What are some examples of drug treatment programs?

Some examples of drug treatment programs include group counseling, individual drug counseling, outpatient treatment programs, short-term residential treatment and long-term residential treatment, notes the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Treatment programs are designed to ease the withdrawal process and to continue to meet the needs of every patient.

Long-term residential treatment involves 24-hour care in a therapeutic community and may last from six to 12 months, states the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Short-term residential treatments follow a particular, intensive approach to help patients and often require outpatient follow-up therapy. Individualized drug counseling programs usually emphasize short-term behavioral goals to help individuals abstain from drug use. In group counseling, patients meet in community-friendly groups to encourage drug-free lifestyles.