Thanks to the efforts of Hollywood and television, most people are familiar with what a drug rehab center is. Unfortunately, the portrayals of rehabs by the media are generally not aligned with what occurs in real life. Unless you've been through it yourself, most people are not aware of the fact that there are a number of different types of rehab programs. Each has its own purpose and clientele that it caters to, but of these the Inpatient drug rehab program is considered the most common and the most intense. However, few people understand what actually occurs at an inpatient program, and what therapies are employed in order to help people free themselves from drug addiction or alcoholism. Knowing what to expect at an inpatient substance abuse center can make it easier for those considering treatment to actually reach out and ask for help.

Residential inpatient drug treatment programs are those where the client lives and participates in therapy in the same place. These programs are generally well-supervised and necessarily structured. Deliberately few opportunities exist for a person to gain access to or use drugs. This is important because many experts believe that the most critical part of breaking the cycle of addiction is the first 30 days - exactly the duration of most inpatient programs. However, some are longer than others and a great deal of the duration depends upon the individual. Some have been known to require 60 or 90 days or even longer.

Clients of an inpatient program shop and cook food for themselves in a college-dorm type environment, and all clients are required to clean up after themselves and maintain their personal hygiene. All participants in a drug rehab attend various therapies during the day and have some personal time in the evenings and recreation time during the weekend. However, the bulk of the rehab experience is therapy:

*Evidence based practices: These consist of therapies and programs that have been tested using various scientific measures and are considered to be proven practices.

*Reality therapy: one type of reality therapy is to allow the client to maintain their normal life as much as possible - this is why patients are required to shop, cook and clean for themselves. Other reality therapies force a client to see that there are some things they can control, and some things that they cannot. Clients are trained to recognize the difference and act accordingly.

*Individual Therapy: one on one sessions with a counselor explore drug use triggers and underlying issues and work to create a plan to treat or medicate these issues where possible.

*Group therapy: clients share their experiences, stories and best practices.

*Family Therapy: an important part of the treatment process, family if often invited into therapy sessions.

*Cognitive behavioral therapy: this teaches the client to think of their goals and work toward them instead of dwelling on the past or in negative feelings.

*Biofeedback: this teaches clients to listen to their bodies and learn to recognize signs of stress that could indicate a relapse trigger has or is about to occur.

The combination of controlled environment and intensive therapies are what makes inpatient drug rehab centers the treatment of choice for most people.