How Long Will I Be in Drug Rehab?

Author

Quentin Blount

About the Author

Medical Reviewer

Sendra Yang

About the Reviewer

Several factors will determine how long your drug or alcohol rehab program will be. The length of rehab can last anywhere from 30 days to 90 days and sometimes longer, depending on how severe your addiction is. The truth is that there is no one size fits all approach. Addiction treatment lasts as long as you need to be safe and fully recover. 

Typical Length of Addiction Treatment Programs

• 30 day: Your treatment program will be tailored to your specific needs, but usually, a person with a severe addiction will start with a medical detox and then transition to a residential or inpatient treatment program for at least 30 days. During this time, you’ll undergo an evaluation, and the team at your rehab center will develop a plan for you which may include participating in group activities, individual/group therapy, and more.
• 60 day: During a 60 day stay at an inpatient addiction treatment center, you’ll receive many of the same features and treatments as you would in the 30 day program. However, the 60 day program will provide your treatment team with more time to manage your addiction and get into more complex issues that might be at play. They will be able to do a deep dive into your past struggles with substance abuse, focus on helping you establish healthy coping skills, and put together an aftercare plan for when you leave their care.
• 90 day: Similar to a 60 day program, the 90 day option will allow you to get an even more comprehensive treatment plan with more extensive goals. In addition, your treatment team will have more time to address your withdrawal issues as compared to the shorter programs. Overall, the longest program option will allow you more time to focus on your recovery, completely understand your past addictive behaviors, practice new communication and coping skills, build a sober community, and prepare for life outside of the rehab center.

What Factors Impact the Length of Stay?

• Requiring detox: The purpose of a detox treatment program is to assist you during the withdrawal process. It varies from person to person how long it takes to detox from drugs and alcohol, but most detox programs last anywhere from three to ten days. This is usually the first step in the recovery process.
  

• Cost: Depending on your financial situation and how much you can afford to pay, the price may be a factor in determining your length of stay. In short, the longer the program, the more you can expect it will cost. With that said, there are plenty of low-cost and free alcohol and drug rehabs that can get you the help you need.
  

• Insurance coverage: If you have insurance, whether that be through a private provider, Medicare, or Medicaid, you’ll want to check what treatment programs and services they cover. The length of rehab could depend on if your insurance company covers inpatient and outpatient programs and if they will cover you for the entire duration of your program or only a portion of it.
  

• Level of care needed: If your addiction is severe, you’ll likely need to start at the beginning of the continuum of care and move through the various levels. In other words, you’ll start with a medical detox and then enter into an inpatient or residential program for up to 30, 60, or 90 days. From there, you can step down into outpatient and aftercare programs. If your addiction isn’t as severe, you might benefit from just an outpatient program that meets a couple of times per week.

Short-Term vs. Long-Term Rehab

If you’re wondering what kind of drug rehab program will be best for you, you’ll want to consider both short-term and long-term options. Any program that requires less than 90 days of treatment is considered short-term. These are usually followed up by outpatient care.

On the other hand, any program that lasts more than 90 days in a residential or inpatient setting will be considered long-term. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), addicted individuals need at least three months of professional care to stop their drug use, and long-term rehab programs result in the best outcomes.1

What About Extended Care Options?

Extended care programs can give you the time you need to recover from your addiction fully. Drug and alcohol dependence takes time to overcome, as does normalizing brain chemistry after substance abuse.

In addition to restoring your physical and mental health, long-term and extended care programs allow you to truly understand your addiction and help you to avoid triggers that might lead to relapse. You’ll also have time to learn how to repair your strained and broken relationships and other essential life skills you’ll need once you graduate from the program.

Resources

1. Pearson, F. S., Prendergast, M. L., Podus, D., Vazan, P., Greenwell, L., & Hamilton, Z. (2012). Meta-analyses of seven of the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s principles of drug addiction treatment. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 43(1), 1–11.