Much like the first time someone eventually decides to go into residential treatment to seek help for a substance abuse issue, the decision to go back to residential treatment a 2nd or even third time to find help for substance abuse is not an easy one.
As with the first time they entered into a residential treatment program, there are stages of readiness. Does the person think that their substance abuse problem has become bad enough again that entering into residential treatment is required? Or, as is probably the situation with the 1st time they entered into residential treatment, does the person believe they can take care of their substance abuse problem by themselves?
Layered upon this is the thoughts of failure. They have already gone through a residential treatment program, and the individuals have still relapsed. Why will this time be any any different? Put another way, what is it that the individuals are going to learn in their second or 3rd effort at residential treatment that will make the change and reduce the chance for them from relapsing again in the future?
The truth of the issue is that the rate of success for residential treatment programs, and all other types of substance abuse treatment programs, is less than optimal. The way success is defined for residential treatment facilities varies, but in general it is the % of the facility's patients that have stayed clean and sober one to two years after treatment. For almost all residential treatment programs this “success rate” is most likely below 20%.As a result of this low rate of “success”, many residential treatment facilities find many of their clients that have relapsed returning one, 2, or quite often more times. Does this demonstrate failure for the residential treatment facility? Or does it mean that the facilities have instilled in their clients the idea that recovery from substance abuse is a process that is most likely possible. So as long as a person continues to keep trying, then they haven't failed at their recovery and there can indeed be new things to glean by giving residential treatment another try.
As with the first time they entered into a residential treatment program, there are stages of readiness. Does the person think that their substance abuse problem has become bad enough again that entering into residential treatment is required? Or, as is probably the situation with the 1st time they entered into residential treatment, does the person believe they can take care of their substance abuse problem by themselves?
Layered upon this is the thoughts of failure. They have already gone through a residential treatment program, and the individuals have still relapsed. Why will this time be any any different? Put another way, what is it that the individuals are going to learn in their second or 3rd effort at residential treatment that will make the change and reduce the chance for them from relapsing again in the future?
The truth of the issue is that the rate of success for residential treatment programs, and all other types of substance abuse treatment programs, is less than optimal. The way success is defined for residential treatment facilities varies, but in general it is the % of the facility's patients that have stayed clean and sober one to two years after treatment. For almost all residential treatment programs this “success rate” is most likely below 20%.As a result of this low rate of “success”, many residential treatment facilities find many of their clients that have relapsed returning one, 2, or quite often more times. Does this demonstrate failure for the residential treatment facility? Or does it mean that the facilities have instilled in their clients the idea that recovery from substance abuse is a process that is most likely possible. So as long as a person continues to keep trying, then they haven't failed at their recovery and there can indeed be new things to glean by giving residential treatment another try.
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