True Recovery The treatment of drug and alcohol addiction is a complex matter. The path to lasting sobriety is much longer, and the treatment required is much more sophisticated than most people realize. Effective treatment, the kind that results in life-long sobriety, cannot be delivered through short-term programs. To expect a person with a history of addiction to turn his life around and maintain sobriety after only a few months in treatment is simply unrealistic. Yet most addicts in their desperation, or due to their impatience, turn to just these types of “quick-fix” solutions. These short term pro- grams may work for a brief period of time, but they rarely have any lasting effect. In the struggle to overcome addiction, the only meaningful objective must be lasting, life-long sobriety. To maintain sobriety it is paramount for an addict to adopt a completely new lifestyle. And that takes time. Decades of research have repeatedly shown, and the most recent study has proven again the direct relationship between the length of time in treatment and the ability to stay clean and sober. There is no short-term cure for long-term addiction. In fact, to achieve lifelong sobriety, it is crucial for a person with a history of substance abuse to remain in treatment for approximately 2 years. In addition to the adequate program length, successful addiction treatment must also include a tested and proven treatment method. Long-term therapeutic communities incorporate both and, as a consequence, have the best success rate in treating addicts. These residential “Life-Skills Academies”, such as Welcome Home, develop and strictly apply a comprehensive treatment that is designed for each individual. Programs are balanced between addiction recovery, personal growth and career preparation. All aspects of addiction and healthy living are addressed. There are no compromises. As a result, the individual is not only restored to how he was before using drugs, but the underlying causes of his addiction have been identified and appropriately dealt with. So while he overcomes his addiction and rebuilds his life, he also learns and adopts a whole new lifestyle – the key to maintaining sobriety! When he emerges from treatment he has developed physically, emotionally, intellectually, socially and spiritually, and is equipped with all the skills needed to live successfully without drugs and alcohol for the rest of his life. That is true recovery!