Recovery Odds: HIMS-Style v. Standard Treatment
What This Visualization Shows
This interactive tool demonstrates the dramatic difference in outcomes between these two approaches. The standard treatment curve shows the typical relapse pattern, while the HIMS model demonstrates how consistent monitoring and accountability can transform recovery trajectories.
The top graph shows the linear average of relapse and success rates for HIMS- style addiction treatment (Blue) and traditional rehab (Red), over the five year period following treatment initiation.
The bottom two bar charts show relapse and resumption of active use probabilities in the five years following initial treatment. The red bars indicate periods of active use following treatment under the traditional Minnesota Model, by month over a five year period. The blue bars show the same for people who are treated in HIMS style programs.
The simulation is a Markov Chain Monte Carlo model. Each scenario represents the abstinence probabilities for one individual entering treatment.
Click the Generate New Scenario Button to see the odds of a relapse under both the Minnesota Model and HIMS-style treatment paradigms.
The Standard Approach: Minnesota Model
The Minnesota Model is the predominant treatment framework in the United States, representing approximately 75% of all addiction treatment programs. This 28-day residential model has been the standard for decades and typically includes:
• 12-step philosophy integration
• Peer support groups
• Counseling and therapy sessions
• Focus on spiritual and psychological healing
While widely accessible, the Minnesota Model faces significant challenges with relapse rates, particularly in the critical first year of recovery where many patients struggle to maintain abstinence.
The High-Performance Alternative: HIMS Monitoring
The HIMS (Human Intervention Motivation Study) model represents a fundamentally different, monitoring-based approach that achieves remarkable success rates. This system is mandated for safety-sensitive professionals including:
• Airline pilots (FAA HIMS program)
• Physicians (state physician health programs)
• Nurses and healthcare professionals
• Other licensed occupations
Why HIMS Achieves 85-90% Success Rates
The HIMS model differs dramatically from standard treatment through:
• Traditional treatment, but aftercare support and monitoring.
• Long-term structures that cement behavioral change.
• Regular alcohol and drug testing with consequences
• Accountability structures with employers/licensing boards
• Early intervention protocols
• Return-to-work coordination
Most remarkably, HIMS programs achieve 85-90% long-term abstinence rates after just one episode of treatment - compared to approximately 20% in standard Minnesota Model programs over the same timeframe.