Does Long-Term Inpatient Rehab Lead To Long-Term Addiction Recovery?

Most drug addiction treatment programs last between 28 and 90 days. However, some people stay in rehab even longer, sometimes for a year or more. While not everyone needs long-term treatment, it can make your recovery easier. 

Does Long-Term Inpatient Rehab Lead To Long-Term Addiction Recovery?

Research suggests that long-term inpatient treatment can indeed increase your chances of long-term recovery. 

For example, one study showed that women who spent six months in a rehab facility had a success rate ranging between 68% and 71%, while shorter rehab stays led to lower success rates. 

Although long-term addiction treatment can benefit anyone, it’s particularly helpful for:

• people with severe addictions
• people with multiple addictions
• people with co-occurring disorders, such as depression, bipolar disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• people who live in unstable homes
• people who have attempted treatment and relapsed multiple times

Benefits Of Long-Term Inpatient Rehab

During inpatient treatment (also called residential treatment), you live at a treatment facility and receive 24/7 care. This treatment option is highly effective, even if you opt for a short-term stay. However, a longer length of treatment brings important benefits, including: 

More Time To Recover From Withdrawal Symptoms

One of the most common symptoms of substance use disorder is physical dependence. That means your body starts relying on drugs to function. 

When you stop using them, you will experience withdrawal symptoms. Depending on your body and the drugs you used, these symptoms may range from mild headaches to severe seizures. 

To help you manage withdrawal symptoms, most addiction treatment plans start with medical detoxification. During detox, doctors help you slowly and safely get drugs out of your system. They may also prescribe medications to reduce the severity of certain symptoms.

In a long-term drug rehab program, you can enjoy a more comfortable withdrawal experience by spending more time in detox. Your doctors will also have more time to watch for signs of post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS). This condition occurs when your withdrawal symptoms last for more than a few weeks. 

If you experience PAWS, your detox team will create a personalized treatment plan to stop your symptoms as quickly as possible. With your withdrawal symptoms under control, you face a much lower risk of relapse.

More Time To Address The Root Causes Of Your Addiction

Many people develop drug or alcohol addiction after misusing drugs to cope with personal issues, such as:

• relationship problems
• work stress 
• grief
• childhood trauma
• mental health disorders

In a long-term rehab program, you and your treatment team will have plenty of time to identify the underlying causes of your addiction. Your doctors will then help you manage these issues through personalized treatments such as:

• cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which helps you change unhelpful beliefs and behaviors that contribute to your drug or alcohol abuse
• medication-assisted treatment (MAT), which eases cravings and withdrawal symptoms caused by alcohol or opioid addiction
• group therapy, including family therapy

In addition, if you have a co-occurring mental health issue, you will receive dual diagnosis treatment. This type of care includes therapies, medications, support groups, and other services that target co-occurring mental health concerns. 

When you address your addiction and other disorders at the same time, it’s much easier to achieve long-term recovery. 

More Time To Restore Your Physical Health

Addiction takes a serious toll on your body. Drugs like alcohol, cocaine, and meth can wreak havoc on your organs and increase your risk of various diseases.

 In addition, no matter what drugs you use, addiction makes it difficult to focus on anything besides drug use. As a result, many people with addiction neglect their nutritional needs.

In a long-term inpatient program, you’ll eat healthy meals every day to restore your strength and energy. Some rehab facilities also provide personalized nutritional guidance to meet your specific needs.

To further boost your health, most treatment centers also offer gyms, walking trails, yoga classes, or other amenities that encourage physical activity. Like a healthy diet, exercise keeps your body strong enough to handle the stress of recovery. 

An extended length of stay in rehab can also help you adopt a healthy sleep schedule. That’s because most rehab centers require you to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day. 

Once treatment ends, you can continue this habit at home. Proper rest lowers your relapse risk by helping you cope with everyday stress.  

More Time For Aftercare Planning

An aftercare plan is a set of strategies designed to reduce your risk of relapse. In long-term rehab, your treatment team has plenty of time to determine your needs and craft your ideal aftercare plan. Depending on your situation, this plan may include:

• ongoing therapy
• support groups, such as SMART Recovery or 12-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
• wellness activities, such as journaling, meditation, and yoga
• transitional housing (also called “sober living homes”)
• assistance with education or employment

Your treatment team may also recommend that you transition to a partial hospitalization program (PHP), intensive outpatient program (IOP), or standard outpatient program (OP). These programs give you the chance to strengthen the skills you learned in inpatient rehab, increasing your chances of long-term recovery.

To learn more about substance abuse treatment options, please reach out to Ohio Recovery Center. Our board-certified healthcare providers offer personalized, evidence-based care to help you or your loved one stay sober.