The state of Pennsylvania is no stranger to drugs. It has long been a major destination for drug trafficking up and down the East Coast, and the spectrum of drugs abused by its residents remains broad. Heroin, cocaine, meth, club drugs like Ecstasy and prescription drugs like Oxycontin, along with alcohol, are treated daily in Pennsylvania drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers. The network of rehab facilities in Pennsylvania is large and still growing, thanks to changes in the state’s drug laws that now send low-level drug offenders for treatment instead of to jail. But it remains a family responsibility to seek early professional help for any suspected substance abuse problem, before it grows into a hard-core addiction that will be much more difficult to treat.

Most larger towns and communities in Pennsylvania have at least one drug and alcohol treatment center, detox clinic, or mental health center. The kind and quality of service will vary, as will the funding, staffing, and level of experience with any particular type of drug problem. Be selective when evaluating programs, as modern drugs are so addictive, and produce such a wide range of effects on the human body, that no shotgun approach to drug addiction can possibly work for every problem. Be sure the clinic you approach is experienced with your problem.

Both public and private drug and alcohol treatment centers in Pennsylvania exist, and the services they offer range from intervention to persuade an addict to seek help, to detoxification to clear drug residue from the body, to outpatient counseling to inpatient residential programs. Choosing the right one is critical; a poorly-managed program, or one focused on treating as many people as possible rather than effecting a good outcome, can lead to a discouraging, even deadly, cycle of recovery and relapse. Make sure you choose a rehab facility with a tailored approach to every addiction and that can offer end-to-end care.

Pennsylvania drug treatment centers may be the first choice for most Pennsylvania families, but they should not be the only choice. Your local community may be too small to offer a comprehensive drug or alcohol treatment program. If so, look farther afield. It is often better in any case to remove an addict from the local “scene.” Anxious loved ones can enable abuse without realizing it. For outpatients, temptation lurks in every convenience store beer cooler and every medicine cabinet. Work and family stress does not go away with the decision to seek help; sometimes, getting completely away from distractions of this type is required in order for the patient to focus on recovery.

No rehabilitation center in Pennsylvania or anywhere else can effect a recovery without a focus on the long term. “Sober for life” should be its goal, and if it does not offer a comprehensive course of treatment, from managing withdrawal to counseling to behavior modification, pass it by. Rehab does not have to be a revolving door. A good program can get you where you want to be. All you have to do is take the first step.