According to research, the “old standard” treatment model could soon be obsolete.

Today, we essentially spend our lives online. From paying the bills to banking, to using social media and working from home, most people log online, not just once but several times each day. For some people reading this, their whole lives unfold online.

That’s why it is so important, not only in education and business services but also in health services, to keep up with both research and the needs of consumers. Addiction treatment is definitely not an exception.

For basically the entire history of addiction treatment, residential treatment has been the long-held standard. It is the model known to everybody, an inpatient treatment facility that’s often expensive and requires 30, 60 and 90 days, or even longer at these treatment centers.

The word rehab itself has come to be synonymous with the definition of “a place you go to for addiction treatment.” The outpatient treatment model whereby clients show up to be treated in an office setting and return to their homes to sleep, has become considerably more widespread than residential treatment, but still remains somewhat obscure publicly.

Unfortunately, the model that’s currently in use has been failing us and the time is ripe for a new approach. Nowhere can this be clearly seen as in the most recent statistics regarding drug use and deaths related to overdose, all of which are continuing with their rising trend.

A more convenient, cost-efficient, and effective treatment option for addiction help is required and online addiction treatment could be the solution that we so desperately need.

Are Traditional Addiction Rehab Facilities Outdated?

The simple answer is “yes” and here is why:

1.) The vast majority of people never reach out for help. It is a well-known fact that anywhere from 10 to 12 percent of people struggling with alcohol or substance abuse problems ever seek treatment. It is a genuinely shocking statistic. Addicts and their disease have been blamed for this for decades, but it is actually more likely that the treatment system itself is partly to blame.

2.) Abstinence is a requirement before entering treatment in most rehab facilities. It means that they require those struggling with addiction to first commit to the most challenging part for them to do prior to accessing actual support. Not only does this seem backward, but it is also probably one of the key reasons why many people never seek treatment.

3.) The low success and high dropout rates are hardly surprising, considering the fact the traditional rehab facilities are shame-inducing, isolating, time-intensive, and costly. Numerous studies show that long-term success rates when it comes to residential treatment are incredibly low when abstinence is measured and are no better than spontaneous recovery (recovery without any intervention). Considering the fact that research also shows that participants in these studies are likely to be honest about their abstinence, the chances of success, and measured in traditional treatment are dismal.

What Prevents People from Seeking Traditional Treatment?

What is it that keeps up to 90 percent of people struggling with addiction from getting help? A leading University conducted a study that revealed that about 50 percent of the respondents didn’t want to abstain from alcohol or drugs and it was due to this reason that they either avoided or delayed treatment.

The other key barriers to seeking addiction treatment were:

The Shame

The shame that’s projected by others as well as self-induced shame is perhaps the leading underlying emotional disturbances that people struggling with addiction experience. Shame is an issue that’s regularly discussed when it comes to failure to seek addiction treatment.

With regards to traditional rehab facilities, it is hardly surprising that those struggling with addiction are not willing to come face to face with a professional, or stand up in meetings, or even share their struggles in a group setting.

All these can be torturous for those experiencing immense shame due to their addiction and until this underlying shame has been addressed, it is highly unlikely that the addiction treatment will actually work.

The Cost

The fact that the healthcare system in the USA leaves a lot to be desired is hardly a secret. Today, endless numbers of people struggle to access affordable treatment for their physical health, and affordable addiction and psychiatric treatment can be even harder to access.

Not just that, but traditional rehab facilities are very expensive to participate in and manage. Outpatient treatment is also relatively expensive. Running an addiction rehab facility is expensive if you would like to offer good care, which is why facilities end up charging clients a lot of money and insurance hardly ever pays a substantial portion.

The Logistics

If you do manage to get past the expense and shame or traditional rehab, you still have to take off weeks or perhaps even months of your life. Who can do that? Even outpatient therapy can take anywhere from 10 to 15 hours per week.

Getting time off work and other commitments is asking a lot from people struggling with alcohol and/or drug addiction. Then, there is the traveling, sitting around and waiting, parking, and then returning home. Only to come back and do it all over again the following week.

For many people struggling with addiction, the logistics themselves are what prevents them from seeking help.