Long-term treatment is something that not everyone can do. With a family, with work, with life, it is hard to remain in treatment for so long. However, there are significant benefits associated with an extended stay in rehab and whoever can afford to take the time out for recovery should consider it.

I feel that a 28-day program is only long enough to change your way of thinking. It is not long enough to teach you how to interact with society living a drug free life. Long-term drug treatment, or extended care, provides all of the valuable tools needed to be able to interact with life while staying clean and sober. Many facilities allow you to have your car. Many of them allow you to go back to work while sleeping at the facility. Some facilities keep the standard care patients and the aftercare patients separate, some let them interact.

Once in long-term care you can expect to see the group therapy classes a little less. The therapy you get is focused more on how you’re handling life and getting back to work, and how you are staying sober in the process. When in aftercare you can expect to be pushed to get a sponsor in AA and NA. He/She can pick you up and take you to meetings. That is generally allowed in long-term care. All drug treatment facilities have long-term care. Most of the time it is cheaper then the standard care. All facilities have contacts with sober living homes that they can refer you to.