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Substance Abuse Treatment is a general term used to delineate treatment for the addiction to any substance, including alcohol, but sometimes is used to refer to drugs only. In substance abuse treatment, people are taught the necessary skills and information needed to get sober and maintain their sobriety. Substance abuse treatment allows a person to live in a drug free environment, away from the psychological, environmental, and sociological triggers that may surround them in their living situation at home. It is possible for a person to get sober and stay sober without going to substance abuse treatment, but this is a rarity in today’s world. Some people are able to go to AA or NA meetings by themselves, get a sponsor, and work through the 12 Steps of AA or NA, while living at home, but few people these days have the willingness to go to such great lengths by themselves to stay sober. One of the reasons substance abuse treatment facilities have become the norm for people who need to get sober is because of the extreme damage physically, psychologically, and sociologically that today’s drugs can cause to a human being. It is no longer just a matter of sobering up and getting your life back together again, as it once was when people were taking less potent drugs and drinking alcohol only, but a matter of life and death. The chances of a person seriously causing physical and permanent psychological damage to themselves before they become willing enough to go to AA or NA on their own are slim these days. Often treatment interventions are needed to raise the “bottom” of the alcoholic and/or addict because their “bottom” might be death, permanent brain damage, or prison. For these many reasons, substance abuse treatment centers have become the norm for people with an alcohol or drug problem who need to get sober.