An effective rehabilitation program is one that offers individualized treatment. Every case of addiction or substance abuse is unique because every afflicted person comes with his or her own social background, family and personal history, medical needs … and all the other factors relevant to addiction. There is no one pre-determined or set remedy. The length of the treatment, for example, is one aspect that needs to be determined based on a client’s particular circumstances. Short term rehab generally ranges from 14 to 30 days, while long term drug rehab programs can run from two to four months, or even longer. There are many elements that have to be considered when deciding the right length of treatment for you. One is the severity of the addiction. A longer treatment period is often recommended when the drug or alcohol addiction is substantial. You may need to initially undergo detoxification. Then, you’ll need ample time for the other modes of treatment that deal with the psychological and emotional issues. When there isn’t a strong support system at home, or the pressures of everyday life are too great to bear at the time, long term rehab serves as a safe and positive environment where there’s a better opportunity to develop the necessary life skills to maintain sobriety. The National Institute of Drug Abuse found that long term rehab has a higher rate of success. This is not surprising if you think about how the challenges of regular life can be stressful once you leave treatment to begin the journey to recovery. Relapse is one of the challenges that every recovering addict has to face after in-patient treatment. But you can be better equipped at handling this with a program that has provided enough time and attention to rebuilding your personal strength and foundation for lifelong recovery. Photo: The Ranch PA