subject: What Are The Stages Of Drug Abuse Centers For Drug Addiction Recovery? [print this page] If an alocoholic decides to enter into a drug abuse rehab programs, he will start a journey through various stages of the recovery program. Usually these components are generally divided into four stages. Each alcoholic has to pass through these four stages as he discovers to develop a sober and clean way of life. We will explain these stages in detail.
These four stages of rehab program are: (1) Beginning of treatment, (2) Early abstinence, (3) Maintaining abstinence (4) Advanced recovery.
Beginning of treatment:
When an addict goes to the recovery program for recovery from drug addiction, he starts the first stage of the treatment: Treatment initiation. Whether the addict wants help willingly or is forced by the circumstances to go for recovery, the procedure of his treatment will start with him starting the recovery program.
In the initial days of rehab program, the addict may start to think that his problem of substance abuse is not as terrible as others and he will have confused feelings about leaving the drug or substance. It should be rememberd that the denial and ambivalence can be worst enemies of the addict in the early days of rehabilitation program.
Initial Self denial:
The addict then enters into the second stage ones he has made a strong commitment to carry on the rehab. At this stage he starts initial abstinence of the substance or drugs. This stage can be the toughest due to different reasons such as physical craving, withdrawal symptoms, psychological dependence, and a lot of reasons that can make you relapse. This stage lasts for about 3 months.
Keeping up abstinence:
The program then moves onto the third stage of drug addiction and recovery. The primary objective of this stage is to maintain the self denial through avoiding the relapse. The addict is educated about the symptoms and the steps that can lead to a relapse.
This is where the alcoholics who began a residential treatment center, will move to the stage of continuing or follow-up counseling on an out-patient basis.
Advanced treatment:
After keeping abstinence for about 5 years, the addict will move on to the fourth and final phase of recovery. At this stage the addict is able to use all the skills and tools (learnt during the rehab counseling) for living a fulfilling and satisfying life.
The addict will become a better person, parent, spouse, citizen and neighbor. Recover is much more than merely staying clean and sober.
