The good news is that there are plenty of drug treatment centers in Los Angeles. The only catch is that none of them can help you until you muster the courage to take the first step. Only by admitting you have a drug addiction problem and resolving to seek help can you ever expect to get where you’re trying to go. For your own sake, here’s hoping you can muster the courage to finally do what you must.

Since successful outcomes often depend upon retaining the person long enough to gain the full benefits of drug addiction treatment centers, strategies for keeping an individual in the program are critical. Whether a patient stays in treatment depends on factors associated with both the individual and the program. Individual factors related to engagement and retention include motivation to change drug-using behavior, degree of support from family and friends, and whether there is pressure to stay in treatment from the criminal justice system, child protection services, employers, or the family. Within the program, successful counselors are able to establish a positive, therapeutic relationship with the patient. The counselor should ensure that a treatment plan is established and followed so that the individual knows what to expect during treatment. Medical, psychiatric, and social services should be available.

Whether a patient stays in treatment depends on factors associated with both the individual and the program.

Since some individual problems (such as serious mental illness, severe cocaine or crack use, and criminal involvement) increase the likelihood of a patient dropping out, intensive treatment with a range of components may be required to retain patients who have these problems. The provider then should ensure a transition to continuing care or “aftercare” following the patient’s completion of formal treatment.