Let’s face it, looking at the other guy and thinking he really has a drug problem is a whole lot easier than squaring up to the realization that it’s actually you that may be in trouble because of drug abuse, dependence, or addiction. Not only that, but when someone’s in the grip of drugs, it is so much simpler just to deny anything at all is wrong.

Is it any wonder then that it’s often so difficult for the person who really needs help to know when drug rehab makes sense? For the purposes of discussion, let’s say this person is you – although the same suggestions apply if you are looking for ways to help a loved one or friend get more information on whether drug rehab is the right choice now.

Life Spiraling Out of Control

There are many aspects of drug use that could be examined in order to get at the specifics of how bad it has to be before someone needs professional help. That is beyond the scope of this article. Suffice to say that when the drug user’s life is spiraling out of control, that’s when treatment is necessary – and fast.

But what, exactly, constitutes a life spiraling out of control? Here’s what it isn’t. It isn’t when you just seem to have a bad day, aren’t making enough money to suit you, or are vaguely dissatisfied with life in general.

Likewise, if your drug use is limited to occasionally taking a prescription medication for pain or anxiety or depression – and you take it as directed by your doctor, that’s not an indication that your life is out of control. You may be in a little more discomfort than you had in the past, but injury, aging, or accidents could be the reason for that. And, the body is pretty miraculous in how well it can heal, given enough time.

Here’s a clearer picture of life spiraling out of control:

• You are constantly thinking about where, how, and when to get drugs.
• You become anxious and agitated the closer it gets to the time when you normally use.
• Thoughts about using – anticipating the rush, how good you feel after you use – consume your every waking moment.
• You lose interest in anything not connected with your drug use.
• You stop associating with former friends and your only companions now are those connected with drug use. These may be the pals you use with, your dealer, or other drug-related acquaintances.
• You stop taking care of yourself physical needs. You don’t eat properly, sleep is fitful and plagued with nightmares. You have medical conditions that you don’t seek treatment for.
• Your physical appearance suffers: skin is pale, or sallow, maybe hangs from your frame like a drape or you are so emaciated that your bones are visible.
• You completely disregard personal hygiene, refusing to take regular baths, shampoo and comb your hair, brush your teeth. Your gums may bleed and your teeth may be rotting – especially if you are addicted to crystal meth.
• Your family has disowned you, kicked you out of the house, or the relationship is so strained that your homelife is like a powderkeg.
• You lose your job or get demoted as a result of your drug use.
• You squander all the household income in order to finance your drug use – as well as alcohol use and/or other addictions, such as compulsive gambling, compulsive spending, and so on.
• Your home goes into foreclosure.
• You have to file bankruptcy.
• You get arrested on drug charges.
• Legal bills mount, along with court costs, fees and fines.
• You go to jail.
• You start thinking that suicide may be the answer.

Do any of these sound like things you are experiencing in your life right now? If so, drug rehab could very well make sense for you.

Getting Past Denial

Of course, no one wants to admit that they have a drug problem. The person with the drug problem is usually the last one to recognize that their life has spiraled out of control. Everyone else around him or her can see it, but not the one who’s constantly using.

No, the person – maybe you – thinks, “I can take care of myself. My drug use is under control. I don’t need any help.” There are many different variations of what you tell yourself, but the synopsis is always the same: don’t have a problem, don’t need help, don’t want help.

That is a huge mistake.

Until you can wake up to the truth and admit that you do have a problem with drugs, you’re only going to perpetuate the misery you’re currently in. In fact, your downhill slide is more than likely going to happen quicker.

What will it take for you to be able to see how unhappy your drug use is making you? What about the looks on the faces of your loved ones, your spouse, your children? They only want the best for you, even if life with you has become intolerable, frightening, even dangerous.

If you live with a spouse or others who also abuse drugs or alcohol or engage in other addictive behavior, self-recognition of your problem becomes even tougher. That’s why couples who both use have such a hard time staying clean and sober following treatment unless both are committed to long-term sobriety.

Facing the reality that your life is now as a result of drug use takes courage. It’s certainly not pleasant to look at the mess you’ve made of your life, how much sorrow you’ve caused those who care about you.

But you can do it. First, you have to squash that inner voice that tries to insist that you’re okay. You’re not okay, and deep down inside you actually know it.

Can’t You Just Quit on Your Own?

While you might be an extraordinarily strong person, trying to quit drugs on your own is like trying to fly. You might have a brief success, but you’ll ultimately crash. Why is that? When you become dependent upon or addicted to drugs, your brain becomes habituated to the presence of the drugs. It changes in dramatic ways so that the messages sent to the brain’s pleasure center only react to the next intake of drugs. Your body demands the drugs, that’s why you have such intense drug cravings. The only thing that qualms the cravings is to use.

Sure, you may have all the best intentions. You toss the drugs or flush them down the drain, or use up the last of your stash and vow not to buy any more.

Guess how long that promise lasts?

Only until you start feeling the first symptoms of withdrawal.

Funny how it works. Even a brawny, six-foot-plus male who prides himself in self-discipline (except for his drug use) is reduced to a crazed search for drugs once withdrawal kicks in big-time. Going cold-turkey on drugs is just as foolhardy, in most instances, as trying to kick drinking when you’re a stone alcoholic. It could be more than just mild withdrawal symptoms you’ll have to deal with. Depending on your drug of choice, how long you’ve used, how often you use, and how much you use, whether you abuse alcohol as well as drugs – along with other factors such as your general health and pre-existing medical conditions – withdrawal can be severe or even life-threatening.

So, quitting on your own is just not a good idea. You need to undergo withdrawal under 24-hour medical supervision. This can be done at a detoxification center, either a hospital or detox center, or residential drug rehab that also has a detox facility on-site.

Besides, detoxing – or getting all the toxic substances (drugs) out of your system – is just the prerequisite or first step to getting better. Without treatment, usually consisting of counseling and perhaps medications to help control or reduce urges, you’ll only relapse and be right back where you started.

That’s when drug rehab makes sense. When you want to quit and know that trying to do so on your own is likely to fail, going into treatment for substance abuse is a very good option. In fact, it may be your only opportunity to get clean and sober – and have any hope of a meaningful recovery.

Rehab Close to Home or Away

Maybe you have your reasons for not wanting to go into rehab. One of these may be that you need a complete change of venue in order to make a complete break from your past addictive ways. That’s perfectly understandable. There are many drug rehab facilities that are in other parts of your state or in other states that may be within your reach.

On the other hand, maybe you are worried that you can’t possibly go into drug rehab because you need to be close to your family. You’re afraid that if you’re away from them, something bad will happen.

Actually, going into drug rehab is the best thing you can do – for for yourself and for your family. What do you think will happen to you and to them if you continue your current drug usage? Your problems, whatever they are right now, will only get worse. You may resort to petty crime to finance your drug use, become aggressive and violent with your loved ones, close friends, even strangers.

This is not a situation you want to contemplate, but you need to look at how drug abuse changes individuals. The sorry picture you have of certain incidents that happened in your past due to drug use is nothing compared to the world of hurt you might be in store for if you don’t get help now to overcome your addiction.

Can’t Afford the Time

Here’s another excuse – yes, let’s call it what it is – that many people offer up as a valid reason for not going into drug rehab. Even when they know they need help, that they will continue to go downhill without professional help, they complain that they just can’t afford the time.

What about eternity? That’s time without end – and that’s what you’ll be looking at sooner than you think if you keep on abusing drugs. What’s a 30- or 60- or even 90-day treatment program in the vast scheme of things? If you come out of treatment better equipped to deal with life’s stresses, challenges, and opportunities without resorting to drugs, isn’t that a good use of your time?

You know the answer to that one. Of course, drug rehab makes sense – especially when your life right now doesn’t make much sense at all.

Afraid of What Others Think

If you’re deep into drug use, you may think that you’re so far past caring about what others think, but you’d be surprised. Studies have shown that even chronic alcoholics and drug addicts have a sense of what their community members (those who also abuse alcohol and drugs) think. Dr. Gabor Maté, physician and author of In The Realm Of Hungry Ghosts, who works in a clinic for addicts in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, notes how the men and women there – all addicts – care for one another, despite how far down on the rung of humanity they’ve slipped.

These addicts, many of whom support their habit by prostitution, petty crime, handouts, know what they are. Yet they still cling to hope, even the faintest shred of it. Due to the non-judgmental attitude of Dr. Maté and others at the clinic, the addicts receive treatment for their medical condition, prescriptions to help them with sobriety, allay anxiety, combat depression, even help with living conditions. If they want counseling, that is provided for them as well.

Different world? Perhaps. Vancouver’s system is rather unique. But that isn’t the point. What is the point is that addicts the world over are human beings. And as human beings, we each have value. We each have an innate worth, even if we’ve buried it so far beneath years of drug use that we can’t even recognize it.

Why should you care what others think? If anything, they’re thinking that they wish you well and hope that you get the treatment you need to overcome your addiction.

You should care about you, and what you think about your life right now and how much better it can be in the future. This is when drug rehab makes sense.

Where to Find Treatment

Looking for a drug rehab center that will work for you is not that difficult.  You can call 877-378-6407 to find out about drug treatment options in your area.  Or you can go to the Treatment Facility Locator (http://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/) maintained by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). This is an online searchable database that includes drug and alcohol treatment facilities across the United States. You can also call their toll-free treatment referral helpline at 1-800-662-HELP and speak with a representative who can assist you by directing you to local treatment facilities, state agencies for treatment assistance, answer questions or send you informational material.

Another source for finding treatment is to talk with your doctor, local health agency, your health care provider, even a friend who has gone through drug rehab with good success.

The point is that if you can admit that you have a drug problem and want to get help for it, drug rehab makes sense. And if drug rehab makes sense, take the next step and make plans to go in for treatment. The sooner you get treatment, the quicker you’ll be on the road to recovery.

Imagine a future where you’re no longer a slave to your drug habit, where you’ll have the opportunity to live your life to its fullest, setting goals and achieving your dreams. You can have this. It is attainable. Now, do your part and get started with drug rehab. It really does make sense.

When Drug Rehab Makes Sense is a post from: Drug Addiction Treatment

The paper is entitled: Seeking Drug Abuse Treatment: Know What to Ask, and anyone can access it online or request a paper copy through NIDA’s DrugPubs services. The important thing is to know which parts of treatment are backed up by solid research. In other words, there are some components to rehab which have sufficient data proving their effectiveness and you want to be sure that any facility you may choose adheres to at least these core principles. Looking for evidence-based treatment is uncharted territory for most of us, so this document gives you what you need in order to make an informed decision.

The five questions suggested in the document are:

1. Is the treatment program an evidence based program?
2. Do they individualize treatment or is there a single approach applied to everyone regardless of issues?
3. Is the program able to adapt as the patient’s needs change during treatment?
4. What is the estimated time frame for treatment?
5. How does the program incorporate 12-Step or similar recovery principles?

The best and most trustworthy treatment centers will be able to answer all five questions with no hesitation. The document adds one other important note: relapse is not equal to failure. Addiction is a chronic condition and relapse is a natural outgrowth of the disease. Even after treatment, your loved one will need continuing support. Be sure to stay away from any treatment program which promises you that your loved one can walk out the door cured.

Help For Evaluating Addiction Treatment Programs is a post from: Drug Addiction Treatment

Factors that Determine Success

The effort that you put into your rehab program will play a large role in whether you are successful in your treatment and also have the tools to remain drug-free and functional in all areas of your life long after you have completed the program. The type of program you attend will also play an important role. Keep this in mind when choosing a drug rehab program. There are many different components to addiction, so the more options a program offers in terms of addressing each and every aspect of your needs (e.g. psychological, health, emotional, social) the better your odds of overcoming your addiction will be.

Residential vs. Outpatient Treatment

When it comes to choosing a drug rehab program, you need to determine whether or not you need a residential facility an outpatient facility. While a residential facility is not financially feasible for every person, it is often the most beneficial approach to rehabilitation. Residential facilities that are located in beautiful, out-of-the-way settings offer a peaceful atmosphere. The tranquility that often accompanies this type of treatment setting is one that you typically can’t enjoy in an out-patient facility. The peace of mind can play an important role in the process of healing, as it restricts your interactions with the outside influences that can have a negative impact on your recovery.

Another important factor when choosing a drug rehab program is finding one that will continue to work with you after your initial treatment is over. It’s important that the program you enter offers guidance and help as you re-establish yourself into society. This part of recovery is just as important as the initial treatment itself.

Specialty Rehab Programs

There are some drug rehab programs that focus on a specific type of addiction while others cover a wide range of addictions. The more specific the program is that you choose, the more it will focus on the specific behaviors and complications that accompany your particular addiction. When choosing a drug rehab program that is specific to your type of addiction, you might have to go farther from home. However, for many individuals, this is a positive feature as they are more comfortable with the idea of receiving treatment away from the people and activities that were part of their life while indulging in their addictive behavior. There are also specializations in focus such as trauma or approach such as holistic rehabs or Christian drug rehabs.

12-Step Programs

Twelve-step programs have long been the standard in treating alcohol and drug addiction. There are many people who believe that they are the only way to become rehabilitated. Others, however, prefer a more modern approach.

Classic 12-step programs provide a set of guidelines that determines your course of action for recovery. It starts with your admission that you have lost control of your addiction, while you recognize that a higher power can give you the strength you need to overcome it. When you are choosing a drug rehab program, you need to decide if this is the best type of program for your needs and personality.

What is most important is that whatever program you choose – whether it’s a 12-step approach or another approach – provides the different types of treatment you need in order to address both your physical addiction along with underlying psychological factors that play an important role in recovery and relapse prevention.

Do Your Research

If location is an important consideration when choosing a drug rehab program, then you will want to narrow down your choices to the general location you desire. Some locations offer both residential and out-patient programs to meet a variety of needs.

Start your research online and narrow your choices down to a few that meet your specifications. Next, contact each by phone and ask questions about their program including what makes theirs stand out from other programs. Get facts on the effectiveness of their program and the qualifications of their staff.

If you have insurance, you will need to find a program that it covers – unless you want to pay the total cost out of pocket. This may be a deciding factor when you have narrowed down your list of potential programs, but it shouldn’t be your only consideration when choosing a drug rehab program. If your insurance won’t pay all or part of the expense, ask the rehab center about other payment options before you opt for a facility that doesn’t quite meet your expectations.

Some facilities pay special attention to the needs of the addict’s family. Since family is usually an important part of your life, it can be very beneficial if they participate in your treatment and recovery. This should continue once you have completed your treatment to help you stay on track and prevent a relapse down the road. Ask the facilities you contact how they incorporate family into their treatment approach.

Importance of Extended Care

Some rehab programs will only take you to the end of the treatment, leaving you on your own once you walk out the door. Extended care is an important way of making sure you continue to be successful once you have left their facility. This should be an important consideration when choosing a drug rehab program. Even though you may learn a great deal about your addiction during your treatment, you need to also know how to incorporate that information into your daily life once you are trying to survive drug-free in society.

There is no single rehab program that is right for every individual or every addiction. Choosing a drug rehab program that is the best fit for you is the most important part of getting treatment that will produce long-lasting results.

Choosing a Drug Rehab Program is a post from: Drug Addiction Treatment

In short, if you have selected an addiction treatment facility that carries certification from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), you can expect that your needs (or those of your loved one) will be met with the highest level of professionalism and a personalized treatment program created to address the specific addiction and any co-existing problems or disorders.

But that doesn’t tell you what goes on during the first month after a patient is admitted to rehab. Let’s take it step by step.

Step 1: Intake Exam and Interview

The recovery process begins with the initial comprehensive examination and interview of the person who wants to overcome his or her addiction. This step, also called the interview and assessment process, is where counselors and medical staff collect information about the patient’s addiction, history, background, any underlying medical conditions, type and duration of addiction or addictions, frequency of use, date of last usage, and other pertinent information. Some medical tests may be required, such as a urinalysis or blood tests.

The results from the intake exam and interview allow the counselors and other treatment facility staff to create a personalized treatment program for the patient, and to determine the recommended length of treatment.

Step 2: Detoxification

In a comprehensive and integrated treatment facility, such as a residential drug and alcohol treatment facility, detoxification from harmful substances is the required first step. Detoxing from alcohol abuse or addiction is popularly referred to as “drying out,” and that’s a very simplified way of looking at it. Similar to alcohol detox, drug detox is the process of removing all traces of the abused substance from the body. All detox is carried out under 24-hour medical supervision and care.

In some treatment facilities that do not have on-site medically-supervised detox services, the patient cannot be admitted to active treatment until they have been drug- or alcohol-free for a period of 48 hours. This means that detox will have to take place at another facility, which should be a hospital that provides detox services. It is critically important that detox take place only under 24-hour medical supervision, as some withdrawal symptoms – particularly for long-term alcoholism – may be severe or even life-threatening.

Most withdrawal symptoms, however, range from mild to moderate. There are moderate to severe withdrawal symptoms for poly-drug addiction, or long-term alcohol and drug abuse, in some individuals. In addition, those with underlying medical conditions may require special attention to those conditions during the process of detoxing from drugs or alcohol.

For many addicts, the period of detoxification is between 1 to 3 days, although, as previously mentioned, long-term or multiple addictions may require a longer detox period. During detox, medications may be prescribed to help ease the symptoms of withdrawal or to eliminate or reduce cravings and urges to use.

Step 3: Active Treatment

While we’re referring to active treatment as step three, this is the period of treatment where the real work begins. It’s actually comprised of multiple elements utilizing various treatment modalities and services.

Research shows that patients who remain in and complete their addiction treatment program have a better chance of staying clean and sober and going on to live full, happy, and productive lives. Checking out early (quitting rehab) is often followed by relapse. The longer a patient stays in treatment, the better his or her chances are to achieve lasting sobriety and to be better prepared for effective recovery.

That said, the hard work in active treatment begins with the patient learning about the disease of addiction, meeting with a counselor that has been specifically assigned to him or her, meeting in groups, learning how to recognize and identify triggers to using, learning and practicing effective coping skills and mechanisms, and becoming familiar with the concept and process of network support by participating in 12-step group meetings.

Counseling also works to help the patient overcome emotional issues that may have precipitated or become aggravated by the addiction. It is often said that effective addiction treatment focuses on healing the mind-body-spirit. In line with this, many residential treatment facilities include meditation and relaxation techniques to help the patient learn how to balance their mental state so that they can better handle cravings and urges to use again.

Another important component of active treatment is relapse prevention. Before the patient can go back to his or her home environment, return to work, and rejoin society, he or she needs to be armed with strategies and tools to use to avoid falling into relapse. It’s one thing to identify the triggers – the people, places, and things that cause addicts to use – and it’s another to feel confident enough and have a plan to follow to be able to successfully overcome the cravings and urges to use. This is what relapse prevention is all about.

During active treatment, various treatment modalities may be utilized. These may include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), somatic therapy, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), individual psychotherapy, family therapy, equine-assisted therapy, art therapy, psycho-educational groups, psychodrama, art therapy, stress management strategies, spiritual development, fitness and nutritional counseling, yoga/meditation, and acupuncture, among others.

Again, depending on the patient’s type and length of addiction, frequency of use and other contributing or underlying conditions or factors, the length of the recommended treatment program may vary. Some patients are in treatment for 30 days, while others may require 60 to 90 days. Patients with chronic, long-term, and co-occurring disorders may require continuing treatment, perhaps in an extended care program at the residential treatment facility, a therapeutic care center or a transitional sober living home.

All patients are encouraged to continue participation in 12-step group meetings as part of their ongoing recovery plan (which they develop with their counselor during treatment). And many patients have continuing care or aftercare as part of their overall treatment program.

Family Therapy and Communication

While family therapy has been mentioned, it is a vital part of the overall treatment program. Without the ability for better communication within the family and with the person in recovery, and education and counseling of family members about the disease of addiction and how to better support their loved one in recovery, no amount of treatment may be enough to prevent relapse. Your loved one simply cannot return to the status quo. Some things will have to change, not only for your loved one with the addiction, but within the family as well.

Keeping a “clean” house, free of alcohol and drugs, learning how to defuse situations or react in healthier ways to stress, becoming supportive of your loved one’s need to attend 12-step group meetings and pursue other elements of his or her recovery plan are crucial to his or her long-term abstinence and ability to pursue life goals.

Family members should be prepared for little or no communication with their loved one during the first phase of active treatment. The counselor and staff of the treatment facility will advise when it’s appropriate and recommended to visit. You can also expect to hear pleas to leave, promises to abstain, how difficult it is, and other requests and/or complaints. This is natural, since overcoming addiction and coming to grips with the psychological need to use is tough work. Treatment isn’t a picnic, but is necessary to overcome addiction. Denial, resistance, rationalization, lack of motivation, inability to effectively communicate – all of these may be hurdles your loved one needs to overcome.

Keep in mind that some patients adapt quickly, fully committed to doing whatever it takes to overcome addiction. Others take longer. Family support is the best thing that you can provide for your loved one as he or she goes through treatment and begins recovery.

Safe and Supportive Healing Environment

Perhaps most important to anyone considering entering treatment for drug and/or alcohol abuse or addiction is that they feel confident that they will be in a safe and supportive environment. This is conducive to optimum healing. When patients have the opportunity to stabilize medically and psychologically, they’re better able to learn about the disease of addiction, about themselves, what underlying causes and conditions led to their addiction or have prevented them from overcoming it in the past, learn how to change their behavior, and gain the necessary tools to aid in their ongoing – and lifelong – recovery.

What can you expect from drug rehab during those first 30 days? Expect that this is the beginning of the journey. Whether you are the person entering treatment or it’s your loved one, expect that there will be good days and bad days, times when you feel ready to conquer the world and times when you are fearful and uncertain. Know that the treatment professionals will work to provide the best foundation possible so that you or your loved one will be better equipped to manage addiction and live a happy and productive life in recovery.

What Should I Expect from Drug Rehab During those First 30 Days? is a post from: Drug Addiction Treatment

Effective Drug Rehab Requires Commitment

The most important point to recognize is that to be effective, drug rehab requires your total commitment. You can’t just go to a few meetings or enroll in a drug treatment program and give it a half-hearted effort and expect a miracle to happen. First of all, just attending a few meetings and not really paying attention is just wasting your time. You won’t get anything out of it – or not much that will penetrate your wall of defenses.

And enrolling in a drug treatment program only makes sense if you intend to be fully present and genuinely involved in the hard work it takes to get clean, learn about your disease, and how to overcome it.

In other words, if you’re thinking about drug rehab, only go further if you are going to give it your wholehearted commitment. Nothing else will do. Relapse rates for those quitting treatment before completion are extraordinarily high. Why bother if you’re only going to be part of that statistic?

But, if you’re serious about getting and staying clean, drug rehab may be your first and best possible solution.

Not All Drug Rehab Is The Same

There are many different settings where drug rehab is delivered. Some are in outpatient settings, others inpatient or hospital locations. Perhaps the best setting for treatment of chronic addictions is a residential drug treatment facility.

It’s important to recognize that while there are many different drug rehab treatment settings, the kind of treatment that’s available in these settings can vary widely as well. Not all drug rehab is the same.

There are short-term (30-days or less) residential drug treatment programs and long-term (longer than 30-days) residential drug treatment programs. These are also called inpatient drug rehab facilities.

There are drug rehab facilities that utilize the 12-step program approach or a non-traditional format. Some are religious-based while others are secular. Some make use of replacement drugs, while others are totally drug-free rehab.

Drug treatment centers and facilities may be located close to where you live or out of state. You may be able to get financial assistance to pay for the rehab or your insurance may cover most of it.

Look for a drug rehab program at a facility that specializes in treating your type of addiction. It doesn’t make sense to go to a treatment center if you have substance abuse and a co-occurring mental health disorder (such as post traumatic stress disorder or PTSD, major depression, bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia and others) if the staff isn’t trained in treating both. Such dual-diagnosis patients require coordinated, comprehensive and simultaneous treatment by highly qualified professionals.

You also want to choose a drug rehab facility that’s accredited and certified to provide drug rehab treatment in your state. Look for CARF-accredited facilities. The acronym stands for Commission on Accreditation for Rehabilitation Facilities.

How to Find a Drug Rehab Facility

There are several ways to find a drug rehab facility to help you overcome your addiction. You can ask your doctor for a referral. You can talk with friends and family members to see if they have had any experience with or know of a good treatment facility in your area. But it may not be convenient to speak with your doctor or you may be reluctant to bring the subject up with family or friends.

A better solution is to do your own research. Fortunately, there’s a great online tool available, the Treatment Facility Locator (http://dasis3.samhsa.gov/), maintained by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Use the locator to find private and public drug rehab facilities that are licensed, certified, and otherwise approved by state substance abuse agencies. There’s even a toll-free treatment referral helpline, 1-800-662-HELP.

How does the treatment facility locator work? There’s a map-based locator where you click on your state to bring up a page where you input your city and state (minimum information required) and then press “Continue.” The search will return listings of drug and alcohol treatment facilities within a maximum of 100-mile radius.

Each listing contains the facility’s name, address, contact numbers, distance, map-it feature and other information. Key to your research is the facility’s primary focus, services provided, type of care, special programs or groups, forms of payment accepted, and special languages/services.

Primary focus includes mix of mental health and substance abuse services or just substance abuse services. Services provided include substance abuse treatment, detoxification, buprenorphine services, halfway house. Type of care includes residential short-term (30 days or less), residential long-term (more than 30 days), outpatient, and partial hospitalization/day treatment. Special groups may include a number of different groups or just a few, including persons with co-occurring mental and substance abuse disorders, women, men, seniors and older adults, gays and lesbians, adolescents, residential beds for client’s children, and more. Forms of payment include self-payment, private health insurance, military insurance, Medicaid, sliding fee scale (fee is based on income and other factors), and payment assistance.

It’s a good idea to select a few facilities and then delve further into their websites (most URLs are included in the listing) to find out more about their particular treatment approach and other information you’ll need in order to make a decision.

How To Choose a Drug Rehab Facility

When it comes to actually deciding which drug rehab facility you want to go to, there are many factors that should come into play.

• Not the least of these is which one does your private health insurance cover, if any? But you should never dismiss your optimum choice of drug rehab facility simply because you think you can’t afford it or your insurance won’t cover it. If other factors are right for you and you really believe this is the best facility to help you in your goal to overcome drug addiction, inquire about payment assistance, sliding fee scale or other financial aid that may be available (or get a referral to a state or local agency that may be able to help).

• Think about what you need to do in order to overcome your addiction. Do you feel that it would be better to be close to home so that your family members are nearby and can visit when the time is appropriate – after you’ve completed detox and your counselor gives the okay for visitation?

• On the other hand, being too close to family may be just what you don’t need right now. There’s a good reason why some of the drug rehab facilities chosen for certain patients on the Intervention TV show (and others) are out of state. Some are far across country. That’s because with serious or chronic, long-term addiction to certain drugs, a complete change of venue is often considered beneficial. This may be your situation or it may just be that you’d prefer to be treated somewhere other than nearby your home.

• You also need to do your homework on the facility you think you’d like to go to. Find out about their success rate in treating patients with your kind of addiction. Also find out what’s included in the treatment program and what are extra-cost services. Something that’s very important to your ability to go into recovery following treatment is the availability of continuing care or aftercare services. These may be included in the cost of your treatment program or they may be additional cost. You need to know which it is, so that you can make your decision accordingly.

• Remember that if you don’t have access to aftercare counseling, you may have a harder time in recovery. Statistically speaking, the first 90 days of recovery (the time after treatment concludes) are the most critical for relapse. Without the benefit of counseling and participation in 12-step recovery groups, you’re more likely to relapse.

What’s Motivating You to Change?

It may seem like a casual exercise right now to think about whether or not you’ll go into drug rehab, but it really is the beginning to what may be your best chance at sobriety. You need to think seriously about what’s motivating you to make the change now.

• Is it because you’re being more or less forced to by your spouse, partner or parent?

• Has your employer given you an ultimatum – get treatment or you’re out the door?

• Have you been toying with the idea of rehab because you think it’s easy or the treatment du jour – having seen Hollywood celebrities in revolving-door drug rehab stories played out endlessly on TV?

• Have you lost everything – your home, family, job, car, friends – and feel like you don’t have any other option?

• Are you at the point where you admit that you have an addiction and want to do everything you can to overcome it?

You may have one or more of the aforementioned motivations for wanting to get treatment for drug addiction now. But to get the most out of any treatment program, you need to honestly and genuinely want to overcome your disease. That’s because treatment and doing the work to overcome addiction is tough. This is no cake walk. It’s not something that you can do in a weekend or teach yourself how to do. It just doesn’t work that way.

So, if you’re serious about getting help for your drug addiction and are thinking about drug rehab, you’re in the best position to move forward. Motivation and having the goal of sobriety are strong plusses to get you in the door of treatment and started on your road to recovery.

But it’s not everything.

Line Up Your Support

What is the situation like for you at home? Do you have a stable, loving family that will support and encourage your treatment and recovery? Will they also be willing to get family treatment or counseling so that they’re better able to understand the disease of addiction and learn how to help you in your recovery efforts? Or, do you have a dysfunctional family, no support at home, and it’s a living situation that you’d be better off not returning to?

Of course, there are many different types of family situations. Some are more fraught with tension and stress than others. There may be others within the close family unit that are also addicted and may not be ready or willing at this time to get treatment to overcome the disease.

The simple reality about your goal of recovery is that no one recovers alone. There are two support networks that most individuals in recovery rely on: family and 12-step groups. If you have the support and encouragement of your family, that’s a huge advantage. But, even if you don’t have family support, you do have the other support network – 12-step groups.

You will be introduced to the concept and participate in 12-step group meetings while you are in treatment (if your treatment facility utilizes the 12-step approach in drug rehab treatment). So, even if you don’t currently have a 12-step group that you attend, you’ll learn about how these groups function during treatment. When you complete treatment, your counselor will recommend that you continue participating in 12-step support groups for the forseeable future. You will at least need to consider going to 12-step meetings for the first year of recovery. Many in recovery continue to attend meetings for several years. They proceed from early recovery to stable recovery and take the opportunity to reach out and help others who are newly sober to get grounded in sobriety.

Get a jump on what you’ll learn in treatment by looking up 12-step groups in your area. You may wish to check out Narcotics Anonymous or Cocaine Anonymous, Methamphetamine Anonymous, Marijuana Anonymous, and so on. Look them up in the phone directory or do a Google or Bing search for them online. The good news is that there are 12-step fellowships for various drug addictions in every major city in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as many foreign countries. In addition to in-person meetings, there are online meetings and telephone meetings, so you are never far from support when you need it.

Think About Your Future

You know where you stand right now with your drug addiction. That’s why you’re thinking about drug rehab. But it’s also a good idea to consider what your future will be like if you continue on your present path and don’t get help to overcome addiction.

Where do you see yourself in five or 10 years? How much will your drug habit have cost you financially, emotionally, physically? Who do you think will still stand by you then? Are you willing to risk losing everything that means anything to you for the sake of continuing your addiction?

Instead, picture your future in far different scenarios. Indeed, when you are in the final phase of active treatment, you will create a recovery plan for yourself that will begin to list things that you want to accomplish (your goals) in your life of sobriety. You might not be able to see very far into the future right now. In fact, you may believe that you don’t deserve to have anything of value or that you are worthless.

Every person has value and worth. The trick is to learn to accept this and maximize your potential. Drug rehab can help you in ways that you cannot yet imagine. It’s the first step on your road to recovery.

Are you ready to begin? It’s easier than you think to get started. In fact, just by reading this, you’ve already begun. Now, the next step is to take it forward and transform your thinking about drug rehab into going into drug rehab.

Thinking About Drug Rehab? is a post from: Drug Addiction Treatment

Drug rehab treatment ranges from very basic, state-supported facilities to high-end luxury treatment centers.  There are many drug rehabs that fall in the middle of this spectrum.  Drug rehab can be an excellent way to build a foundation for recovery because it gives you 30 or more days, depending on the program, to develop a skill set and identify your relapse triggers.

The top drug rehabs offer individual therapy; specialized clinical focus for clients with underlying psychiatric issues; complementary therapies such as neurofeedback, EMDR, equine therapy, yoga, and meditation; and access to addiction  psychiatrists.

When considering a drug rehab, focus on where you think you will get the most effective treatment for your particular issue. Some things to consider are:

1. Size:  Do you mind being in a large facility?  Generally these are less expensive than smaller facilities because the staffing ratio at small facilities tends to focus on one-on-one therapy and process work.  You can ask questions such as:

• How often do you see your individual therapist and for how long?
• How many people to a room? (most people prefer no more than two to a room)
• How many people in the group therapy sessions?

2. Clinical Expertise:  Does the drug rehab have clinicians on board who specialize in mental health issues common among those with alcohol and drug addiction?  If you have clinical depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD, or other issues, you want to be sure someone at the drug rehab understands these issues and can assess and treat you for them. These underlying issues can be triggers for relapse, so it’s important to address them.

3. Reputation: Don’t just rely on the hype, ask around.  You can usually ask the drug rehab to give you some references from their alumni.  Beware of programs that hype themselves as the one that has found the ultimate “addiction cure” – there is generally no real evidence for such a claim. If it sounds like snake oil, it probably is.

4. After-care Options: The best drug rehabs that have been around for a decade or two have strong alumni networks that can serve as a support network for you when you return home. Does the rehab help you find a local therapist when you return home? Do they offer any form of follow-up or arrange support for you in your home town?

5. Cost: Some drug rehabs are covered by insurance, although many insurance companies will require you to do a step-up approach using cheaper outpatient services first, then if that fails, they may approve residential treatment.  Although some of the higher-end drug rehabs are expensive, this is often because they are very small, with only a handful of people in each treatment grouping. Some of the more expensive rehabs will be willing to negotiate the price somewhat if you are very committed to going and they have beds available.

Whatever your primary consideration might be in choosing a drug rehab, trust your instincts. If the intake person makes you feel understood and focuses on your specific questions and needs, you will likely feel comfortable with that choice. Do your research, and you will find the right drug rehab for you or your loved one.

What You Need to Know About Drug Rehab is a post from: Drug Addiction Treatment

Let’s take a look at some of the most readily-apparent benefits to treatment and recovery in a location other than home.

Vacation with Benefits

Think of this type of treatment and recovery as a vacation – with benefits. Not only does the facility’s physical location bring a certain element of exclusivity or appeal, but the amenities, services, isolated atmosphere, and full-suite of treatment modalities provides the individual choosing this style of rehab with perhaps the best chance of success in overcoming addiction.
Many of these locations are considered luxury addiction treatment facilities, akin, in many respects, to five-star resorts. Every conceivable first-class amenity and service is offered, from high-thread count sheets to designer furniture, personal trainers, therapeutic massage, life coaches, personal chefs and gourmet foods. The settings are spectacular as well, including isolated mountaintop retreats to secluded beach locations or suites and accommodations with ocean views.
 

To help ensure mind-body-spirit balance, there are plenty of recreational activities available, including, but not limited to, tennis, golf, water sports, boating, hiking, overnight excursions (in some locations), along with yoga, meditation, equine-assisted therapy, arts therapy and other enriching treatment modalities.
 

Relaxing Atmosphere
 

Why do people go on a vacation in the first place? Overwhelmingly, they go to relax. In fact, this is the same reason many clients choose an addiction treatment facility in a far-away location. They want – and need – to be able to relax. The best of these treatment facilities do everything they can to ensure that their clients don’t have to worry about the things they left back home – bills, deadlines, family pressures, whatever.
 

Sure, these things will be there once the client returns, but with the new skills and coping mechanisms they’ve learned during treatment, they’ll be more relaxed and better able to return to their home environment.
 

No Distractions
 

Another benefit to going away for treatment is that clients are free of distractions. There’s no other reason to be there except to concentrate on getting treatment to overcome addiction. They don’t have to satisfy the demands of their boss, take the kids to and from school and extracurricular activities, attend to bill-paying, household chores and errands, or other routine tasks.
While the client is in residence at treatment, they’re blessedly removed from distractions that could undermine their progress. You certainly can’t argue with focus. If you’re able to focus on learning at hand, you are more likely to absorb and incorporate it.
 

Refreshing New Environment
 

People always gravitate to something new. Witness the popularity of new resort locations. Even before they open, reviewers tout the location, exclusivity, services and luxury. These places become destinations of choice and vacationers flock to them to see for themselves. For treatment facilities in these types of environments, the same principle applies. Everything is all-new to the clients. In the best circumstances, they haven’t been to the city or location before, so it is truly all new.
There’s a sense of excitement and wonder about taking in the new surroundings, going there with the express intention of overcoming addiction – in as painless a manner as possible. In fact, the allure of these treatment facilities is that they are not dreary, Spartan or hospital-like institutions. It’s not bedlam they’re entering, but more like a vacation paradise – with some hard work thrown in, to be sure. Nevertheless, these treatment getaways offer a refreshing new perspective to the right type of client.
 

Removal of Temptation
 

Okay, one point that isn’t similar to a resort vacation is the fact that there’s no alcohol or drugs around – period. Ditto no gambling, no opportunities for one-night stands, eating disorders or any other addictive temptations. The treatment facility itself, including the surroundings, staff, amenities and services have all been carefully created, arranged, hired and maintained in the express attempt to remove as many temptations as humanly possible.
If you don’t see it or have access to it, you’re better able to devote your attention to what you’re there for to begin with – healing.
 

Anonymity
 

No one has to know all about you – or where you came from. Another benefit of getting away for addiction treatment is that you probably don’t know anyone else there. And, due to the confidentiality of treatment, no one on the outside is going to know you’re there either.
 

Many addiction treatment programs incorporate 12-step group meetings into the personalized treatment plan. These are, by their very nature, anonymous. It isn’t about your name, but about your experiences and learning from what works with others that may just be applicable in your situation.

Freedom to Explore Healthy New Lifestyle
 

While clients are away at addiction treatment and recovery, they’re free to explore a healthy new lifestyle, one that will hopefully sustain them on their return home. Undoubtedly, there are old habits that need to be eliminated, and newer, healthier alternatives put in their place. Learning how to make appropriate choices, how to combat stress and overcome triggers to addiction is part of this new lifestyle. But they’re not the only ones.
 

Clients need to learn that it’s important to take care of their physical, psychological, spiritual and social needs. It’s important to exercise regularly, to eat nutritious, well-balanced meals, to take time to nurture and enrich spirituality, find purpose and have fun. And, when they’re in an environment where these are part of the everyday routine, it’s much easier to for clients to fully immerse themselves in the process of healing.
 

Treatment modalities such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), experiential therapy, psychotherapy, personal and group counseling sessions, in combination with other activities such as yoga, tai chi, meditation session, acupuncture treatments, massage therapy and various recreational activities help clients to embrace and explore their healthy new lifestyle.
 

Time to Heal
 

It’s often said that one week isn’t enough to truly relax in a vacation. Two weeks is a minimum, while longer is even better. With addiction treatment, depending on the type of addiction, how long the person has been addicted, whether there are multiple addictions or co-occurring disorders, physical and psychological state, family history, time of last use and other factors, typical stays can range from several weeks to 90 days or longer.
 

There are also intensive workshops and retreats for aftercare, for family treatment, and other purposes that may be weekend in length, 10 days to 2 weeks, or regularly scheduled days/times.
 

What’s important is that getting away for the addiction treatment and recovery affords the individual with the opportunity and the time to heal. How long it takes varies from one person to the next. It isn’t the length of time that matters, but the end result.

Develop New Friendships

During treatment and recovery, whether in group counseling sessions, educational discussions or recreational activities or 12-step group meetings, clients meet many new people. In the best-case scenario, they form close bonds with some of these individuals, even friendships that may last for years following treatment.
 

There is no substitute for friendship with individuals who have been where you are, have gone through the same (or worse) situations and somehow have come out on top. They’ve created and refined the best coping strategies and techniques, or have learned from their mistakes. Many have found support and strength just listening to others relate their stories (anonymously, of course). Some admire and seek to emulate a sponsor – especially when they return home and continue to participate in 12-step meetings.
 

Practicing newly learned coping skills and techniques and interacting with new friends is also beneficial for the client’s return home. They will need to develop new friendships with people who do not drink, use drugs, gamble, overeat, and so on, and this time during treatment gives them an excellent opportunity to start.
Individual Attention
 

When clients spend the money to go into luxury drug treatment at a specialized facility, they’re assured of a personalized treatment plan and individual attention. World-class clinical staff help clients uncover the root causes for their addiction, deal with issues, learn about stressors and triggers and how to apply more effective coping mechanisms to deal with them, and form the framework for a life of sobriety.
 

The specific types of treatment modalities vary depending on the philosophy of the addiction treatment facility. Most utilize a multi-disciplinary approach, combining clinical and holistic treatment methods that best help the client to restore relationships, make new goals and discover a new life purpose, while renewing (or achieving) a mind-body-spirit balance.
 

Daily individual attention and a treatment plan based on each client’s needs sets the stage for long-term sobriety. This is true whether the addiction treatment facility is in the client’s home city or state or several states away. The advantage of getting away for treatment and recovery, however, is that the location can create the perfect setting and environment in which to concentrate on overall healing.
 

Aftercare

Of course, no matter where clients receive treatment for addiction, there comes a time when treatment is completed and it’s time to return home. That doesn’t mean the end of the road in terms of addiction help, however, even if the treatment facility is far away.
 

Many treatment facilities have extensive aftercare or continuing care programs for their clients. This may consist of weekend seminars or retreats, family therapy, or referral to counselors and/or groups in the client’s home city.
 

A Future with Promise
 

Going into treatment for addiction is the first phase in a process of lifelong recovery. Clients who can and do go away to get such treatment often report that it saved their life. After the chemically-induced fog clears away (once alcohol or drugs leave the body), clients get to work on the healing phase. Through individual and group counseling, education, various therapies and recreational activities, clients become more confident in their abilities to live a clean and sober life. They learn that life can be enjoyable, that it has much promise – without drugs or alcohol.
 

Whether their immediate plans are to rebuild damaged relationships and/or forge new ones, clients learn much about themselves and their capabilities. They also realize that they can achieve a long-held dream, get or complete a degree, learn a new skill or trade, find enjoyment in new hobbies or activities. One of the most fulfilling aspects of getting away for treatment and recovery is coming home with a new tool set of skills, a new strategy and a new life plan. In essence, the sky’s the limit when it comes to what’s possible. In fact, anything a client realistically wants to achieve is a goal worth working towards. Now stable, more emotionally confident and self-assured, the client can embrace his or her new life of sobriety.
 

Treatment and Recovery – Therapeutic Advantages of Getting Away is a post from: Drug Addiction Treatment