There are several factors that determine if a person will complete their drug and alcohol treatment or leave a clinic before treatment is completed.
The number one goal of any drug treatment program is to get people clean and sober. Often times, the most difficult step in this process is the first step: convincing a person struggling with drug or alcohol abuse to get help. However, this doesn’t mean that all of the work is done once a person enters a treatment clinic. Far too many people enter into a rehab program only to leave before it is completed and fall back into their dangerous addictions.
Therefore, it’s up to the drug rehab facility to make sure that people who enter drug treatment stay in treatment as long as needed in order to receive proper care for their addictions and the underlying factors (such as mental illness or other psychological stresses). One of the key tenants of drug treatment is that each patient must be treated as an individual and have their needs evaluated on a case-by-case basis. This is to ensure that patients receive proper care and are not released from treatment if their addictions have not been properly cared for.
Ultimately, it is up to the individual to determine if they remain in an addiction program or choose to leave early. Drug and alcohol treatment is difficult and scary — people who have become used to having the crutch of illicit substances to fall back on literally cannot imagine having that taken away from them. One of the most important factors in helping a person stay committed to alcohol and drug rehab is providing them with motivation to get clean and sober. This could come from reminding them that they have friends and family to care for, or that they have life dreams that have yet to be fulfilled.
While positive reinforcement can be an effective form of reinforcement, showing a person the negatives of their alcohol or drug addiction can also give them the motivation to stay in treatment. This can be provided by outside forces — like if they face jail time if they don’t successfully complete a drug and alcohol treatment program — or by reminding them of the dangers they face to their health and emotional stability by continuing to abuse drugs and alcohol.