Treatment Types in Canada
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Private Treatment Centers in Canada
Referral Service to
Private Treatment Centers in Canada
There are many different treatment approaches for drug or alcohol addiction in Canada. You will find a few of these on this page. If you need more information, please don’t hesitate to talk to our referral counsellors. Also, if you need immediate help, call our toll-free number.
Here are a few treatment approaches that have withstood the test of time.
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Detox is the first step in addiction recovery, helping individuals safely withdraw from drugs or alcohol.
Medical detox provides 24/7 supervision by healthcare professionals, often with medication to ease withdrawal symptoms and prevent complications. It is recommended for people withdrawing from alcohol, opioids, or other substances with potentially severe health risks.
Non-medical detox, sometimes called social detox, takes place in a supportive environment without medication. Staff monitor the person, provide encouragement, and guide them toward further treatment. Both approaches prepare individuals for the next stage of rehab, whether residential or outpatient.
Residential and inpatient treatment both provide structured, live-in environments where individuals stay at a facility for the duration of their program. Inpatient treatment usually offers more intensive medical supervision, making it ideal for people with severe addictions or health concerns.
While still structured, residential treatment often emphasizes daily therapy, counselling, and group support in a less clinical setting. Both approaches remove the person from everyday triggers, offering a safe space to focus fully on recovery.
Outpatient treatment allows individuals to live at home while attending scheduled therapy sessions and counselling at a clinic or treatment center. This option is less intensive than residential or inpatient care, making it suitable for people with mild to moderate addictions or those who have already completed a residential program.
Outpatient services often include individual therapy, group counselling, relapse prevention, and family support. The flexibility lets individuals maintain work, school, or family responsibilities while continuing their recovery journey.
The 12-step approach is one of the most widely known methods of supporting recovery from addiction. Based on peer support and personal accountability, it encourages individuals to acknowledge their struggles, build a supportive network, and work through structured steps toward sobriety. Groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) provide safe, non-judgmental spaces where people share experiences and strengthen their commitment to recovery.
While not a formal treatment program, 12-step meetings are often used alongside detox, inpatient, or outpatient rehab to help maintain long-term sobriety.
Holistic rehab programs focus on healing the whole person—mind, body, and spirit—rather than only treating the symptoms of addiction. These programs often combine traditional therapies like counselling and group support with alternative approaches such as yoga, meditation, nutrition planning, art therapy, or acupuncture.
The goal is to address stress, emotions, and lifestyle factors that contribute to substance use, while building healthier coping skills for long-term recovery. Holistic treatment is often used alongside medical or residential rehab to create a more personalized recovery plan.
Biophysical treatment is an alternative approach to addiction recovery that focuses on cleansing the body of toxins left behind by drug or alcohol use. These programs often combine nutrition, exercise, sauna therapy, and supplements to help restore the body’s natural balance and improve overall health.
The idea is that by reducing the physical cravings and stress caused by toxic buildup, individuals may find it easier to focus on counselling and lifestyle changes. While biophysical rehab is not a medical detox, it is sometimes chosen by people looking for a more natural method of addressing substance use.
Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) is one of the most widely used approaches in addiction treatment. It helps individuals understand how their thoughts, emotions, and behaviours are connected to substance use.
Through CBT, people learn to identify negative thinking patterns, recognize triggers, and develop healthier coping strategies to avoid relapse. This method is goal-oriented and practical, giving individuals tools they can apply in real-life situations. CBT can be used on its own or combined with residential, outpatient, or medication-assisted treatment to support long-term recovery.
Mindfulness-based therapy uses techniques like meditation, breathing exercises, and present-moment awareness to help individuals manage cravings and reduce stress. The goal is to break the cycle of automatic, destructive behaviours by teaching people to pause, observe their thoughts without judgment, and respond in healthier ways.
In addiction treatment, mindfulness can complement other therapies such as cognitive-behavioural therapy or residential rehab, offering tools to handle triggers and prevent relapse. Many people find that mindfulness also improves overall well-being, sleep, and emotional balance. More on this therapy here.
Relatively new drugs like Buprenorphine treat opioid use disorder. Buprenorphine is a long-acting opioid. It replaces the shorter-acting opioids, such as heroin, oxycodone, fentanyl, or hydromorphone. Buprenorphine acts much like methadone. Both drugs are part of opioid agonist therapy.
When used at the appropriate dose, they help prevent withdrawal symptoms and curb drug cravings without causing euphoria or drowsiness. This reduces the risks tied to opioid misuse and offers individuals with opioid addiction an opportunity to stabilize their lives.
Another drug, Disulfiram, treats chronic alcoholism by causing unpleasant effects when people drink small amounts of alcohol.
Some rehab centres deliver to smaller numbers of people in intimate settings, while others facilitate more people.
Some centers are specific to alcohol, others to different drugs. Gender-specific as well as the LGBT community.