After an addict has been stabilized for both medical and mental health issues, he or she is able to transition to a residential level of care. The addict will feel physically better and begin to think that he or she has been cured. However, the underlying issues contributing to drug addiction are not addressed in the inpatient detox and inpatient drug rehab levels of care. The addict must attend residential treatment, sequentially, to continue the recovery process.
The addict will begin to experience a flooding of emotions once drugs have completely left the body. This flooding of emotion can be exciting and scary at the same time. Learning how to manage these intense emotions without turning to drugs or alcohol is essential to recovery and is one of the goals in residential drug treatment. This period of time is crucial for the addict to become more integrated in recovery. Residential drug rehab focuses on overcoming a patient’s lack of awareness or ambivalence about the effects of substance abuse in his or her life.
The additional benefit of attending a residential treatment center is that it decreases the chance of relapse. This is especially advantageous for those who chronically relapse. The structured setting of residential drug rehab will allow the addict to begin developing a healthy routine, which is an essential part of staying sober.