Burning Tree’s long term rehab success rate fall in line with the Big Book of AA. From the foreword to the second edition: Of alcoholics who came to A.A. and really tried, 50% got sober at once and remained that way; 25% sobered up after some relapses, and among the remainder, those who stayed on with A.A. showed improvement.
The success rate of long-term addiction treatment varies from treatment program to treatment program. One of the problems in determining success rates is the lack of agreement on what constitutes “long-term.” While it is agreed it is longer than two weeks – the length of many addiction treatment programs – opinions beyond that timeframe begin to diverge. For some treatment programs, twenty-eight to thirty-days qualifies, while for other facilities, a long-term program is anywhere from forty-five to ninety-days.
Inherent in any all of these definitions of long-term addiction treatment is the approach that at the end of the time period, the patient is ready to leave the program – regardless. This philosophy is at the heart of relapse and chronic relapse. The most successful treatment programs realize that each individual has a unique set of circumstances surrounding his or her addiction, and a one-timeframe-fits-all program is problematic. Treatment programs that utilize an open-ended approach to long-term treatment are have greater success rates.
It is acknowledged that short-term treatment programs have the lowest rate of success; however, which of the long-term programs is most successful is still under scrutiny. The latest research though indicates that open-ended programs are most likely to succeed. There are two key reasons for this. First, the patient is released only when he or she is ready to enter a life without addiction. Second, successful long-term programs understand that addiction recovery is an ongoing process, and that post-treatment care and maintenance are vital components, and must be established and embraced in order to prevent relapse.
Everyone who enters into a long-term treatment program enters for different reasons. The only common bond is that there is an addiction and they are seeking to break from its grip. After that, nothing is the same. Because of these divergences, it is futile to insist that everyone be governed by the same parameters. Therefore, it is important for those seeking treatment to find a treatment program that allows for these differences, and tailors it to these variations to allow for the greatest chance of success.
In addition, the need for a strong aftercare cannot be emphasized enough. To participate in a recovery treatment program and then to simply return to the old ways without a safety network available, will result in a relapse. Long-term programs that understand that aftercare is an extension of the inpatient program, and take steps to make sure the patient understands the nature of aftercare, have the greatest rate of success of all treatment programs.