| Duration | General fit |
|---|---|
| 28 days | Traditional standard; may suit less severe cases or serve as a starting point before extension |
| 60 days | A middle-ground option, often allowing deeper work than 28 days without a full 90-day commitment |
| 90 days | Associated with meaningfully better outcomes in NIDA research, particularly for more severe or longer-duration substance use histories |
Why longer isn't automatically the right answer for everyone
Individual circumstances — severity, prior treatment history, co-occurring conditions, and practical life constraints — all factor into the right duration for a specific person. The evidence favors longer treatment generally, but a good clinical assessment should drive your specific recommendation, not a blanket rule.
Why cost accessibility abroad changes this calculation
Longer program length abroad is often financially achievable in ways it isn't domestically, given typical cost differences — making the evidence-supported longer-duration option genuinely more accessible for many patients.
Free, confidential, 24/7/365 — treatment referral and information service. Also: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
See colombiarehab.co for program-length options at Colombia-based facilities.
The Takeaway
Let a genuine clinical assessment, not just a default program length, guide your duration decision — and know that cost-accessible destinations abroad often make the evidence-supported longer option more financially achievable.