When you are looking for help with a substance abuse problem, your choices for help may seem overwhelming. There are several different kinds of treatment and several different levels of care that vary in intensity. It can be a challenge to determine what level of care is appropriate for you. The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) has established a set of criteria for determining the most appropriate level of care for individuals seeking treatment for substance abuse. A skilled substance abuse counselor will be able to help you make this determination and guide you to the level of care that best fits your needs.

Early intervention treatment is the least restrictive and least intense level of care. In early intervention treatment, people who are considered to be at a high risk for abusing substances are able to learn more about drugs and alcohol and identify high risk behaviors. Individuals that are appropriate for this level of care do not currently meet criteria for a substance abuse disorder, but are still able to benefit from some sort of treatment.

Outpatient treatment is the next level of care that is provided for substance abuse treatment. Individuals receiving outpatient services are seen by a counselor according to patient need, although this must be less than nine hours a week. Generally, an individual will carry a substance abuse diagnosis at this level of care, but the symptoms the individual displays are not serious enough to interfere with daily activities of living to a point that a higher level of care would be necessary.

Intensive outpatient treatment is very similar to traditional outpatient treatment. The main difference between these two levels of care is that the individual must spend a minimum of nine hours a week in services. Intensive outpatient treatment does not require the individual to live at the facility where treatment is being provided, but does offer the individual the opportunity to work through issues related to substances on an intense level. Individuals in this level of care are experiencing a decline in the ability to handle their daily activities of living and, therefore, meet criteria for receiving services at a higher level of care than those in traditional outpatient settings.

Residential treatment takes place when the individual lives at the facility, and the majority of the individual’s time is spent focusing on recovery. Residential treatment is gender specific in terms of living quarters, although treatment oriented activities such as group may contain members of both sexes. Residential treatment facilities have staff members on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and are able to provide constant support for individuals receiving treatment. Residential treatment is recommended for individuals who cannot abstain from using substances in a less intense level of care, and/or cannot keep up with activities of daily living. These programs are traditionally 28 days in length, but can vary depending on the needs of the individual.

Medically managed treatment is the most intense level of care available. This setting has the same components that of a residential treatment, but also requires a doctor to see the individual on a daily basis. This level of care is appropriate for individuals who have severe biomedical complications due to their substance use, such as a person requiring a medically monitored detox. This level of care tends to be brief in nature due to the intensity of the services provided, but is often followed up by traditional residential treatment.

Jessica Parks is a certified alcohol and drug counselor in the state of Illinois and has her M.A. in art therapy counseling.

Rehab Centers for Cocaine Addiction

Cocaine, which is produced from the leaves of the South American coca plant, is the most powerful of all non-synthetic drugs. Whether snorted, injected or smoked as crack, cocaine is among the most highly addictive of all substances. Lab animals will press a bar more than 10,000 times to get a single dose of cocaine. They will choose cocaine in preference to food and water, and would, if allowed, take fatal doses. Does this sound familiar?

Since the purity of cocaine is difficult to determine, overdose is always a possibility. Overdose can lead to seizures, heart attack, brain hemorrhage, kidney failure, convulsions and death.

Despite all the physical, social, and emotional losses associated with cocaine use, the number of users continues to rise. There were approximately 30,000 new users in 1975. By 1985, there were 300,000, and by 2000, there were more than 360,000. If you are one of the many caught up in this epidemic, get help now at one of the many rehab centers for cocaine addiction.

Detox and Rehab Centers for Cocaine Users

Before the real work of rehab can begin, the drug must first be cleared from the user’s body. The length of time this will take varies widely, depending on how much and how frequently the addict used. Withdrawal symptoms can include vomiting, muscle pain, and extreme versions of psychological states such as anxiety, rage and depression. Once the majority of the drug has left the body, the focus will shift to counseling and finding ways to live a drug-free life from then on.

Detox procedures vary with the drug abused, so use our filters to find rehab centers that specialize in cocaine detox. Look under “Programs by Drug” on our home page to find a treatment center that’s right for you.

How to Choose Among Rehab Facilities in California

There are plenty of rehab facilities in California for you to select from when the time has come to get help. At SoberRecovery.com, we have compiled a list of reputable treatment centers that you can use as a resource. However, that list contains a lot of options, which can be overwhelming when you’re already struggling. Here are a few things to keep in mind when choosing a treatment center.

• Do you need detox? If you have been using alcohol or addictive drugs for a long time or in heavy doses, you’ll probably have withdrawal symptoms. In this case, you should look for a center that offers medically supervised detoxification to make withdrawal more comfortable.
• Do you want to go through treatment with people of your own age, gender, sexual orientation, or cultural or ethnic background? There are rehab facilities in California that specialize in treating adolescents, members of the GLBT community, veterans, and other specific groups.
• Do you feel more comfortable with a twelve-step program or an alternative approach? The twelve-step model has been around for a long time and has had great success, but not everybody feels comfortable with that approach.

Alternative Rehab Facilities in California

There are several types of alternatives to the twelve-step model available to you. The holistic approach is one of the most widely used of the alternatives. Rather than focusing entirely upon the symptoms of the addiction, holistic treatment centers use a variety of disciplines to treat the entire person, spiritually, mentally and physically. These may include yoga, meditation, self-hypnosis, nutritional therapy, biofeedback and more.

Faith-based, medical and psychological treatments are also available. Use the filters on our home page under “Special Focus Programs” to find one that is right for you.

Holistic and Alternative Rehab Centers in California

For decades, the primary model for substance abuse treatment was the twelve-step protocol developed by the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous. In recent years, however, many rehab centers in California and elsewhere have had excellent results with a holistic protocol.

Holistic models of health care take the entire person into account rather than focusing narrowly on a particular issue. Treatment for substance abuse, therefore, is likely to include medically supervised detoxification and group and individual counseling similar to the AA model. However, there will also be treatments and education that address other aspects of the addict’s life and well-being, including physical, mental and spiritual qualities. These may include:

• nutritional counseling
• yoga, Pilates, martial arts or other physical training
• meditation
• self-hypnosis
• biofeedback
• massage
• acupuncture

Find Alternative Rehab Centers in California

In addition to the holistic approach, or in conjunction with it, there are other alternatives to the twelve-step program available at rehab centers in California. Medical, psychological and self-help protocols can be used separately or together. Christian believers can find strength to aid in their recovery from faith-based programs. Wilderness camps and similar programs use the challenges of nature to foster self-confidence and trust, and are particularly suitable for adolescents and young adults.

You can use the filters under “Special Focus Programs” to investigate these various types of treatment protocols. We also provide filters to help you search by location, by drug of choice, or by clientele. No matter what your addiction or what approach you prefer, there are resources out there to help you regain control of your life.

Drug Rehab Facilities in California

The Central Valley of California has the dubious distinction of being referred to as “the meth capital of the world.” In Humboldt County, marijuana reigns supreme. In Southern California, cocaine seems to be the drug of choice–the powdered form for the affluent, and crack rocks in the inner cities. Is it any wonder that there are so many drug rehab facilities in California?

Of course, drug addiction is a problem throughout the United States, and California is no better or worse than other states. Perhaps the real reason that treatment centers tend to locate in California is because of the exceptional beauty of the area, especially along the coast. The state also tends to be a leader in some aspects of health care, as evidenced by the high incidence of holistic drug rehab facilities in California.

A Wide Range of Drug Rehab Facilities in California

California is a big state with very diverse regions and populations. Fortunately, there are also many options available for drug rehab. Financial considerations differ widely, for instance, and California offers both luxury drug treatment centers for high-profile clients and publicly funded or nonprofit centers for those who have fewer resources.

California’s diverse population results in many choices for specific groups. In areas with a high concentration of Asian-Americans, for example, there are treatment options that focus on that population. Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transsexual communities give rise to treatment centers that address their particular issues.

Use our resource list to find a suitable drug rehab facility for you. Under the heading “States and Regions,” click on “By Individual State.” Then click on California, and you’ll get a menu of cities and towns that you can use to locate facilities near you.