Inpatient drug rehab programs help thousands of addicts achieve lasting recoveries every year. Through advancements in neuroscience and psychology, inpatient drug rehab clinics use proven therapies to teach drug addicts to mitigate their cravings and stay sober for life. However, the road to recovery isn't easy.

Most addicts find that they must make difficult life choices during the course of their recoveries. Addiction is a life-consuming and incurable disease, so sweeping lifestyle changes are usually necessary to mitigate its symptoms. The following are some of the difficult choices addicts must make as part of their inpatient drug rehab programs.

Seeking Help

Asking for help in the first place is often the hardest and scariest part of inpatient drug rehab. Some addicts fear the withdrawal symptoms of detox - a painful but necessary procedure. Others fear that they will lose friends or compromise their relationships with other drug users. Finally, some addicts are simply torn between their desires to get better and their compulsions towards the euphoria-inducing effects of drugs.

Committing to an In-House Stay

Inpatient drug rehab is incredibly effective at producing lasting lifestyle changes, but it requires a great deal of time and effort from addicts. Most inpatient programs last anywhere from thirty to ninety days, a time during which addicts must live at their treatment facilities. They must temporarily eschew their families and careers to focus solely on addiction recovery.

Despite the difficulties, these in-house stays are crucial to the success of rehab. Addicts may be reluctant to put their lives on hold, but doing so may be the only way to effectively treat their addictions. In the long run, a few months of treatment is nothing compared to years of productive, drug-free living.

Cutting Ties

One of the hardest choices for many people who go through inpatient programs is saying goodbye to old friends. Most people who seek addiction help still have friends who use drugs. While these friends may not purposefully sabotage addicts' recoveries, associating with them will almost inevitably lead to relapse.

Thankfully, inpatient drug rehab programs help addicts learn to make new friends and repair relationships with people they alienated when they were actively using drugs. By replacing destructive friendships with healthier ones, patients stay sober and experience the close human connections which are essential to happy lives.

Putting Recovery First

Most addicts have to change more than just their personal associations to stay sober. In some cases, recovering substance abusers have to change their careers. High-stress careers can exacerbate drug cravings and make it nearly impossible to avoid returning to drugs. Some jobs may also involve regular alcohol consumption for networking purposes, forcing alcoholics to seek new positions or new employers.

Some patients may even need to change their living arrangements. Physical locations can be the most powerful addiction triggers, and some people need to live in completely new environments to avoid constant drug cravings.

These choices are tough but extremely rewarding - a life plagued by addiction is hardly a life at all. If you or someone you love is struggling with substance abuse, click the links below to find a treatment center near you. Get started on an inpatient drug rehab program, and take back control of your life.