An addiction treatment program or alcohol rehabilitation program must be tailored to fit the individual. Drug treatment programs and alcohol rehabs should be able to provide you with information to support what addiction treatment services they actually provide. Be cautious about drug rehabs and alcohol rehabilitation centers that make fantastic promises and claim to be the most effective or successful in the country. Although beginning a drug treatment program is a stressful time for an addicted person and his or her family, it is an important moment to ask many questions. Try to learn as much as you can about the addiction treatment philosophy and approach before entering a drug treatment program.
Be cautious about a addiction treatment program that:
• promises 24-hour drug detox - rapid detoxification can be dangerous and even fatal
• promises rapid recovery - experts in the addiction treatment field believe that meaningful treatment usually takes at least 60 days, sometimes much longer
• uses a addiction treatment approach that's based on shaming and berating the patient - while this approach was once widely accepted, experts now see that it is not the most effective approach, and that this shaming can actually increase the chances for relapse
• simply discharges a patient who relapses, rather than works to identify the triggers and underlying issues that put the patient at risk.
• can not give you information on its track record: What proportion of the patients successfully complete the drug treatment program? What proportion of the patients sustains long-term recovery after the drug treatment program?
• does not have accredited caregivers
• employs clinicians or counselors who believe that the same plan works for people addicted to alcohol, marijuana, opiates, and stimulants
Remember that drug and alcohol treatment is not a one-size-fits-all drug and alcohol treatment experience.
Treatments vary widely according to the addictive substance, the existence of co-occurring illnesses, the age, gender and cultural background of the patient and many other variables. If you require assistance locating an effective drug treatment program or alcohol rehabilitation program you can call the national addiction treatment helpline at 1-800-511-9225 or go to
www.recoveryconnection.org.
