The ultimate goal of the best alcohol drug treatment centers is to help people of all backgrounds and all life experiences establish a life they are satisfied with without addictive drugs or alcohol. The very best programs are made up of the three traditional phases of alcohol addiction treatment, which are detoxification, rehabilitation and continuing, long term care. In order to give a patient the best chance of success with their recovery, treatment plans must always be personalized to be as unique as the patient himself is. No two individuals are going to respond to a treatment plan the same way, so it is vital that every person is given the tools to recovery that are most effective for him or her.

When a person goes through outpatient detoxification from alcohol and/or drugs, it should be accomplished safely and comfortably with the help of medical personnel. Although not every outpatient program will allow it, the best alcohol drug treatment centers will allow patients to remain at the facility and be monitored for several hours a day. They will also be able to quickly arrange hospitalization if it becomes necessary.
There are many different parts of the rehabilitation phase, but the best programs will have patients attending five times a week. Patients should be taking part in group therapy and education during rehabilitation. The frequency of these sessions is gradually reduced as they make progress over a period of several weeks. By the time the rehabilitation phase is complete, they will have attended 20 to 30 sessions.

The last phase of the traditional treatment programs, the continuing care phase, consists of a group therapy session once weekly. Specialized groups in these sessions are able to focus on particular issues. Structured intensive outpatient drug and alcohol treatment programs at the best alcohol treatment centers in Maryland are just as effective as hospital rehabilitation is, and they are also more effective than non intensive outpatient programs. Families are included in treatment, and there are some group sessions every week for relatives and even close friends to attend along with the patient. Everyone learns about dependence, and they have an opportunity to discuss experiences about the illness as well as the process of recovery.

Every patient comes with a different story, a different history and different personal goals. The best centers are those that are able to customize and personalize treatment according to each individual patient. There are many factors that work together to determine the rate of success that patients achieve. Each completes different levels of recovery at different stages and at different paces; allowing this variety in pace and rate of recovery is what makes outpatient drug and alcohol treatment such a success.