Millions of people with substance use disorders (SUD) check into inpatient drug rehab every year. Their hope is to leave with a better understanding of why they abuse substances and lead a sober life with newly acquired tools.

Depending on the longevity of drug abuse, mental and physical health, and how severe the addiction is, you may want to consider entering an inpatient treatment program.

Inpatient rehab centers provide the most intensive form of treatment. Patients live on-site, receive 24-hour care, and usually stay for 28 to 60 days.

Before committing to an inpatient rehab program, it’s natural to wonder just how effective they are. Below we will explore how successful inpatient programs are so you may decide whether this form of treatment is the right fit for your recovery goals.

What Exactly Is an Inpatient Program?

There are several types of treatment programs that can help someone recover from a substance use disorder. Aside from inpatient, other treatment options include:

outpatient treatment
intensive outpatient programs
partial hospitalization programs

The main difference between an inpatient program and the options above is that patients live on-site for an extended amount of time. With the other options, patients will visit the site throughout the week to receive treatment and then return home.

Inpatient programs offer a comprehensive recovery experience. Patients will fully immerse themselves in treating addiction because they are temporarily removed from the stress of everyday life.

Some of the benefits of an inpatient rehab program are:

24/7 care and monitoring
individual therapy and counseling
group counseling and therapy
activities with other patients
access to medication-assisted treatment
access to medically trained staff
contingency management
exposure to 12-step group meetings, such as AA or NA
closer bond to those you enter the program with

It is much harder for a patient to use or drink while living in a rehabilitation center. They don’t have easy access to drugs and alcohol, are limited with the use of electronics, and are on a strict schedule. This helps to prevent relapse, which outpatient treatment can’t offer.

Inpatient programs create a sober and positive environment to deal with drug abuse and new uncomfortable sober feelings without the fear of relapse.

Rating “Success” in Addiction Treatment

Since there is no standard definition of what constitutes a rehabilitation center, research on the success of inpatient programs is limited. It’s not common that a center will keep up with patients long after treatment has been completed.

There are a set of guidelines that many of the most effective centers follow. According to the National Institute On Drug Abuse, some of the principles of effective treatment are:

treating every patient as a unique case
treatment should address whole the person, not just their addiction
recognizing addiction as a brain disorder
physical sobriety is not the only goal; a perspective shift is needed to fully recover from an addiction
other mental health disorders may need to be addressed

Judging if treatment is “successful” can also be difficult. For some, completing a stay at a treatment center is a success. Even though this is a major triumph, the ultimate goal is to maintain a sober, healthy, and prosperous life years after treatment.

These can be signs of success from treatment:

little to no relapses
acquiring an occupation
receiving educational degrees
improved mental health, coupled with continued therapy or counseling
positive relationships with friends, family, and co-workers
no legal trouble
improved physical health and appearance

Potential Cons of Inpatient Programs

Inpatient programs provide a well-rounded experience, but there are things you should be aware of before you enter or leave a facility.

These programs are comprehensive: they provide housing, food, and other essentials for living, as well as a 24-hour staff of licensed professionals to provide constant care and monitoring. Oftentimes, they may also provide transportation services for field trips such as AA meetings or group hikes. This all adds up, and makes inpatient programs one of the more expensive options.

Stepping away from life stressors is a great way to focus solely on recovery. However, upon leaving rehab, some may feel unaccustomed to the constant stimulation of the outside world and reintroduction of triggers.

This can make it easy to relapse during early sobriety. If this occurs, do not get discouraged. Recovery is a process, and it often takes several tries to find long-lasting sobriety.

Final Words

Just like a serious disease, treatment needs to be all-encompassing and for an extended amount of time. You can find this level of care with inpatient treatment, making it one of the better ways to treat a substance abuse disorder.