There are a number of different addiction treatment methods available to a person, ranging from those you can exercise in the comfort of your own living room to those you must leave home for several months for. No two cases of addiction are identical. They are as varied and diverse as people themselves, and for that reason, many different treatment options need to be available.

The most widely recognizable of these treatment methods is a rehabilitation program. With options ranging from one month to three months, inpatient rehab programs house the addict, detox them and give them counseling and therapy to prepare them for a life of sobriety. The most important thing this treatment method does is give the addict safety and monitoring from the object of their addiction. Outpatient addiction treatment is a similar treatment method, but instead of living in a treatment center, the addict continues to live at home and regularly attend counseling sessions and meetings.

For those who attend rehab and need additional support once they complete the program, or for those who have been through addiction treatment in the past and require a safe place to revisit what they learned in treatment, halfway houses or sober living houses are available through addiction treatment programs. These facilities simply provide a living arrangement at the treatment facility, with access to counselors and therapists, where the recovering addict can still function in their day to day life but be much closer to support and assistance.

An addict may also seek the services of a private addiction counselor. There are private mental health counselors who are able to help clients through any grievous or difficult life situation, and plenty who specialize in addiction and substance abuse. And if it is support that a recovering addict needs, volunteer sponsors and local support groups are available in almost every community to foster the need for an understanding support system.

In the world of addiction rehabilitation, there are two major types of treatment: inpatient and outpatient. Inpatient is residential treatment that is more aggressive in nature, and outpatient is non-residential that is less intensive. While inpatient rehabilitation has a stronger success record, both forms of rehabilitation have been proven beneficial in certain circumstances. Selecting the type of rehab that will work best for yourself or for someone you love can be complicated, but understanding the essentials of rehab will inform your decision immensely.

Inpatient rehabilitation typically follows a general model. There are 30, 60 and 90-day programs available, depending on the severity of the addiction. The client will either detox off-site at a specific detoxification medical facility before arriving at the rehab facility, or they will detox at the rehab before they jump into their treatment program. Once detoxed, the client begins counseling, reading, going through workbook exercises and doing therapeutic activities in order to restore their physical and mental health. Clients will undergo group and individual therapy sessions to get to the root cause of their addiction problems. This is supplemented by visits to the gym, sauna, massage parlor or outdoor recreation area, depending on the quality of the rehab. When the treatment period is over, clients will often spend time living in a sober living facility on site at the addiction treatment center to ease themselves back into the world.

Outpatient addiction treatment employs similar methods and ideals, but does so in a less intensive style. Instead of living on site, the client continues to live in their home and attends the outpatient rehab program on a regular schedule. There, they participate in similar types of psychological exercises, readings, counseling sessions and therapies, as well as support group meetings. This type of rehab works well for people who are struggling to end their addiction on their own but whose addiction is not severe or putting them in immediate danger.