent.
IMPORTANCE OF TREATMENT
The American Journal of Epidemiology encourages drug users to join a drug rehabilitation program after detoxification. In a survey they did among drug users, they showed that 27 percent of drug addicts who don’t seek treatment die within 20 years due to drug related problems while 27 percent of those who seek treatment stay sober for their entire lives.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA’s) National Survey on Drug Use and Health carried out in 2009, 23.5 million people in the United States require treatment for alcohol and drug abuse. This was 9.3 percent of the population. Among this number, 11.2 percent or 2.6 million signed in to inpatient treatment centers for treatment. Inpatient treatment centers that submitted data to the government according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration showed that in 2008, 1.8 million admissions were reported. According to the data submitted, 41.4 percent of the patients who sought inpatient treatment was due to alcohol abuse. Opiates such as heroin came second at 20 percent and marijuana was third at 17 percent. White people had the largest representation at 60 percent. The percentage of African Americans represented was 21 percent and 14 percent were from the Latin and Hispanic population. 2.3 percent among them were Alaska natives and American Indians while 1 percent were Asian and Pacific Islander. Among those who were admitted to inpatient programs that year, the highest age group were between the ages of 25 and 29 at 14.8 percent. This was followed by those who were between 20 – 24 at 14.4 percent and 12.6 percent were people aged between 40 – 44.
STAYING CLEAN
Statistics from the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System in the United Kingdom, between 2011 and 2012 show that 185,428 people received treatment over a period of 12 weeks or more due to drug dependency or completed treatment free of dependency. In the period between 2011 and 2012, 47 percent of drug users who sought rehabilitation completed treatment meaning they overcame their dependency. 14 percent were transferred to receive further treatment while 11 percent who were in custody were transferred to structured treatment. Among opiate users who received treatment, 51 percent of them abstained from the drugs. 23 percent were categorized as having improved reliably and 3 percent of the opiate user’s conditions had deteriorated. The median age of the clients was 35 years old while 73 percent of all the clients were male. 83 percent of all the clients were White British. 81 percent of the clients were seeking treatment for opiate use followed by marijuana at 8 percent and 5 percent of the clients sought treatment for powder cocaine. 40 percent of clients had sought treatment as a personal choice while 29 percent had been referred by the Criminal Justice System and 13 percent of the clients had received onward referrals from other drug related services.
Alcohol abusers and drug addicts who seek help for the first time in outpatient centers are encouraged to go to inpatient centers in their second attempt to recover from drug and alcohol abuse. In inpatient programs, there is more supervision and more learning as compared to outpatient centers.
MOTIVATION
The levels of motivation provided in inpatient programs is higher and here, patients are required that they commit to the recovery process. Entering an outpatient program in many cases isn’t through a voluntary basis and majority who sign into this program are pushed by family or loved ones and cases of relapse are higher. They do it to impress or since they have to. Joining an inpatient program is different since one can’t fake because of being closely monitored. Drug abuse is low in inpatient centers as compared to outpatient centers where they go and leave as they please.
MENTAL ILLNESS
The American Psychiatry Association recommends that people with mental illnesses and who have drug addictions at the same time are better off seeking inpatient treatment rather than outpatient treatment. A study by the journal Psychiatry Quarterly showed that chances of drug addicts in outpatient treatment centers dropping out of the program were four times higher than those in inpatient programs. It recommended that due to the unique needs of people suffering from mental illnesses and drug addiction, inpatient centers were better off offering them treatment.
LENGTH OF STAYS
Majority of drug rehabilitation centers give different periods for treatment. There are short term options which takes 30 days and long term options which take 90 days or more. However, these different time frames exist because drug rehabilitation is a costly affair and those paying for their loved ones get to choose the time frame that is affordable to them. However, some rehabilitation centers offer an unlimited time period to the patient as long as they can afford it to a point where they are completely free off drugs and they are confident that they can lead a drug free life.
Patients who go to a rehabilitation center first go through a detoxification program where all drugs in their body are gotten rid of. In the meantime, they are given drugs that help them adapt and mitigate the withdrawal symptoms. Once the detoxification process is completed, they are supposed to adjust into living in the rehabilitation center for the next few weeks when actual treatment begins. Detoxification and adapting to life in the center can take 2 weeks and therefore actual treatment begins in the third week.
SUCCESS RATES
The Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs measures the success rate of inpatient programs by how the lives of the patients have improved after discharge using several factors including their employment status once they have left the drug rehabs, their social network, their physical and mental health status and whether their living arrangements are stable. According to the Journal, the inpatient treatment program is one of the most effective treatment options since each of these factors in the patient’s life improves to some extent even though they relapse after they have left the rehabilitation centers.
Inpatient drug treatment isn’t as effective since the National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that 40 to 60 percent of those who leave rehabilitation centers relapse. The main reason being there is no close monitoring once they go back to their former environment and peer pressure and availability of drugs greatly contribute to relapse. However, chances of leading a drug free life to those who check into inpatient centers for drug treatment after being released are higher than those who check into outpatient centers.
Inpatient treatment is the most effective form of treatment that can be offered to people who have drug problems as well as mental illnesses as compared to the other forms of treatments according to the American Psychiatry Association.
People who are suffering from physical health issues are also recommended to join an inpatient program. A study by the Alcoholism Journal revealed that 63 percent of those seeking inpatient treatment either have a mental or physical issue added to their drug addiction problem. Pain and dysfunction of the body give a drug addict a difficult time and inpatient centers are the most suitable in addressing these concerns.
Experts believe that patients who spend longer times in rehabilitation centers end up with greater results. This is because the patient has a longer time period to seek and understand the underlying causes that have driven them into addiction. The 30 day rehabilitation process is criticized since 2 additional weeks aren’t enough for actual treatment to be effective. Another advantage is that a long term inpatient option gives the body a chance to recover.
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