Outstanding substance abuse treatment can be hard to find, particularly in this age of New Age nonsense and multiplying theories. Thankfully we have data to help sort the wheat from the chaff, employing peer-reviewed study techniques to see which approaches are the most effective in the treatment of addiction. It may not surprise you to learn that individual therapy remains by far the most successful way to go.

Of course, merely meeting one-on-one doesn’t necessarily guarantee you will see results, particularly since the word “therapist” has no official definition. That’s why it pays to stick with credentialed professionals whose education, experience and integrity you may consider beyond reproach. Top treatment centers stick with true experts such as these as they care for addicts across every possible substance and vice.

These days, the immersive retreat model is once again gaining favor in professional circles. These enclaves in the mountains or overlooking the sea used to be the sole province of peer counseling in the AA mold. Today they also employ psychologists, physicians and other well-credentialed pros who can help you explore the emotional basis factors your addiction with a steady and compassionate hand.

There may be no better way to free yourself from the crushing burden of ongoing substance abuse. Whether you are a problem drinker or have become addicted to controlled drugs of one class or another, it pays to stick with the sort of facility that can manage physical withdrawal alongside the substantive therapy that can prevent a relapse.