Substance abuse treatment takes place in a wide range of different treatment settings with a variety of different treatment approaches. For example, some substance abuse treatment can be performed on an outpatient basis, where the individual will typically attend treatment during the day but is allowed to return home daily. Other substance abuse treatment requires the person to stay in a hospital or residential facility during the entire course of treatment, which is especially helpful in handling more severe cases of addiction. Inpatient and residential substance abuse treatment can be done on a short term or long term basis, depending on unique circumstances which can be different for each person. Most substance abuse treatment will focus on getting the person physically rehabilitated, and then concentrate on the root psychological and emotional issues.

Detoxification is usually the very first step in getting off drugs. It makes it possible for a particular person to be in a supervised environment while they go through withdrawal symptoms for drugs and/or alcohol. There are diverse types of detoxification. Theyrange from drug-free to medically supervised. A widespread mistake that a lot of addicts make is to assume that detox is enough to kick their habit. This is seldom the case. All detox does is get a person through the withdrawal when they stop using. It is often recommended that detox be followed up with some type of treatment plan to learn the root of why somebody was using drugs in the first place.

Residential short-term treatment for substance abuse is a type oftreatment program where the addicted individual will reside at the facility on an inpatient basis, and which usually demands a stay of 30 days or less. While attending residential short-term treatment the client undergoes an intensive but short duration of treatment that commonly incorporates a supervised detoxification, counseling, and other forms of therapy which are aimed at helping the individual become rehabilitated and able to function without drugs in daily life once rehabilitation is complete. Residential short-term treatment is not always effective for all instances of addiction, and most will need an aftercare program or further treatment in a more long-term residential facility.