Detoxification

• Before recovery can begin, the patient needs to get the drugs and alcohol out of his system. Detoxification can take place at home, in an outpatient clinic or at a full-time treatment center where the patient remains 24 hours a day. In every case, it should take place under a physician's care in case complications arise. Some drugs have severe withdrawal symptoms and require medication (such as methadone) to help ease the pains. Drug addictions with no physical symptoms may include psychological cravings, which can lead to depression and anxiety if left untreated. The more controlled the environment, the better detoxification can proceed.
  
  

Management

• After the drugs or alcohol are out of the patient's system, he needs to learn ways to resist the cravings and prevent a relapse. Many drug treatment programs stress immediate techniques to apply in the short-term, such as meditation and exercise. A set structure to the day helps the patient maintain an even keel, especially in the early stages of recovery when the urge to relapse is strong.
  
  

Therapy and Support

• Therapy sessions work to resolve the issues which may have led the patient to abuse of drugs or alcohol in the first place. Many therapy sessions take place with a trained counselor, who can speak to the patient as an individual and help her uncover the roots of her addiction. Many others entail group therapy, either with fellow addicts or with family members learning to reconnect with their loved one. A number of treatment programs involve multiple forms of therapy, providing support on a number of different levels.
  
  

New Habits

• As the patient moves farther away from his addiction, he learns new ways of approaching life without his drug of choice. The process can be a painful one. Most patients need to take responsibility for their previous actions and make amends to the people they hurt. They also need to identify "stress points"--people, settings or locations where the urge to relapse may be strong--and avoid them. Above all, the patient needs to learn new ways to occupy his time that don't involve the drugs or alcohol. Treatment centers can help this process and ensure that the patient can pursue these new activities on his own as he moves forward through life.
  
  

An Ongoing Process

• Addicts refer to themselves as "recovering" rather than "recovered" because the process never truly ends. Addiction often remains with them for their entire lives, and while many can overcome it, it always takes an effort. The cliché is true: recovering addicts take things one day at a time, view the problem as a series of small steps and move forward with compassion for themselves and their struggles. Only by acknowledging the challenge on a daily basis can the larger problem be conquered.