A Drug Rehab and Dual Diagnosis Treatment

National statistics have shown that drug addicts and alcoholics who attend a long term addiction treatment and drug rehab programs, where their dual diagnosis is addressed, have a higher recovery rate. Although individual addiction treatment and dual diagnosis programs can vary, the average length of time of such a treatment program is approximately four to six weeks.

Detox and Dual Diagnosis

Drug rehab is a series of addiction treatment services with very specific focus to each. Alcohol detox and drug detox is only the first step to completing drug rehab. Alcohol detox or drug detox alone is not sufficient to change the patterns created by drug addiction and alcoholism. Recovery from drug addiction or alcoholism involves an extended addiction treatment process which usually requires the help of drug rehab professionals.In most cases, a person?s dual diagnosis is not fully addressed in detox. The reason for this, is that so many of the symptoms associated with alcohol withdrawal or drug withdrawal mimic psychiatric symptoms, it is best to wait until the patient is medically stable. It is usually in the drug rehab portion of addiction treatment that the dual diagnosis is more fully diagnosed and treated.

Why Detox in Drug Rehab

Denial is a significant barrier in treating dual diagnosis and drug addiction. Almost all addicts tell themselves that they can conquer their drug addiction or alcohol addiction on their own without the help of addiction treatment resources. Unfortunately, this is not usually the case. When an addict makes an attempt to discontinue drug abuse and alcohol abuse without the aid of professional drug rehab help, recovery is short lived, sometimes due to intense cravings and sometimes due to overpowering alcohol withdrawal or drug withdrawal symptoms. An addict or alcoholic who wishes to recover from their drug addiction or a dual diagnosis needs more than just strong will power. Trying to overcome the barriers to living a drug-free life without the guidance of a successful drug rehab as the foundation can be extremely difficult. For additional information on dual diagnosis or addiction treatment program, call 1-800-511-9225 or go to www.lakeviewhealth.com.

Jonathan Huttner has 25 years experience in the field of addiction treatment and dual diagnosis. He is a partner in Lakeview Health Systems which specializes in the treatment of drug addiction and dual diagnosis.

New Drug Rehab Model Used in Second Chance Program in Albuquerque

A new drug rehabilitation program that uses long-term nutritional and sauna-based detoxification - with no alternative drugs - is achieving high success statistics in a prison setting. Run by Rick Pendery, the national executive director of the Second Chance Centers, and Joy Westrum, the president of the Second Chance Program, the program has been running for several months in a secure setting in Albuquerque, NM.

Westrum explains that the purpose of the program is to "provide secure, long-term rehabilitation for substance abusers in the criminal justice system, and then to transition them back into society so they can lead a stable life free of crime and drugs. The program includes the administration of vitamins and mineral supplements twice a day, drills designed to extrovert the inmate's attention, and physical techniques designed to decrease the physical trauma of withdrawal that are administered by other inmates. The entire process is supervised by a staff member trained in the process."

This long-term detoxification process has been used throughout the world, not only to assist people in getting off drugs, but also to remove chemicals and other toxins from the system. For example, it was used by the New York Fire Department and others who worked at Ground Zero after the disaster of 9/11.

"When the person has completed the long-term detox, the metabolic residuals from years of substance abuse are eliminated from the body. We have found that the detox measurably decreases the craving to take more drugs," Pendery explains. "The also appear more healthy, as witnessed by physical indicators, such as improved skin tone and clear eyes, as well as social indicators like higher activity levels, better communication skills, and so forth."

Those on the program also engage in what are called Therapeutic Training Routines, which are known to increase the inmate's attention and awareness of his present environment, raise his ability to comfortably confront others and examine his own life, and raise his ability to give and receive communication. In the process, the inmate's level of responsibility, ability to gain control over his emotions, ability to control others, and willingness to be controlled also increase.

"These routines consist of actual communication drills that were developed by L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of a newly recognized religion called Scientology," explains Pendery. "Second Chance is a secular program that uses protocol-based research from Mr. Hubbard, but Second Chance is non-religious by nature and is not part of the Church of Scientology. Developing better communication skills, eliminating toxins stored in the body, and learning tools that more effectively help someone learn and apply what they learn are examples of some of these protocols. Our center provides Sunday Catholic and Protestant services, and practices an official policy of respecting the religious beliefs of others. The inmates here are encouraged to pray, read the Bible, meditate, or take part in any religious activity."

Concludes Pendery, "The results of this part of our program really pull the individual out of his 'drug life.' The remaining steps help stabilize him so he can successful reintegrate into society."

Kent McGregor, previously the Director of Substance Abuse for New Mexico and later a Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities Certifier, has acted as a consultant for the Second Chance Program. He outlined how the various parts of the Second Chance Program fall within what is considered to be the best practice in substance abuse treatment, saying, "The Second Chance program uses a holistic approach of exercise combined with the use of nutrients to replace metabolic deficiencies. They use a sauna/nutritional detoxification therapy that reduces the burden of toxic body metabolites. They additionally use motivational interviews, contingency management, community reinforcement therapy all combined into a successful matrix model in a social detox therapeutic community environment.

Information about the Second Chance Program can be found at www.secondchanceprogram.net.