28-day rehab programme: what happens week by week in a Swiss clinic
A 28-day programme is a four-week residential stay that usually moves from assessment and any detox, through intensive therapy and family work, to discharge planning. Several Swiss clinics build their core programmes around this length: Clinic Les Alpes sets 28 days as the minimum stay for its addiction and mental health programmes (Clinic Les Alpes, 2026), and Clinique La Métairie runs a 28-day residential phase followed by 11 months of outpatient follow-up (Clinique La Métairie, 2026).
By Switzerland Recovery editorial team · · 5 min read
The short answer
Four weeks covers the most intensive part of treatment. NIDA notes that most people need at least 3 months in treatment to significantly reduce or stop drug use (NIDA, 2018), so the residential weeks are normally followed by outpatient care. For comparison, the average stay in a Swiss psychiatric hospital, across all diagnoses, was 35.1 days in 2024 (Obsan, 2024).
- Week 1: assessment, detox and stabilisation
- Week 2: diagnosis and intensive therapy
- Week 3: family, patterns and triggers
- Week 4: relapse prevention and aftercare
Who a 28-day programme fits
Four weeks suits many adults who need time away from home and are medically stable enough for a residential setting, for example with alcohol, drug, medication or behavioural addiction, or with burnout or depression linked to substance use.
It may be too short after many years of benzodiazepine or opioid use, with a serious co-occurring mental health condition, or after earlier treatment that did not hold. A longer stay or a step-down plan is then worth discussing. The page on prescription drug rehab in Switzerland explains why tapers can take longer.
“Medically assisted detoxification is only the first stage of addiction treatment”
Week 1: assessment and detox
On arrival, a doctor reviews your health, substance use and medication, usually with blood tests and a psychiatric interview. If your body is dependent on alcohol, benzodiazepines or opioids, supervised withdrawal starts straight away. For alcohol, symptoms begin 6 to 24 hours after the last drink and doctors typically monitor people closely for up to five days (AFP, 2021). Medication tapers can take much longer. The guide to what happens during medical detox covers this phase step by step.
Therapy starts gently while the body settles. Some clinics limit phone use and visits in the first days; ask about the rules before you arrive.
Week 2: intensive therapy
Once you are physically stable, daily individual therapy begins in earnest. Common methods are cognitive behavioural therapy, motivational approaches and trauma-focused work. The psychiatric team confirms any diagnosis, such as depression, anxiety or ADHD, and adjusts medication if needed.
Mental health and substance use problems often come together: substance-related disorders were the second most common main diagnosis in Swiss inpatient psychiatry in 2022, at 19.9% of cases (Obsan, 2024). The page on dual diagnosis treatment in Switzerland explains how clinics treat both together.
Week 3: family and triggers
Attention widens to the people and patterns around your use. Where you agree, partners or relatives may join sessions in person or by video, to understand the condition, rebuild trust and agree how home life will change. Therapy also maps your personal triggers, such as work stress, travel, social events or certain relationships.
Around this point, it is worth asking the team whether four weeks will be enough or whether an extension or a day-clinic phase would help.
Week 4: discharge and aftercare
The final week prepares the return home. You and your therapist complete a written relapse prevention plan, and the team arranges follow-up before you leave: therapy by video or with a local therapist, a psychiatrist or family doctor at home and, if you want, a mutual-help group.
Some clinics offer structured follow-up of their own. La Métairie, for example, offers weekly sessions or four three-day return stays over 11 months (Clinique La Métairie, 2026). Our guide to aftercare after Swiss rehab compares the options.
What 28 days costs in Switzerland
At the clinics that publish weekly prices, four weeks cost from about CHF 240,000 to about CHF 470,000. Clinic Les Alpes starts at CHF 60,000 a week (Clinic Les Alpes, 2026), Paracelsus Recovery lists CHF 110,000 a week (Paracelsus Recovery, 2026) and The Kusnacht Practice starts at CHF 117,300 a week (The Kusnacht Practice, 2026). Other clinics give prices on request.
For Swiss residents, clinics on a cantonal hospital list cost far less, because basic health insurance pays for inpatient treatment there (Fedlex: KVG Art. 39). The guide to the cost of rehab in Switzerland shows weekly rates by type of clinic.
Is 28 days long enough?
For many people, four weeks is enough to complete detox, start therapy and leave with a clear plan. What happens in the months after discharge matters at least as much as the stay itself.
Ask at admission how the clinic decides on an extension, what it costs and how follow-up continues. The page on alcohol rehab in Switzerland covers clinics and programme options, and we can shortlist clinics that match your needs, free and confidential.
Related treatment pages
Frequently asked questions
Can I leave a 28-day rehab early?
Yes. A stay in a private rehab clinic is voluntary, so you can leave at any time. Ask before admission how the clinic handles early departure and whether any part of the fee is refunded.
Can family visit during a 28-day stay?
Each clinic sets its own visiting rules, and they differ. Ask before admission when visits are possible and whether family sessions are part of the programme.
Can a 28-day stay be extended?
Often, if a place is available and the team agrees it would help. Ask how and when the clinic reviews progress, and what an extra week costs.
