Rehab Success Rates: Should They Influence Your Treatment Center Choice?
An Overview of Rehab Success Rates
Rehab success rates vary tremendously from treatment center to treatment center, from program to program, and even from patient to patient. There are many reasons for this difference.
Why Do Rehab Success Rates Vary?
For someone in the throes of addiction, recovery can be an arduous journey. Many addicts may try to quit on their own, but while this dedication and initiative are admirable, it’s also an extremely dangerous decision, as the odds of success when you try to go it alone can be quite low.
An addiction sufferer may accidentally overdose during a relapse or combine medications in toxic ways while trying to treat their withdrawal symptoms, and addiction sufferers acting alone also do not have access to the group support and addiction counseling found in rehab centers.
With professional addiction treatment, rehab success rates are much higher, comparable to those for other chronic illnesses, so if you or a loved one are struggling with addiction, it’s helpful to learn about the differences in drug addiction recovery rates before deciding whether to go it alone or seek individualized care.
Factors Influencing Rehab Success Rates
Considering the overall drug rehab success rate is a good start, but the truth is that individual experiences can vary. Addiction sufferers and their loved ones might wonder whether a particular facility or a style of treatment will benefit them, but the short answer to this question is that the drug rehabilitation success rate depends on a wide number of factors.
These factors include:
- What substance is being used
- How long the substance was used for
- How frequently the substance was used and how much was used at at time
- The patient’s motivation
- Whether the patient sticks with the program to completion
- Whether the facility’s programs are inpatient or outpatient ones
Rehab Success Rate Statistics
Of patients admitted for alcohol addiction treatment, success rates range from 40 to 70%.
In a study analyzing the drug rehab success rate of a residential program, the percentage of patients using cocaine dropped from 66% to just 22% after treatment.
These studies suggest that longer programs in a well-supervised environment help patients better acclimate to sobriety.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the relapse rates for patients who undergo treatment for addiction, ranging from 40 to 60%, are comparable to the relapse rates for hypertension, diabetes, and asthma. I
It’s important to remember that a relapse does not mean that the treatment was a failure or that the patient in question will never recover. Relapses are common and only indicate that more treatment or guidance may be needed.
The good news is that for those who get sober and maintain that sobriety for five years or longer, the chance of a relapse drops to a mere 15%. Even if a patient does relapse, as many do, drug treatment success rates for those who complete a long-term residential treatment program remain as high as 71%.
Using Rehab Success Rates to Find the Right Treatment Center for You
Knowing the average drug rehabilitation success rate can help bolster the confidence needed to pursue treatment, but trying to find the right rehab facility from among thousands in the United States can be a tall order to fill.
BetterAddictionCare’s nationwide recovery network includes some of the country’s top traditional and alternative rehab programs, and our pre-screening assessment is a quick and easy way to search through them to help find the best program for you or a loved one.
The facilities in our network are always accepting new patients, and they offer services ranging from a medically assisted detox, designed to keep patients safe and comfortable during withdrawal, to individualized addiction counseling.
Our highly trained team of client care specialists can coordinate transportation and public or private insurance requirements, making your treatment more cost-effective and easier to begin.
Rehab programs require constant dedication and a firm commitment, but with the right program and support network, you can join the community of those enjoying a successful recovery. Call today or fill out our contact form to get help now and start healing.
Sources
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2020). Treatment and Recovery. Retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/treatment-recovery
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2018). National Survey on Drug Use and Health: 2018 National Survey Results. Retrieved from https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/cbhsq-reports/NSDUHNationalFindingsReport2018/NSDUHNationalFindingsReport2018.pdf
- Moos, R. H., & Moos, B. S. (2006). Rates and predictors of relapse after natural and treated remission from alcohol use disorders. Addiction, 101(2), 212-222.
- McLellan, A. T., Lewis, D. C., O’Brien, C. P., & Kleber, H. D. (2000). Drug dependence, a chronic medical illness: implications for treatment, insurance, and outcomes evaluation. Jama, 284(13), 1689-1695.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2018). Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment: A Research-Based Guide (Third Edition). Retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/principles-drug-addiction-treatment-research-based-guide-third-edition
- Laudet, A. B., White, W. L., & Magura, S. (2005). Recovery capital as prospective predictor of sustained recovery, life satisfaction, and stress among former poly-substance users. Substance use & misuse, 40(11), 1687-1716.