Effective Drug Rehab Programs

If you are seeking help because you think you are in need of a Effective Drug Rehab Programs please read the following article.

Are there any effective drug rehab programs? What constitutes an effective drug rehab program? How is this measured? These questions have answers that reflect a sad state of affairs within the addictions field, the psychiatric field and its clinical environs, as well as huge deficiencies within our government beaurcracies and institutions.

Let's start with the term, "effective", and all its implications. Defined, effective means: 1)adequate to accomplish a purpose; producing the intended or expected result 2) Existing in fact; actual 3) refers to that which is able to produce a (desired) effect, and others. Most drug rehabs fall woefully short of meeting these parameters.

Most residential drug rehab programs teach abstinence from alcohol and drugs. Yet, according to national statistics, most people who experience these problems end up moderating their use. This is not true of people who are entered into drug rehab treatment, as they are shown to have more negative results than people who are not exposed to treatment. This does not make them effective drug rehab programs. However, they do, "accomplish" what they are taught within the programs, that they cannot control themselves. They are," effectively" convinced they are powerless and diseased.

The measure or standard of effectiveness is questionable as well. Many programs measure only the populations within their facilities, which can hardly be seen to have relevance. Still others measure, "quality of life improved", which is highly subjective, and not based upon the actual teachings of the program, whose self stated goal is abstinence. Many more survey based upon self-report studies, often to populations who face consequences for failing to maintain abstinence, or they may do these surveys in house, without the required random, scientific, impartial methodology that constitutes a legitimate science based endeavor. Still more make no attempt to gauge the effects of their programs on the people subjected to them.

"Effective" drug rehabs are often deemed "effective" in terms of cost. Most programs in this country are less expensive than jail, and rely upon a paradigm that can be traced back to the early 1800's in American history. These types of programs have never demonstrated positive implications for those subjected to them. These programs are cheap to run, and often based upon religious philosophy, rather than science. While religion is helpful to many people, this variety has scientifically demonstrated to create learned helplessness, loss of self efficacy, and lowered personal resiliency in those exposed to them. This hardly meets the criteria of, "effective" for the people subjected to them, but, "effective" in terms of government budgets. The fact that many of these programs are coercive, and that attendance is forced or mandated does not translate to, "effective" for the individuals, but again, "effective" for the government bottom line.

Are there effective drug rehab programs? The answer is yes, but sadly they are too few and far between. Hopefully someday the addictions field, the psychiatric field and its clinical environs, as well as huge deficiencies within our government beaurcracies and institutions will be reformed into truly effective drug rehab programs that benefit the people who have these problems.

The St Jude Retreat Center offers an alternative to conventional Drug Rehabs. Since 1992 we offer a Non 12 Step residential program to completely overcome drug abuse. Call now for Help.