Rehab Centers

Rehab is short for rehabilitation. In this context, it means the process of rehabilitating from abusing drugs and or alcohol.

Alcoholism and drug abuse patients are treated in specialized facilities called rehab centers. A rehab center is a generic term meaning any of the possible places where treatment for drug abuse and alcohol dependence is done.

The term has come to mean staying inside a facility for some period of full time treatment and therapy for alcoholism or drug addiction. Rehab centers come in all different sizes, styles, programs and philosophy. No two rehab centers are at all alike.

What it's like in rehab center

Rehab is a little like going to school. There are "classes" where patients learn about their condition and what steps needed to be taken to overcome the problem.

For obvious reasons, there are always a strict set of rules at all rehab centers.

A rehab center that specializes in alcohol or drug treatment is the beginning of the process of what is known as recovery. Rehab for alcoholism and or drug dependency is an educational, therapeutic process. Because alcoholism and drug addiction are considered diseases, a rehab center generally has some sort of a medical component. The first and primary medical component in a rehab center is what is known as detox, or detoxification.

Going to a rehab center is the first step in recovery

Most people cannot stop abusing drugs or alcohol without help. The best way to obtain and maintain recovery from drug abuse or alcoholism is to start by going into a rehab center for some period of time, usually 30 days or more..

There is no question the process of learning about staying clean and sober and the disease of alcoholism and drug addiction improves one's chances of long term recovery. By going to a rehab center, a person gains the knowledge, tools and assistance to help them be successful.

Why go to a rehab center

Overcoming the disease of alcoholism or drug addiction is not necessarily easy...

Few people ever even consider going into a rehab center unless or until they have suffered some serious consequences as a result of their alcohol abuse. They include legal, martial, emotional, job, financial and/or physical. The most difficult period of becoming abstinent from drugs or alcohol is the first few days and weeks. Most people trying to stay sober end up getting drunk in the first 30 days. By going into an alcohol rehab center for 30 days, the person will have 30 days clean and sober and well on their way.

The length of stay in alcohol rehab varies based upon a variety of factors. It can be anywhere from a few days to 90 days. In general, the more time spent in alcohol rehab center, the better the chances the client will be successful.

Rehab Center statistics

The number of persons who reported that the most recent treatment they received in the past year was for alcohol was 2,462,000.

Of the 2.4 million people aged 12 or older who received rehab in 2007, only 952,000 received rehab for alcohol use.

In 2007, the number of persons aged 12 or older needing treatment for an alcohol use problem was 19.3 million (7.8 percent of the population aged 12 or older). Of these, 1.6 million (0.6 percent of the total population and 8.1 percent of the people who needed treatment for an alcohol use problem) received alcohol use treatment at a specialty facility. Thus, there were 17.7 million people who needed treatment but did not receive treatment at a specialty facility for an alcohol use problem. None of these estimates changed significantly between 2006 and 2007 and between 2002 and 2007.

Among the 17.7 million people aged 12 or older who needed but did not receive treatment for an alcohol use problem in 2007, there were 859,000 (4.8 percent) who felt they needed treatment for their alcohol use problem. The number and the percentage were higher than those reported in 2006 (541,000 persons and 3.0 percent, respectively), but were similar to those reported in 2002 (761,000 persons and 4.5 percent, respectively). Of these, 619,000 (72.1 percent) did not make an effort to get treatment, and 240,000 (27.9 percent) made an effort but were unable to get treatment in 2007.

In 2007, there were 1.4 million youths (5.5 percent) aged 12 to 17 who needed treatment for an alcohol use problem. Of this group, only 82,000 received treatment at a specialty facility.