As it was with the initial time someone finally makes the decision to go into residential treatment to seek help for a substance abuse problem, the decision to return to residential treatment a 2nd or even third time to find help for substance abuse is not an easy one.
Much like the first time they went into a residential treatment program, there are stages of readiness. Do they think that their substance abuse issue has gotten bad enough again that going back into residential treatment is necessary? Or, as is most likely the situation with the 1st time they went into residential treatment, does the person believe they can handle their substance abuse problem by themselves?
Layered upon this is the thoughts of failure. They have previously gone through a residential treatment program, and they have still relapsed. Why will this time be any different? Put another way, what is it that the individuals are hoping to glean in their 2nd or 3rd try at residential treatment that is going to make the difference and reduce the chance for them from relapsing again in the future?
The truth of the situation is that the rate of success for residential treatment facilities, and other forms of substance abuse treatment programs, is low. The way success is defined for residential treatment programs varies, but in general it is the percentage of the program’s clients that have remained clean and sober 1 to 2 years after treatment. For most residential treatment programs this “success rate” is probably less than 20%.
Because of this low rate of “success”, many residential treatment facilities find quite a few of their clients who have relapsed returning one, 2, or quite often more times. Does this mean failure for the residential treatment facility? Or does it indicate that the facilities have put into their clients the thought that recovery from substance abuse is a ongoing process that is indeed possible. So as long as an individual continues to keep trying, then they have not failed at their recovery and there can indeed be new things to become educated about by giving residential treatment an additional try.
Opiates Detox 