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What is Rehabilitation Therapy?

Sheri Cyprus
Sheri Cyprus

Rehabilitation, or rehab, therapy refers to the therapeutic, healing treatment a patient receives after an illness or injury. The illness or injury could be cancer, a stroke or an automobile or skiing accident. Drug rehabilitation therapy is treatment that drug addicts receive to help them learn to live without a dependence on drugs to be at their physical, emotional and mental best. All forms of rehabilitation therapy strive to help people recover from challenges or problems and function at their best ability.

Physical therapy focuses on strengthening muscles and relieving pain. Physical rehabilitation treatments often include massage and exercise. If a patient is too weak to exercise on his or her own, a qualified physical therapist may gently move the patient's arms or legs to help build strength. Patients with more physical strength may lift weights to build muscle, while others hurt in an accident may need a cane or other device to help them walk. Patients in wheelchairs are often taught to do exercises made to do in a wheelchair in physical therapy.

Therapy may include massages.
Therapy may include massages.

Speech rehabilitation therapy helps stroke patients and others with speaking difficulties relearn to communicate. Speech rehab also helps those who have experienced damage to their language skills such as some brain injury patients. Patients who experienced memory loss may have difficulty with the reasoning skills needed for forming coherent language. A qualified speech therapist may be able to help patients with memory loss and other conditions improve their ability to speak clearly with the aid of reading comprehension materials and other learning devices.

A stroke patient may need physical rehabilitation therapy.
A stroke patient may need physical rehabilitation therapy.

Drug rehabilitation therapy may include several components, such as counseling and medication. Inpatient drug rehab programs may be short term or long term. Drug treatment centers typically offer residential drug rehabilitation therapy for at least a month and up to a year. Outpatient drug rehab usually follows a residential stay in a treatment center and continues to try and help people cope with life and avoid substance abuse. A weekly counseling session that may be individual or in a group setting is often a large part of outpatient drug rehabilitation.

Patients getting adjusted to a prosthetic limb may undergo treatment from a rehabilitation therapist.
Patients getting adjusted to a prosthetic limb may undergo treatment from a rehabilitation therapist.

One person may require different kinds of rehabilitation therapy. For example, a person with a substance abuse problem who is involved in a motorcycle accident could need both drug rehabilitation and physical therapy. A stroke patient who is paralyzed in his or her face and other areas of the body may need physical as well as speech therapy. Rehab therapists may work together on a patient's case in order to coordinate an effective therapy program.

Discussion Comments

hangugeo112

@ShadowGenius

I think that the main problem is not merely to have a fear of the outcome of not changing, but a recognition that the world is not made for them. People tend to live for themselves and to develop methods of fake appreciation for others in order to get what they want. Recognizing these patterns is a key to changing and becoming outwardly focused, desiring to be charitable and loving in a genuine sense. I think that this is the most common liberator for addictions of any kind, and keeps people from them in the first place.

ShadowGenius

Substance abuse is a strong addiction which can drag people under, kind of like drowning. Some people can exercise moderation in terms of partaking in corporate alcoholic beverages, but others find it difficult to face life without it, and need to feel an euphoria in order to survive. Replacing this euphoria with a better incentive is a necessary part of overcoming the deadly habit, as is a good dose of fear of the outcome if one does not change.

Proxy414

Usually, for someone going through rehab, it is important to canalize their obsession or fixation on a drug or other substance, toward something better. It is not enough to simply "eliminate desire" which is what Buddhism teaches. No, one must recognize that there are better things in life, and that the long-term well-being of a person depends on his ability to focus on those larger eternal joys. This is why religion is the most common anti-drug, and the most effective.

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    • Therapy may include massages.
      By: apops
      Therapy may include massages.
    • A stroke patient may need physical rehabilitation therapy.
      By: Monkey Business
      A stroke patient may need physical rehabilitation therapy.
    • Patients getting adjusted to a prosthetic limb may undergo treatment from a rehabilitation therapist.
      By: belahoche
      Patients getting adjusted to a prosthetic limb may undergo treatment from a rehabilitation therapist.
    • Rehabilitation therapy may be offered to returning veterans who were injured in combat.
      By: joyb0218
      Rehabilitation therapy may be offered to returning veterans who were injured in combat.
    • Painkillers might be part of a rehabilitation therapy program.
      By: Jenifoto
      Painkillers might be part of a rehabilitation therapy program.
    • Rehabilitation therapy can help geriatric patients retain their mobility.
      By: Tyler Olson
      Rehabilitation therapy can help geriatric patients retain their mobility.
    • Rehabilitation therapy can help people regain the ability to perform daily tasks for themselves.
      By: Gang
      Rehabilitation therapy can help people regain the ability to perform daily tasks for themselves.
    • Rehabilitation therapy might help someone get comfortable using a wheelchair.
      By: Conny Hagen
      Rehabilitation therapy might help someone get comfortable using a wheelchair.
    • Art can help with a person's emotional rehabilitation.
      By: Photoman
      Art can help with a person's emotional rehabilitation.