Choosing to get help for your substance abuse disorder is one of the best decisions you can ever make for your family, yourself, and your future. Only when you have broken free from the shackles of addiction can you be the YOU that you were always meant to be. But now what? If you live in a city of any size, there is probably an abundance of various drug and alcohol rehab programs in your area. How do you know which one is the best for you and your situation? That can be a confusing choice, because not all rehab centers are created equal. Terms are bandied about so much that you might be unsure of what all of it means – outpatient, inpatient, long-term residential, sober living, holistic, evidence-based, medication assistance… The list goes on and on, but what does it all mean and how can any of this help YOU?
START by Looking for A Drug Rehab that Offers the Services You Need
There is no such thing as effective drug rehab that is “one-size-fits-all” – you are an individual, and you will have individual treatment needs. There are a number of questions that can help you determine what you need from a rehab center.
- Has your disorder already been professionally evaluated, or do you need to go through the initial intake process?
- Does the rehab facility offer services for your level of addiction –Intensive Outpatient Programs, Partial Hospitalization options, Supervised Inpatient Rehab, Long-Term Sober Living, etc.?
- Do you need to go through drug or alcohol detoxification?
- What is your drug of choice, and does the particular rehab center specialize in that type of treatment?
- What is the rehab’s guiding treatment philosophy – 12-Step? Holistic? Evidence-Based?
- Does the rehab offer services to family members, such as Overcoming Codependency?
- Does the drug rehab offer Medication-Assisted Therapy (MAT) with such anti-craving drugs as Suboxone?
- Have you been diagnosed with any co-occurring behavioral disorder such as anxiety, depression, or PTSD?
- Do you have any special medical or dietary needs?
- Is the facility and the staff properly accredited in your state? It can be confusing, because each individual state has its own requirements and different titles are used for what are equivalent positions.
- What is the level of medical supervision?
- What is the staff-to-patient ratio?
For example, in the following states, all in the same geographical region of the United States, a substance abuse counselor is known by several different titles—
- Idaho – Certified Alcohol/Drug Counselor (CADC)
- Montana –Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC)
- Utah – Certified Substance Abuse Counselor
- Washington State –Chemical Dependency Professional (CDP)
- Wyoming – Certified Addiction Practitioner (CAP)
Why Is a Local Rehab Preferable?
The most important thing to look for when choosing a drug or alcohol rehab program is whether or not it offers the services that you need for your particular manifestation of the disease of addiction. But after that, perhaps the second-most important consideration is whether or not you are comfortable with both the staff and facility itself. Brochures and pictures on the Internet can only tell you so much, so choosing a local drug rehab program gives you the opportunity to meet the some of the staff and tour the facility beforehand. The more comfortable you are, both physically and mentally, the more you will be motivated to stay and complete your recommended program of recovery.
Local Doesn’t Mean That There Is No Travel Involved
“Local” might be a relative term, and doesn’t necessarily mean receiving services in your city – it might mean choosing one that is within an acceptable driving distance. Why might this be the case?
- FIRST, it may be an issue of availability. It is entirely possible that the rehab programs in your city have a waiting list that is just too long for your immediate needs. Once you make the decision to begin your sober journey, you need to get into a program NOW, not three or four months from now.
- SECOND, it may be an issue of the aforementioned “fit”. It could be that the rehab programs in your city don’t offer the services you need or don’t make you feel entirely comfortable after you visit them.
- THIRD, affordability is always a concern, because the program you choose has to either accept your insurance plan or fit into your budget if you are planning on paying for it yourself.
Take at an example how this might happen– Let’s say you live in Baker City, Oregon, and you have been struggling with an addiction to prescription opioid painkillers severe enough that you require inpatient, medically-supervised drug treatment. The problem is, Baker City is a small town of less than 10,000 people. There are no inpatient rehab programs that accept your insurance coverage and have an opening. You need to go to a bigger city, with more choices. Here’s the issue—Portland is over 300 miles and 5 hours away. Salem is 350 miles and 6 hours away. Boise, Idaho, is just over the state line, about 2 hours away. That’s an acceptable driving distance—in essence, “local” enough to take care of your rehab needs. If you are struggling with a substance abuse disorder – whether it is alcoholism or drug addiction – and you decide to get help, make the call today and begin the process. The journey of recovery begins with that one simple step. Northpoint Recovery serves the entire Treasure Valley as the best inpatient drug rehab in the region. Focusing on “total wellness”, the treatment program at Northpoint addresses the disease of addiction on every level – physical, emotional, and spiritual – thereby maximizing your chances of successful, long-term sobriety.