Millions of people struggle with substance abuse every year, whether it’s an addiction to legal drugs such as alcohol or prescription painkillers, or illegal street drugs such as heroin or meth. Among those with substance abuse issues, a large percentage also have mental health issues, which can complicate attempts to get clean. A person with a true addiction can benefit from the services offered by drug abuse rehab centers.

Many people use drugs and alcohol as coping mechanisms to deal with what are often undiagnosed mental illnesses. About 15% of people with a substance abuse problem also have a mental illness, and people who abuse drugs are three times more likely to have a mental illness than those who don’t. For most people — about 70% — signs of mental health issues occur in childhood, usually in the teen years, which happens to also be the time when a lot of people are first exposed to drugs.

With these co-occurring problems, it makes it hard to overcome addiction. Though some people can kick their drug or alcohol problem on their own or with help from friends and family, most people need the help of professionals, which is where drug abuse rehab centers come into play.

There are essentially two kinds of drug rehab: inpatient rehab and outpatient rehab. Inpatient drug rehab involves a stay at a rehab center or medical facility. People often are committed to an inpatient rehab center, meaning they don’t go voluntarily. They might be ordered there by a court or placed there by a family member who has legal control of their affairs. Inpatient usually involves more intense therapy and may also involve medical care.

Outpatient drug rehab is usually reserved for people who are more stable and have a support system to help them kick the habit. Outpatient rehab almost always is voluntary. Drug rehab support is there, but it does not have the enforcement mechanism of inpatient rehab.

If you or a loved one has a substance abuse problem, drug abuse rehab centers may be a viable option. For those trying to overcome addiction, the professional help and supported offered at these centers can be valuable to help you kick the habit.