Drug and alcohol treatment programs vary in length. The duration of stay necessary to support the maintenance of sobriety is dependent upon the individual needs of the client. Some men and women are able to effectively utilize the tools they develop in treatment to achieve long-term sobriety, while others may have extenuating circumstances or cooccurring diagnoses that require a longer duration in a treatment program to achieve success. The National Institute on Drug Abuse has found that “good outcomes are contingent on adequate lengths of treatment. “for residential or outpatient treatment, participation for less than 90 days is of limited or no effectiveness, and treatments lasting significantly longer often are indicated.” However, this is entirely dependent on the quality of treatment that one is receiving. With proper care during treatment and effective aftercare programs, long-term sobriety is possible. Generally, program lengths can be 30, 60, or 90 days, but sometimes a longer recovery program is necessary. There is no predetermined length of treatment necessary, so it is necessary to openly communicate with the treatment center so they may develop a personalized treatment program that takes into account the nature and severity of the addiction. According to a 2001 UCLA study, adolescents who stayed in substance-abuse treatment for 90 days or more had significantly lower relapse rates than those who stayed for 21 days. The research, however, does not take into account the quality of treatment being received. Treatment must be tailored to the individual to determine length of stay. Clinicians with take into account the duration of detox necessary and the nature of the client’s addiction to develop an effective treatment program and determine how long a client needs in treatment. Research has shown that the longer a client stays in treatment, the more likely they are to achieve long-term sobriety. However, with a well-planned aftercare plan and involvement in outside recovery programs and fellowships, the chances of maintaining sobriety are greatly increased.
Oceanfront Recovery offers all the tools needed to change your story and create a new life. Sobriety is possible, and our trained staff are dedicated to making your stay in treatment as comfortable and effective as possible. For more information about treatment programs, call: (877) 279-1777
