Rehab 101 is designed to be a resource for families and individuals who are seeking treatment from addiction. The information contained in this site will give you a starting point of what to look for, what questions to ask, and what you can expect while either you or your loved one is in treatment.

 

 

What is treatment?

 

Treatment consists of a safe environment where a person who is suffering from addiction can find therapeutic ways to cease the addiction. There are different approaches to treating addiction, one approach is 12 step based others may be medical based, faith based, holistic and experiential. Do not confuse experiential with experimental. An experiential approach is designed to help the individual engage in the process and feel the emotions of accomplishing goals. This can include rock climbing, ropes course,  and some include the natural serenity of their surroundings to give the individual the ability experience activities such as sailing and boating in a therapeutic manor.

 

Finding a comprehensive program that can address multiple issues through multiple modalities is paramount to building a foundation for long-term recovery. In many cases your loved one may also be suffering from an underlying condition such as trauma, depression, anxiety, or a personality disorder. The length of stay can vary from one facility to another. In order to build a solid foundation for recovery your loved ones time in treatment should be based on meeting the goals set forth in the treatment planning rather a pre-determined number of days.

 

 

How do I get my loved one to treatment? 

 

Start by asking them if they are willing to accept help and participate in the process of finding a facility that will be suited to their needs. If your loved one isn’t willing to accept help then it may be time to consult with a professional 

addiction interventionist. When working with a professional you will help your loved one understand that they are indeed loved, but that their damaging behaviors will no longer be allowed to continue. Once your concerns have been addressed, your caring and professional interventionist will help guide your loved one to recognize that there is a problem, without ever having to admit it. At that point, the interventionist will provide your loved one with an objective and healthy solution to the problem, while at the same time, working to maintain the dignity of all involved in the intervention process.

 

Our team views the drug intervention, alcohol intervention, mental health intervention, eating disorder intervention, and gambling intervention as a strategically planned process conducted in a compassionate and solution focused manner. The intervention is designed to create a positive change by helping to establish healthy boundaries in conjunction with a solid plan of action to support the recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. With the supportive direction of your interventionist and the love and emotional strength of those who will participate in the intervention your loved one will be carefully guided towards accepting the gift of recovery.

 

 

What can I expect while my loved on is in treatment?

 

What you can expect is only half the question; the other half of the question to ask is what is expected of the family during treatment. Lets answer this first, if you are at a point where you are reading this information than you have certainly experienced some of the symptoms associated with addiction. They can include lying, manipulation, stealing and isolation just to name a few. It is imperative that you set the boundaries and follow the guidance of the professional clinical staff treating your loved one. In a nut shell, this means accepting nothing less than positive actions rather than negative words. The fact is most people seek treatment due to some significant event “jackpot” that disrupted their ‘using” environment enough to make a change. 

 

These events can include loss of a job, relationship issues within the family and friends circle, financial difficulties,

health problems or legal issues. It’s very common for people in treatment to immediately start to feel better and fall into the trap of thinking they can manage their addition better or try to sabotage the recovery process in an effort to continue the self destructive behaviors. It’s almost a certainty that you will hear complaints such as “the staff are mean” or “they don’t have a clue how to help me”. In these instances where your are receiving the laundry list of why self treatment at home is better it’s important assure your loved one you are only going to support healthy actions and that includes only engaging in  productive conversations.

 

There are some very good books on setting boundaries, which are listed in the resource section of this page. Let your loved one know that you will listen to what they are saying and will discuss it with their primary therapist. If you have done your homework most of the complaints will be false but it is important to discuss them with clinical staff at the facility to prevent “splitting” of the family and the treatment center. The treatment environment provides a healthy structure and encourages simple positive behaviors that in early recovery can be difficult for those struggling. Waking up early and making your bed always seems to be a difficult task and usually sparks a phone call home that “this isn’t the place for me”. Set the boundaries, stay loving but firm and refuse to participate in the gripe sessions. It can be very effective to simply say “I love you, stay focused and I will talk to you another time”. It isn’t always the complaint tactics that can hinder the process some individuals will play the guilt card and tell you how much they miss home and minimize there addiction. Try thinking of it like going to a hospital for a surgery and asking the surgeon to stop 1Ž2 way through the procedure. It can be difficult to navigate through the manipulation, if you need guidance discuss it with the treatment center's clinical team.

 

 If you are still reading, then we are pretty sure that wasn’t the answer you were looking for. The recovery process and treatment experience can be filled with ups and downs. Now that we have covered the downs, let’s discuss the positive side.

 

 

How do I choose the right treatment center?

 

The first step is picking up the phone and making a call. The decision to get help and choose an addiction treatment center 

can be an exhaustive task. Choosing the right treatment center for you or your loved one requires a thoughtful understanding of self-medicating behaviors. While the same time, the experience to go far beyond the surface and deep within the content of the average drug rehab website. Create a list of questions you have and be prepared to have a lengthy conversation with the admission staff. Once you have the answers, don’t delay! Set an admission date!