Drug Addiction Treatment Blog

Typically, we think about drug and alcohol rehab and imagine a thirty day stay in a residential treatment center, but with the continued research into drug treatment a new, innovative method has been adopted by the Canterbury Institute in New Jersey.  This rehab center’s cutting edge approach to drug treatment focuses on short term outpatient methodologies to drug and alcohol rehab.  Depending on the situation and severity of addiction, The Canterbury Institute aims to treat addiction on a short term basis, treating addiction with 3 consecutive days of medication and nutrient rich supplements on an outpatient basis.  Medication is then taken home for a thirty day period and comprehensive follow-up implemented.
Can drug and alcohol addiction really be treated in as little as 3 days by an outpatient drug rehab?  Based on what most of us have heard, seen, and been through in terms of drug treatment, we may be inclined to take a certain stance of disbelief in this methodology.  However, when I think of outpatient  drug treatment in general, there is no exact time period for treatment and many similar methods are utilized across the world in outpatient drug rehabs.  Obviously, some cases require longer periods of time than 3 days, but it seems to me that for some cases of addiction, this is a very innovative and effective approach.  Of course, like The Canterbury Institute, I understand that one treatment methodology is not the right approach to drug rehab in all people, but this is yet one more way caring individuals in the drug rehab field are working to find the right answer for those who need it.  There is no doubt that there are many severe cases of addiction that are generally accompanied by co-occurring mental disorders and require more intensive inpatient drug rehab.  However, for those individuals who find that outpatient drug treatment will work best for them, I feel the approach that The Canterbury Institute has taken to outpatient drug rehab is a breath of fresh air.  As with any drug rehab, the idea is not to blow through it and fail to learn or heal in the process.  The key to any drug rehab is caring professionals, comprehensive medical attention, and the desire to be healthy.  The Canterbury Institute has 2 of the 3 elements.  All that’s missing is the will and dedication of the next individual seeking recovery from drug and alcohol addiction.