Treating Vicodin Addiction: Inpatient Vs. Outpatient Drug Rehab

The ABCs of Vicodin Addiction…Signs & Symptoms

Prescription drug addiction, Vicodin addiction topping the list, is a particularly insidious beast, as it can be so easy to justify. After all, it’s hard to feel like a drug addict when your dealer is a licensed pharmacist rather than a shady, street criminal. Thus, in many cases, people who have become addicted to Vicodin are in heavy denial that they have a problem. They often rationalize there excessive use by telling themselves that they are indeed taking it for what it was prescribed for, or “taking it for the pain.” Eventually, though, the user must use more and more to gain that euphoric, numb feeling that a low dose used to provide. In the later stages, this self-medicating with Vicodin can lead to liver degeneration, liver failure, heart failure, and overdose. If you have noticed that you or a loved one are taking far more Vicodin than the doctor has ordered, well, you are probably addicted. Luckily, there is help available.

For the Serious User: Inpatient Vicodin Rehab & Inpatient Alcohol Rehab

If an addict has been addicted to Vicodin for some length of time, he may find that a medical detox followed by a stay in an inpatient facility might be the best and easiest way to remain drug-free. In an inpatient facility, addicts are to follow a strict daily schedule and are allowed little if any time to themselves. This keeps the addict’s mind off of any cravings he may feel for the Vicodin. Vicodin addicts often enter rehab programs having already struggled in the past with their alcohol intake, so an inpatient alcohol rehab will be just as effective as a Vicodin-specific program. In general, checking oneself into a controlled environment –in which he is monitored and counseled 24/7-- is the best option for a prescription drug addict.

Outpatient Drug Rehab & The Vicodin Addict

Surely, some treatment is better than no treatment for Vicodin addicts…or any other type of addict, for that matter. Thus, if the addict absolutely refuses to enter an inpatient program to free himself of Vicodin addiction (and most addicts will refuse), an outpatient drug rehab program will suffice. The wording here is not intended to inspire pessimism, but rather to suggest that round-the-clock treatment is a safer option! Anyhow, most outpatient programs offer many of the same beneficial activities as inpatient care –individual/group counseling, specialized therapies, process groups, drug testing, detox assistance, etc.—without requiring the patient to live on-site. This way, the Vicodin addict can detox & learn to live without his drug of choice while upholding any existing family or work responsibilities.

Addiction Treatment Services & the 12 Steps

A few years back, I was absolutely lost to alcoholism, though I didn't realize it at the time. I knew that my life was in ruins, but I didn't attribute it to the alcohol. If anything, I thought that alcohol was protecting me from the harsh realities of life. Thankfully, the 12-Step method of alcoholism treatment saved my life. I'm going to explain how this happened in hopes that someone else may learn something if they are going through similar troubles.

I received addiction treatment services through an outpatient drug rehab a few years ago when I was 29. I just had my first DUI, and I was given the option of attending a state-sponsored outpatient drug rehab in order to reduce my enormous fines. I didn’t think I needed any addiction treatment services, but I also didn’t want to pay $10,000 in court fees, so I entered an outpatient drug rehab program in Orange County, California, to get alcoholism treatment.

I went to this Southern California outpatient drug rehab that gave addiction treatment services on weekends and evenings, so I could go around my work schedule. At first, I thought I would just attend alcoholism treatment to satisfy the courts, and as soon as I could I would start drinking again. However, through the meetings and counseling sessions at this outpatient drug rehab I learned that I did, in fact, abuse alcohol. What’s more, I learned why I abused alcohol and how it had affected my health, my family, and my career.

As the outpatient drug rehab program ended, my counselors started working on relapse prevention and long-term recovery plans. They turned me on to various 12-Step recovery meetings in my area that I could go to for continued support and informal alcoholism treatment in Southern California. I went to these 12-Step meetings and met some welcoming and supportive friends who helped me through the 12 Steps.

The 12-Step method of recovery is all about accepting that you suffer from the disease of addiction and that—left to your own devices—you will go back to abusing drugs and alcohol. Through peer support and action, the 12 Steps teach you set of techniques and tools to fight your addictions on a daily basis. It's not an easy program of action, but it certainly is a simple one.

Alcoholism Treatment & 12-Step Recovery

A lot of people wonder about the 12-Step method of recovery, probably because they’re often portrayed in movies and books about addiction and recovering addicts. I’ll try to explain my experience with them a little bit, so you may see how alcoholism treatment saved my life.

I received addiction treatment services through an outpatient drug rehab when I was 29. I just had my first DUI, and I was given the option of attending a state-sponsored outpatient drug rehab in order to reduce my enormous fines. I didn’t think I needed any addiction treatment services, but I also didn’t want to pay $10,000 in court fees, so I entered the outpatient drug rehab program to get alcoholism treatment.

I went to this outpatient drug rehab that gave addiction treatment services on weekends and evenings, so I could go around my work schedule. At first, I thought I would just attend alcoholism treatment to satisfy the courts, and as soon as I could I would start drinking again. However, through the meetings and counseling sessions at this outpatient drug rehab I learned that I did, in fact, abuse alcohol. What’s more, I learned why I abused alcohol and how it had affected my health, my family, and my career.

As the outpatient drug rehab program ended, my counselors started working on relapse prevention and long-term recovery plans. They turned me on to various 12-Step recovery meetings in my area that I could go to for continued support and informal alcoholism treatment. I went to these 12-Step meetings and met some welcoming and supportive friends who helped me through the 12 Steps.

The 12-Step method of recovery is all about accepting that you suffer from the disease of addiction and that—left to your own devices—you will go back to abusing drugs and alcohol. Through peer support and action, the 12 Steps teach you set of techniques and tools to fight your addictions on a daily basis.

Sober Living Houses as Venue for Drug Addiction Treatment

Individuals with drug addiction aspire recovery and sobriety. While this is practically an attainable goal, achieving this is not always easy. In the first place, drug rehab programs in addiction treatment centers can sometimes be too costly. While outpatient drug rehab may seem an option, this does not work for some people.

Professionals from various drug rehab clinics say that getting into a sober living house is a practical option for those who seek recovery from drug addictions without having to dish out large sums of money for treatment procedures. This is also an option for those who do not have comprehensive insurance policies that could have helped them for in their treatment.

Sober living houses provide subsidized care and low cost drug rehab programs to patients seeking sobriety. As a care provider, sober living houses offer services such as minimal drug addiction therapies and counseling to its residents. They also impose zero tolerance policy for drugs and alcohol. Residents in sober living houses usually stay for up to six months during which they gain new friends and skills. Some sober living houses also help its residents get a new job.

In general, sober living houses feature a safe and relaxing environment for recovering addicts at a fraction of a cost. These facilities that serve as temporary homes to recovering addicts provide a drug and alcohol-free environment, making these ideal for those who plan to live a sober life.

Executive Rehab

Drug addiction happens even among top professionals and executives. Like any other addict, these individuals require intensive treatment and rehabilitation program that will help these people recover completely from their addictions and be able to lead sober lives.

Most addicted executives are not able to avail of the services of countless drug rehabs in California for reasons such as lack of privacy while in any of the drug rehab programs in Los Angeles. Other executives are not able to go through any treatment plan because of their inability to delegate their tasks to others while being treated even just for short period of time.

Unlike outpatient drug rehab, executive treatment provides drug addicts with carefully selected drug rehab programs in a highly confidential environment. Individuals going through executive rehabs are kept from the prying eyes of public and are provided with communication facilities they require in order to continue working on their tasks and responsibilities. This way, addicted individuals don't miss their responsibilities and are not suspected of going through anything other than an ordinary leave from work.