Drug rehab is a long-term endeavor which requires dedicated efforts from both patients and their addiction counselors. The short detoxification period is necessary for addressing the immediate physical concerns of addiction, but maintaining sobriety takes months of therapy. Thankfully, medical professionals have developed a variety of highly-effective treatments for helping people stay clean.

Unfortunately, most laypeople still think of detox as the main component of rehab. In order to better help those in need, communities must gain greater understandings of the therapies offered at addiction treatment facilities. The following are four of the most successful therapies for long-term drug rehab.

1. Evidence-Based Treatments

Evidence-based therapies are the most successful treatments for effecting long-term sobriety. These therapies have been repeatedly tested in controlled conditions, statistically verified, and government-mandated across the United States. The three most common forms are individual counseling, group discussions, and family therapy.

Individual counseling is the most critical component in most patients' rehabilitations. Addicts work with counselors to uncover the deep-rooted personal issues responsible for their continued drug use. They also explore the specific life circumstances which make it difficult to avoid or deal with cravings. Ultimately, addicts and their counselors use these personal breakthroughs to develop coping and avoidance strategies for dealing with cravings for years to come.

2. Biofeedback Therapy

People who become addicted to heroin, meth, and other physically harmful drugs often sever their mind-body connections. They become unable to associate certain physical feelings with impending drug cravings, and this inability makes it nearly impossible to stay sober. To address this issue, medical professionals use cutting-edge biofeedback machines to help patients understand the physical warning signs of future drug use.

For example, doctors may monitor addicts' heart rates and induce mental stress through a battery of personal or emotional questions. As patients' stress levels elevate, so do their heart rates. They experience strong urges to use drugs to alleviate their stress, and they can thus associate those cravings with their rapid heartbeats. In the future, these addicts can recognize these warnings signs and take appropriate steps to mitigate their cravings.

3. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive-behavioral therapy teaches addicts that their emotions are products of their thoughts. By controlling their minds and thinking rationally, they can stay calm during emotionally stressful situations and suppress drug cravings.

This kind of therapy is particularly useful for addicts with control issues. People often use drugs and develop addictions when they feel a lack of control over particular aspects of their lives. By mastering their emotions through rational thought, addicts gain the ability to overcome the stressors which used to trigger their addictive behaviors.

4. Reality Methods

Reality therapy is also designed to address certain control issues. Rehab clinicians who use these therapies teach addicts how to recognize the differences between situations they can and cannot control. With this understanding, rehab patients can properly apply the coping and avoidance strategies they learn during individual counseling. When they are in control of their environments, they can take steps to avoid their addiction triggers. If they encounter uncontrollable situations, however, they can apply their techniques for handling stress and suppressing cravings.

If you or a loved one is struggling with drug addiction, there is no time to lose. Click the links below to find a clinical drug rehab program that's right for you. Addiction is a serious neurological disease, but you can build a better future by acting now.