Substance abuse treatment takes place in a wide variety of different treatment settings with a variety of different treatment approaches. For example, some substance abuse treatment can be carried out on an outpatient basis, where the individual will typically receive treatment during the day but is allowed to return home daily. Other substance abuse treatment requires the individual to reside in a hospital or residential facility during the entire course of treatment, which is particularly helpful in resolving 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 focus on the root psychological and emotional issues which will help them avoid relapse in the future.

Detoxification is usually the first step in getting off drugs. It makes it possible for an individual to be in a supervised setting while they go through withdrawal symptoms for drugs and/or alcohol. There are various types of detoxification. Theyvary from drug-free to medically supervised. A common mistake that quite a few addicts make is to believe that detox is enough to kick their habit. This is hardly ever the case. All detox does is get an individual through the withdrawal when they stop using. It is usually recommended that detox be followed up with some type of treatment plan to discover the root of why an individual was using drugs in the first place.

Residential short-term treatment for addiction is a variety oftreatment program where the addicted individual will stay at the facility on an inpatient basis, and which typically demands a stay of 30 days or less. While in residential short-term treatment the recovering addict undergoes an intensive but brief course of treatment that usually 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 everyday life once treatment is complete. Residential short-term treatment is not always effective for all scenarios of addiction, and most will require an aftercare program or additional treatment in a more long-term residential facility.