6 Reasons Why Rehabs Fail

Discover 6 Reasons Why Rehabs Fail in Addiction Treatment

According to research on the drug rehab success rates for people that are going through their first year of recovery, between 40 and 60 percent slip back into substance abuse. This statistic may seem confusing since addiction treatment is known to be successful; however, not all rehabs have the same structure, treatments and overall success with their patients. The top reasons why rehabs fail will be looked at in this article.

1. Poor Detox Programs

Detoxification is required for many substances – usually the ones that are physically addictive. During detox, a person goes through the side effects of quitting, which are known as withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms make it very difficult to function for a time, and the reason why rehabs fail is because the detox ends too soon or is ineffective, causing the person to struggle with their subsequent treatment.

2. Ineffective Treatment Approach

Today, there are several ways that addiction is treated. This is not because a particular program isn’t effective but rather because each person requires a different approach. One of the main reasons why rehabs fail is because they just provide a general approach to addiction treatment and don’t look at individual needs. Not only do addicts require tailor-made programs, but they need to have the effectiveness of their treatment reassessed throughout the program.

3. Outside Influences

If a person was able to focus entirely on getting better, their overall success is improved. What to look for in a drug rehab center should be what type of inpatient programs they have since these allow the addict to leave their home and social life for a time to focus entirely on their recovery. The drug rehab success rates for inpatient programs are in general higher than outpatient in cases where the person has relapsed before after outpatient care or has a severe physical and mental addiction.

4. Lack of Dual Diagnosis Treatments

In addiction treatment, a common condition is one where the addict has another mental disorder alongside their substance use disorder. This situation causes a person’s treatment to be more complex as they also require treatment for the other mental disorder. The reason why rehabs fail is because they only treat addiction and not the other mental issues. This usually causes the person to relapse because in most cases, the untreated mental disorder led them to abusing drugs in the first place through self-medication with drugs or alcohol.

5. Only Providing Addiction Medication Without Therapy

What to look for in a drug rehab center should be their use of therapy alongside addiction medication. In some severe cases of addiction where the individual has relapsed several times, a drug-replacement therapy can be the only way to manage their addiction and stop it from spiraling out of control. As such, medications such as methadone can be given to a person for several months to help prevent relapse, but by itself, the medication is not very effective. To truly gain the benefit of such an approach to treatment, the addict must also attend therapy.

6. Lack of Encouragement

Some rehabs may fail because there wasn’t an effort made to motivate the individual to stay in rehab or programs they provide for at least three months. One of the biggest reasons why treatments for addiction can fail is because the addict left rehab before treatment could be effective.

WhiteSands offers a variety of treatment programs, with inpatient facilities in Tampa and Fort Myers and outpatient facilities throughout Florida. To get on the path to recovery, call us today at (877) 855-3470.

If you or a loved one needs help with abuse and/or treatment, please call the WhiteSands Treatment at (877) 855-3470. Our addiction specialists can assess your recovery needs and help you get the addiction treatment that provides the best chance for your long-term recovery.

About the Author

is a proud alumni member of WhiteSands Treatment. After living a life of chaos, destruction and constant let downs, Mark was able to make a complete turnaround that sparked a new way of life. He is serious about his recovery along with helping others. At WhiteSands Treatment, we offer support to you in your homes or when you are out living in your daily lives.