What type of a treatment program should I be looking for? A thirty day, a sixty day, maybe even a three or six month program. Should it be day, evening, or a residential program?
It is all just so confusing!
Why yes it is. To begin, I would find out as much information as you possibly can about any potential programs.
Information such as: the ratio of staff to patients; the credentials and years in the field of all staff; what specific modalities of treatment they employ (12 Step based, CBT or DBT based, Expressive Therapy based, or a mix of these and/or other modalities) and why they utilize those specific methods.
The concern I always have for families or individuals trying to chart their way through the maze of choices is the fact that there are programs out there in it for one reason, and one reason only, the Greenback (in much the same way that an unscrupulous funeral director can take advantage of a grieving family).
Place a call to the Better Business Bureau about any program that you might be interested in to see if there have been past negative reports regarding their practices.
If they boast a success rate of say, ninety percent do not be afraid to ask them how they arrived at that number. If the number was not calculated on “evidence based” information, move on to the next program on your list.
Think about enlisting an experienced addiction therapist or counselor to make the initial inquiring calls to the programs. This often will have the effect on the program of “cutting to the chase” in their information since the perspective client is being represented by a professional.
One of the suggestions I make to patients in the day treatment where I work is to think in terms of what was working in the past (to a certain extent – otherwise they would not be hearing me say this to them, right?), now, what can I add on to that to increase the probability of staying sober.
For some that might mean joining a men’s or women’s trauma/grief group, acquiring the services of an individual therapist, a support group for people with affective disorders, such as depression and bipolar disorder, etc.
I emphasis to them that if they do not do anything different, they will probably be coming back; not that everyone makes it back, many don’t. Over the past twenty plus years in the field I have attended too many wakes and funerals.
“What can you do differently this time” is my credo to them.
Spending $100,000.00 for a treatment facility in "Boca" is definitely not a guarantee of sobriety post-program.
If you have specific questions please feel free to ask in the comment section at the end of this blog and I will get back to you within twenty-four hours.
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