Thousands of people come to sunny Los Angeles every day, whether it’s for the many world-famous attractions like Disneyland or Universal Studios Hollywood, or to pursue their dreams of finding fame in the City of Angels.
Among those looking for a new life out on the West Coast are people battling with substance uses disorders who come seeking recovery treatment and a way to put their addiction behind them and start fresh.
The natural beauty of the area provides a stunning backdrop for those in recovery treatment in Los Angeles, with a mix of beautiful beaches and gorgeous mountains. But more important than the scenery is being able to find the best Los Angeles drug rehab center that fits your unique treatment needs.
Substance Abuse in Los Angeles
The current landscape of substance abuse and addiction in Los Angeles is a bit different than in many other places across the United States. For example, while fentanyl is the part of the opioid epidemic that is perhaps felt the most strongly in the northeastern part of the country, it accounted for roughly 0.1 percent of all drug reports for Los Angeles County in 2015.
This does not mean Los Angeles has not felt the effects of the opioid crisis. In 2015, heroin accounted for more than 30 percent of drug treatment admissions in the city. Just below heroin was methamphetamine at 25 percent, followed by alcohol and marijuana at 17 percent, and cocaine and prescription opioids bringing up the rear at about four percent.
However, while heroin was responsible for the highest percentage of treatment admissions, according to the National Forensic Laboratory Information System (NFLIS), methamphetamine accounted for nearly 39 percent of all drug reports on items seized by Los Angeles law enforcement. In comparison, heroin only accounted for a little over seven percent.
Because of this, methamphetamine was considered the highest-ranking drug in Los Angeles County as of 2015.
What is Involved in Addiction Treatment
Truly effective addiction treatment should address every aspect of someone’s addiction, meaning not only the physical dependence but the psychological as well. This means using treatments like detox and medication-assisted treatment (MAT) as well as different evidence-based behavioral therapies and classes on addiction education and management.
Generally, addiction treatment starts with medical detoxification, which is the process of flushing the drugs, alcohol, and other assorted toxins out of someone’s system to stabilize them physically and mentally and achieve sobriety.
During detox, to avoid relapse or other potential complications from withdrawal symptoms, doctors might administer medications to ease common mental and physical withdrawal symptoms like depression, insomnia, or nausea, and diarrhea.
MAT is also used in treating people with opioid use disorders, using maintenance therapy drugs like methadone to slowly taper down their opioid use and eventually stop using altogether.
When someone begins an addiction rehabilitation program, they usually start at the most intensive level of care and work their way down the ladder to less intense forms of treatment as they progress in their recovery.
Whether or not someone will need to spend time on every level of care depends on individual-specific factors like the severity of the addiction, a person’s physical health, and if the individual has a history of addiction and relapse, among other things. The levels of care in addiction treatment include:
- Medical detox
- Hospitalized inpatient treatment
- Inpatient treatment
- Partial hospitalization
- Intensive Outpatient
- Outpatient treatment
- Transitional sober living
- Post-treatment support services (alumni programs, 12-step groups, etc.)
Within these different levels of care are an array of the previously mentioned treatment modalities and therapies that are used to help those in recovery understand the issues behind their addiction and give them the tools to effectively manage their addictive behaviors. Therapy is meant to provide support, guidance, education, and knowledge.
SOME COMMON RECOVERY THERAPIES AND TREATMENTS INCLUDE:
- Individual counseling
- Group therapy
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Dual diagnosis treatment
- Motivational interviewing (MI)
- Medication management
- Stress management
- Addiction education workshops
- Holistic therapy
- 12-step programs
- Relapse prevention planning
However, it is important to remember that not all Los Angeles drug rehab centers can provide every one of these services, and even if they do, they may not be covered by your insurance, which is something to keep in mind when choosing a treatment center.
What to look for in a Los Angeles Drug Rehab Center
Addiction is a complex disease, and no two experiences with it are alike. A good addiction treatment center applies this logic to their recovery programs as well, understanding that different people are going to require different services and do better with certain levels of care.
There is no one-size-fits-all treatment that works equally well for everyone. When choosing a Los Angeles drug rehab center, you should be looking for one that both recognizes the need for individualized treatment and provide the specific types of treatment you need.
Having an idea of what you’re going to need in your recovery program can help narrow down the number of drug rehabs to choose from, since, as previously mentioned, not all of them are going to provide every kind of service.
Some examples include:
- Whether you require the intensive 24-hour care of an inpatient treatment program or if you will find sufficient levels of support from outpatient treatment.
- How long you will need to remain in treatment, which may require long-term residential treatment, which can last anywhere from several months to as long as a year.
- If you have a co-occurring mental health disorder that is linked to your addiction and will need dual diagnosis treatment to properly treat both issues.
- If you will need MAT during medical detox, as part of ongoing care, or for both.
- If you are going to need ongoing post-treatment support services.
Accreditation and Licensing
These are easily the two most important things to look for when looking for the best Los Angeles drug rehab centers. For a rehab facility to be able to legally operate, it must be accredited, and for it to be accredited, it must follow strict quality control and operating standards.
If a treatment center does not have the necessary accreditation, it cannot be trusted to provide quality treatment. Common national organizations that provide accreditation include the Joint Commission, the National Committee for Quality Assurance, and the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities.
A legitimate addiction treatment center also needs to have doctors that are licensed and board-certified, along with proper certifications for the clinicians, nurses, and medical staff as well. All licenses should be current and easily available for review.
Evidence-Based Treatment
However, even if a Los Angeles drug rehab center does have all of the necessary accreditation needed to legally operate, it is still important to closely examine the specific therapies that they offer, as all treatments are not created equal.
While there is nothing wrong with supplementing recovery treatment with alternative or holistic therapies, there needs to be a solid foundation of well-researched, evidence-based treatment types with long, proven track records for positive results.
Behavioral therapies, for example, are one of the main principles of effective addiction recovery treatment. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), specifically, is considered the gold standard of effective behavioral therapy.
Behavioral therapy can address the issues behind addictive behaviors and mindsets as well as instill clients with useful problem-solving skills that provide both incentive and motivation for permanent change that medication alone cannot.
Find Quality Addiction Treatment With Delphi Behavioral Health Group
If you or a loved one is struggling with an addiction to drugs or alcohol, then finding the right addiction treatment recovery program can make all the difference in a successful recovery. At Delphi Behavioral Health Group, we can help get you connected to the resources and support you need to get out from under addiction on the path toward a better, sober tomorrow.
We have facilities across the country, and every one of them sets the standard in quality addiction treatment and care, each with its own experienced team of doctors, therapists, and staff.
