Why 90 Days Instead of 30 or 60?
When researching treatment programs for addiction recovery, there are several constants you should be aware of and come to expect from each rehab facility. These constants include a dual-diagnosis approach to treating addictive and co-occurring mental health disorders, on-staff licensed practitioners in counseling and psychiatry, and the utilization of a variety of therapeutic modalities to address both substance misuse and behavioral disorders.
Thankfully, the majority of addiction rehab centers meet the above-listed criteria with a combination of access to the internet, personal experience with addictive disorders, and advancements in treatment options. This has increased awareness and unilaterally instituted higher standards for addiction recovery treatment programs. The across the board increase in standards alone certainly helps make the process of deciding between rehab programs easier, but it can also potentially make differentiating between similar rehab centers more difficult.
One of the few variables that can help influence your decision when considering similar addiction treatment programs is the length of stay for inpatient services. There is no exact time frame for how long inpatient treatment should last, and the more traditional programs generally last from 30, 60, or 90 days. Evidence suggests that the longer the addiction recovery patients stay in treatment, the higher their chances are for maintaining sobriety through preventative measures, healthier habits, and avoiding potential triggers — all factors that if missing, could lead to a relapse.
There are addiction rehab treatment programs, arguably adhering a little too strictly to these reports of increased long-term sobriety, that advocate six-month or even year-long stays. These programs would not be wrong in their assessment, but we feel 90 days is sufficient time to achieve sobriety and set about creating a new foundation based on healthier habits that will promote long-term sobriety. We understand that people’s lives have been interrupted enough by their substance misuse and have created a program with just enough time to implement and instill a recovery plan. We will explain why 30 or 60-day inpatient stays are too short by giving a quick run-through of what we consider the benefits of our 90-day routine.
A Run Thru of the 90-Day Routine
People have jobs along with family obligations that they need to attend to, and unfortunately, it is not always possible for them to take extended time away for the type of self-care necessary to treat addictive disorders. However, to put it simply, neither 30 nor even 60 days is enough time to sufficiently instill healthier habits. The habits just will not stick as well when implemented in such a short time frame.
Within the first 30 days, addiction recovery patients will finally achieve sobriety, but the majority of that time is spent detoxing and acclimating to new surroundings and routines. Depending on which substance or substances you misused, detox can take anywhere from two to three weeks; every patient reacts differently to the detox process, and there is no telling how long the after-effects from your repeated misuse of substances will persist after you have achieved initial sobriety. Cases of detox can even have lingering effects well into the fourth week in some instances. Patients are hardly sitting around during this period though, and although most may not be feeling at their best, they are still being introduced to the therapy, medication, and healthier habits that will become part of their daily routine. Much of the first 30 days will be all about getting your feet on sober ground.
The next month is about deconstructing those bad habits that motivated your substance misuse and beginning to learn new, healthier ways to recognize and better cope with triggers for your addictive disorder. These next 30 days consist of therapy, routine, and enjoying the pleasures of your newfound sobriety — i.e. being able to think, socialize, and reconnect with your true self. Sounds like after 60 days you should be well on your way to learning the skills to maintain sobriety. Why then does Choice House recommend another 30?
Learning the how and why of an addictive disorder does nothing to ensure that you will continue to practice those learned lessons about sobriety maintenance once you have left rehab. That is why those final 30 days is all about repetition and creating healthy, habitual behavior. Chances are you have spent most of your adult life creating addictive habits in the form of repeated negative thought patterns as well as self-destructive actions as a response to stressors and mental anguish in your life. Once you have learned the healthier ways to react, you also need to repeat those lessons again and again and — yes, we’ll say it — again to make those actions into habits that will eventually be akin to muscle memory.
In 30 days, you can achieve sobriety; after 60, you start to understand the root causes and learn how to care for yourself. Following 90 days, addiction recovery patients can establish healthier living habits that will better ensure that their recovery plan sticks, granting them the best chance at maintaining long term sobriety. That is why Choice House recommends the 90-day inpatient treatment service over 30 or 60 days.
If you are looking to create healthier habits to combat your substance misuse and addictive disorder, then Choice House can help. Through a variety of therapeutic modalities, we offer men the opportunity to achieve and maintain sobriety through a 90-day inpatient program, an intensive outpatient service, and residency at our sober living campus. Our facilities are situated ideally between the Rocky Mountain National Park and the bustling city of Louisville. Taking full advantage of having the Rocky Mountains in our backyard, we specialize in a unique outdoor wilderness therapy modality in which men can begin to create a new foundation of love and empathy through physical activity like rock climbing, hiking, and kayaking. Men get to reconnect with nature and fellow recovery patients as they create lifelong bonds of friendship that will prove vital long after leaving Choice House facilities. Being a short drive from the city of Louisville is also beneficial to members participating in outpatient services or those residing at our sober living campus. Addiction recovery patients are allowed to successfully transition back to work and social lives while still receiving the necessary treatment and guidance from Choice House staff. If you are interested in learning more information about Choice House’s addiction recovery programs or facilities, then please give us a call at (720) 577-4422.