90 Day Addiction Treatment

Clinical research proves there is a greater chance of long term recovery from addiction when treatment is undertaken for a minimum of 90 days.

It is recommended that addiction treatment should last for a minimum of 90 days. Why? Put simply, the 90 day addiction treatment program is the most effective drug and alcohol recovery program. Clinical research proves there is a greater chance of long term recovery from addiction when treatment is undertaken for a minimum of 90 days. Here’s some reasons why:

Better recovery: Less chance of relapse

The longer the treatment, the better the  possibility of staying drug and alcohol free. Scientific research by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, has shown that anything less than 90 days increases the chances of relapse and shows that shorter treatments such as 28 and 30 day programs are not long enough. Clinical research by the Betty Ford Centre also showed addicts and alcoholics who underwent treatment for 90 days enjoyed better long-term success. An independent clinical audit of our 90 day residential addiction treatment program showed 74% of people had remained drug and alcohol free.

Addiction is a disease

Addiction is a disease and it effects everyone in different ways, often co-occurring with mental health disorders to create complex personal and physical issues that need to be resolved to have any hope of recovery. It is simply not realistic to expect someone who has been suffering long-term addiction to be able to fully recover in just 28 days. There is no quick fix for a disease.

Detoxing can take 30 days

The first step upon entering treatment is detox and withdrawing from the effects of addiction. This withdrawal varies based on the addiction that is being treated. For an alcoholic, it may take just 48 hours to detox, but someone suffering from a long-term ice addiction suffering psychosis and/or seizures may require medication to control the symptoms. Full withdrawal is only complete when all medications have left their system. In such cases, at the end of a month in treatment, withdrawal and detoxification would have been addressed but recovery barely touched.

The brain needs time to change

For an addict, the brain is used to addictive thinking and addictive behaviour. Treatment needs enough time to change the way an addict’s brain works. It needs to be able to replace the addictive thoughts with ones of recovery. It can take at least 90 days to make any lasting changes in the way a person thinks and acts.

It takes time to break denial

Many addicts feel that they are not addicts when they start treatment and it takes time for this denial to be broken.

The consequences of addiction need addressing

Active addiction leaves lives in ruins and the effects of the disease needs addressing. For some it could be a loss of relationships or job, for others, it could be more serious such as a criminal conviction. Time is needed to address all these issues through regular, ongoing, counselling and therapy.

Time to address co-occuring mental health disorders

People who suffer from mental health disorders commonly also have a problem with substance abuse, and people who abuse alcohol or drugs are much more likely to develop mental illnesses than those who don’t. Treating co-occurring mental health conditions like depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder takes longer than 30 days. Longer treatment programs provide the time needed to diagnose and treat a co-occurring mental health disorders.

There’s time for the whole family to heal

Rehab is an opportunity for the entire family to heal. As your loved one goes through the stages of rehab and recovery, you and other family members will participate in the healing process. More time gives the family longer to heal and repair broken family dynamics, which helps reduce the chance of relapse.

Crucial support systems are made

During their addiction treatment addicts meet other people like themselves. They have the opportunity to form new relationships and build solid friendships that can last a lifetime. By spending more time together, recovering addicts are able to form lasting bonds, learn from each other and support each other. These friendships can form a crucial support system when transitioning back into the real-world.

Find out more

Please contact us on 1300 856 847 to find out more about our 90 day addiction treatment program and to make the right choice regarding better recovery and long term health and happiness.