DryOutNow.com is a leading online provider of free medical information about alcoholism and drinking. This includes free medical information, research articles and news on alcohol and drinking related addictions to help inform professionals. The glossary style articles are one of a selection of news articles, academic research papers and information articles relating to addictive behaviour, and in particular to alcohol and drinking.

What are rehab centers?

Rehab centers are institutions that provide care and support to enable a return to a healthy life after a period of illness. In this context we are concerned with alcohol rehab centers which provide care and support for people suffering from alcoholism. Rehab centers will usually provide both the medical and psychological care needed to treat alcoholism. As such, in the UK, rehab centers will usually provide both alcohol detox and on-going psychological rehab, both of which are commonly necessary to achieve recovery from alcoholism.

As far as the psychological element of treatment is concerned, there are various types of rehab center - twelve step rehab centers, therapeutic community rehab centers, religious based rehab centers, and medical model rehab centers. The commonest form of rehab centers in the UK is twelve step.

All rehab centers tend to share a number of key features. Residents must be drug and alcohol free (apart from tobacco); rehab centers provide a structured programme of psychological, educational and social therapy, which aims at preparing the alcoholic or addict to manage better an alcohol free life back in society; rehab center programme lengths vary between 1 and 9 months. Many rehab centers will provide detox in-house when this is necessary, in advance of commencement of the rehab programme.
Rehab centers versus community (home) treatment

Admission to a rehab center for a period of residential treatment, appears to present a higher probability of successful outcome than does community based treatment. A 1996 follow-up study, conducted as part of the National Treatment Outcome Research Study (NTORS) indicated the following (Gossop M et al, 1999): When compared to community services, residential rehab centers are likely to achieve comparable outcomes, but treat clients with more severe patterns of addiction, thus indicating greater effectiveness of residential rehab centers as compared to community rehab.

Duration of rehab center stay

Compared to early leavers from rehab centers those retained at least 28 days in short rehab center programmes, and 90 days in longer rehab center programmes are probably four times less likely to relapse than others, as indicated by some research studies. The issue of retention in rehab centers is central to effectiveness, and can be seen as a function of how the rehab center relates to its clients, rather than the reverse. Rehab centers which actively engage with clients, provide supportive environments and well structured programmes, which are clear about their policies and their therapies, and which tailor their activities to individual needs produce better outcomes.

Our professional advisors are available to you 12 hours daily, 7 days a week, to help you with expert, completely practical advice about drug addiction and alcoholism, free-of-charge. All appropriate forms of treatment can be arranged wherever you live. Telephone 0845 370 0203 now for advice in confidence.