Drug rehab centers have helped thousands of people in the U.S. recover from drug and alcohol use disorders. Trying to fight addiction on your own can be difficult, scary, and risky without the medical care and support available at a drug rehab center.
Statistics on the drug rehab success rate in the U.S. are relatively high even though the country is currently suffering a nationwide opioid crisis. Drug rehab centers use a range of evidence-based treatments that can be personalized in ways that help all patients recover safely from addiction.
Here’s an in-depth look at drug rehab statistics and success rates, and the steps you can take to get connected with outpatient addiction treatment today.
Drug Addiction Recovery Statistics
- The Butler Center for Research at Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation reports that roughly 89 percent of patients who complete alcohol rehab are still sober one month after discharge.
- An estimated 76 percent of alcohol rehab patients who successfully complete treatment report still being sober at three months, roughly 69 percent are still sober at six months, and a little more than 70 percent are still sober at nine months.
- Between 85 percent and 95 percent of all people who successfully complete drug rehab report still being abstinent from all drugs nine months after discharge.
- Roughly 80 percent of patients report benefiting from improved quality of life and health after completing drug and alcohol rehab.
- Florida has the highest success rates of drug rehab compared to all other states. A little more than 70 percent of people who receive addiction treatment in Florida successfully complete their treatment programs.
- An estimated 43 percent of all people who go to drug rehab successfully complete their treatment programs, while another 16 percent are transferred to other rehab centers for additional treatment.
- Rehab success rates for those who complete drug and alcohol detoxification are a combined 68 percent.
- An estimated 41 percent of people who receive medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid detox successfully complete treatment and achieve abstinence.
- Of those who successfully complete MAT for opioid dependence, around 13 percent receive outpatient treatment.
- The highest percentage of drug rehabilitation success rates for outpatient treatment involve admissions for alcohol and marijuana addiction. More than 45 percent of adults age 18 and older who successfully complete outpatient drug rehab are admitted for alcohol abuse, while more than 36 percent of adults are admitted for marijuana abuse.
- A little more than 40 percent of people who successfully finish outpatient drug rehab had initially decided on their own to seek treatment and become sober.
- Around 67 percent of people who successfully complete outpatient drug rehab programs have their treatment costs covered by Medicaid, Medicare, and other government sources.
- People who successfully complete outpatient MAT for opioid dependence stay at a drug rehab for an average of 113 days.
- People who successfully complete outpatient treatment for any substance use disorder stay at a drug rehab for an average of 81 days.
- Those who successfully finish intensive outpatient programs for any substance use disorder stay at a drug rehab for an average of 53 days.
- Alcohol makes up the highest percentage of admissions to drug rehab centers at 33 percent, followed by opioids at 34 percent, marijuana at 13 percent, stimulants at 11 percent, and cocaine at 5 percent.
- Between 40 percent and 60 percent of patients who suffer from drug use disorders end up relapsing when treatment is discontinued. However, these relapse rates are significantly lower than those for other chronic diseases such as hypertension and asthma.
What Is Outpatient Drug Rehab?
Outpatient drug rehab programs allow for more flexibility and freedom than inpatient and residential programs. These programs usually meet for an average of 10 hours per week during the day or at night so you can continue managing your work, school, and family life while continuing to receive addiction treatment.
Outpatient drug rehab is the lowest level of care patients can transition to after completing an inpatient or residential program, partial hospitalization program, or an intensive outpatient program.
Therapies included in an outpatient drug rehab program are the same as those included in residential programs, but are often far less intensive. Individual and group therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, dual diagnosis therapy, family therapy, 12-step support groups, and recreational therapy are just some therapies you or your loved one may receive in an outpatient drug rehab program.
Compared to inpatient and partial hospitalization programs, outpatient drug rehab programs are generally lower in cost and more affordable. Programs can last anywhere between three months to over one year and allow you to maintain your normal daily routine in the community.
Outpatient programs are most ideal for those who have already learned skills for managing triggers, who are trained to resist urges to use drugs and alcohol, and who are highly motivated to stay sober and abstinent.
How Can You Determine Whether Drug Rehab Is Effective?
After you complete your drug rehab program, how is your success rate of rehabilitation determined? How can you tell whether treatment was effective?
Achieving long-term abstinence from drug and alcohol addiction requires you to make a series of changes that support a sober, healthy lifestyle. Staying sober is just one way you can determine whether drug rehab was successful.
Here are other ways to tell whether your treatment program was effective.
- You feel healthier and more energetic. Drugs and alcohol can lower your immunity and make you more susceptible to illness and disease, but staying sober can strengthen your immunity to result in fewer trips to the doctor and emergency room.
- Your mood and well-being improve. Drugs and alcohol interfere with brain chemicals and neurotransmitters that directly affect your mood and mental health to cause anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses. As time passes after you become sober, you’ll benefit from an improved mood and mental well-being.
- You experience improvements in performance at work or school. Those who suffer from addiction will usually prioritize drugs and alcohol above their careers and education, and devote more time to obtaining and using drugs, and recovering from the effects. Better performance at work or school shows your priorities are now in the right place.
- You experience improvements in social interactions and relationships. Addiction can lead to isolation from friends and family as you devote more time to drug and alcohol use, or try hiding your addiction from others. When you become sober, you’ll most likely spend more time with friends, family, and sober individuals you meet at drug rehab and in support groups.
- You experience longer breaks between relapses. Relapsing is normal and common among those who complete drug rehab treatment, and it affects between 40 percent and 60 percent of this population. Relapse isn’t to be viewed as a failure, and just means you may need alternate or additional treatment to achieve long-term sobriety. Longer periods of time between relapses is a positive sign that you’re learning how to handle stress and avoid triggers.
Which Outpatient Treatments Work Best?
Addiction treatment centers will develop individualized outpatient programs for each individual patient to ensure the highest possible drug rehab success rate.
The treatments that may work best for you will depend on factors such as the type of substances being used, the amount of substances used, the length of time you were using those substances, and whether you have any co-occurring mental illnesses or health conditions.
Alcohol
Following an alcohol detox, therapy for alcohol use disorder may include a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy, individual and group therapy, and 12-step support group participation in Alcoholics Anonymous.
Ongoing support is often highly beneficial to those recovering from alcohol abuse, since alcohol cravings can sometimes be severe enough to result in relapse. People in recovery from alcohol abuse can usually reach out to their support system at any time to stay on track with sobriety. Some alcohol treatment centers may prescribe medications, like acamprosate, that help reduce the desire to drink alcohol.
Opioids
Outpatient MAT for opioid use disorder involves the ongoing use of medications like methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone to help you stay abstinent during opioid treatment.
These medications have the ability to reduce or eliminate opioid cravings and reduce your risk for relapse and overdose. MAT for opioid use disorder is often combined with behavioral therapy and counseling at drug rehab.
Stimulants
At present, there are no medications available to treat addiction to stimulants like cocaine and methamphetamine. However, people recovering from these drug use disorders may receive pharmacotherapy and medications to treat mental health symptoms that linger after discontinuing these drugs.
Outpatient drug rehab centers often treat stimulant use disorder using therapies such as contingency management, motivational enhancement, and cognitive behavioral therapy.
Prescription Drugs
Outpatient drug rehab centers usually provide ongoing medication maintenance services to those recovering from prescription drug abuse. This may involve a detox method called tapering, which is when a doctor reduces your dose of the prescription drug gradually and slowly over time until you’re no longer physically dependent on the medication. ADHD medications, sleep aids, and benzodiazepines are prescription drugs that can cause dependency, which can be treated using medication maintenance. Therapy and drug education may also be used to change harmful behaviors surrounding prescription drug use.
Legacy Treatments Centers Contribute Positively To Drug Rehab Success Statistics
Legacy Treatment Services is devoted to helping you experience the highest possible rehabilitation success rate after completing one of our drug rehab programs.Browse our locations pageto find a treatment center near you or call us directly at 800-433-7365 to learn more aboutour available services.
References:
https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/treatment-recovery
https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/2016_Treatment_Episode_Data_Set_Annual_Revised.pdf
https://www.hazeldenbettyford.org/education/bcr/addiction-research/outcomes-ru-717
https://www.samhsa.gov/medication-assisted-treatment/treatment
