Have you ever thought about what drug addiction rehab really means?  The words are thrown around in the media, in government, and in our schools, but what exactly is rehab for drug addiction?

In its simplest form, drug addiction rehab means quitting drugs and learning how to live a drug-free life.  However, it's much, much more than just quitting drugs.  Various drugs have different effects on the body and mind just as certain people are prone to addiction to certain drugs.  Treatment can vary according to which drug is involved as well.

Drug addiction rehab can take the form of behavioral, or cognitive, therapy, medication, or a combination of both.  It depends on a lot of factors that will determine which treatment will work best.

Behavioral therapy offers addicts strategies to coping with their drug cravings.  It teaches them ways to avoid drugs and prevent relapse.  This type of therapy also teaches them how to deal with relapse should it occur.

When a person's drug-related behavior places him or her at higher risk for AIDS or other infectious diseases, behavioral therapies can help to reduce the risk of disease transmission. Case management and referral to other medical, psychological, and social services are crucial components of treatment for many patients.

The best programs provide a combination of therapies and other services to meet the needs of the individual patient, which are shaped by such issues as age, race, culture, sexual orientation, gender, pregnancy, parenting, housing, and employment, as well as physical and sexual abuse.

Treatment medications, such as methadone, LAAM, and naltrexone, are available for individuals addicted to opiates. Nicotine preparations (patches, gum, nasal spray) and bupropion are available for individuals addicted to nicotine.

Medications, such as antidepressants, mood stabilizers, or neuroleptics, may be critical for treatment success when patients have co-occurring mental disorders, such as depression, anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, or psychosis.

Drug addiction rehab can occur in a variety of settings, in many different forms, and for different lengths of time. Because drug addiction is typically a chronic disorder characterized by occasional relapses, a short-term, one-time treatment often is not sufficient. For many, rehab is a long-term process that involves multiple interventions and attempts at abstinence.

Rehab is probably the best course of action when trying to beat an addiction.  It doesn't have to take place at an in-patient facility, but it does offer the best success rate when it comes to beating drug addiction and leading a drug-free life.