I was in a coffee shop the other day when I overheard a table of people talking about Drug Rehabs. They were probably in their forties, two guys and a woman and, from they way they were dressed, they appeared to be professionals. Bankers, judging by location of the shop and the multitude of financial head offices in the area. Normally I’m not in the habit of eavesdropping on other people, but one my son went through an enormously difficult(The Best Worst Punishment For a Convicted Terrorist) chapter in his life because of an addiction to painkillers and since that experience, I tend to tune in when conversations turn to addiction. Unfortunately, the tone of this discussion was one that I’ve heard all too often. Lots of jabs at pampered celebrities and their posh rehabs. One of the men brought up the subject of a coworker who had become known thorough the office for his increasingly indiscrete cocaine habit. This person’s wife apparently sent him to some cheap rehab program because she wasn’t going to pay for him to live the high life for three months, then left him when he dropped out of rehab not once, but three times. They all agreed that “Ted” was a loser and lacked the guts or the resolve to tackle his problems. I shook my head, picked up my coffee and left the shop.
This sort of attitude is what I encountered frequently when seeking treatment options for my son. An addiction is like a disease and when trying to help someone overcome their addiction, why would you think that punishing them is appropriate? Or that it would help the situation in any way? They did not intend to be an addict. I can understand the rational of wanting to save money -let’s face it, even the cheapest Drug Treatment options can be expensive. But this is not a spur of the moment, mad-money expenditure we’re talking about. This is giving someone the opportunity to kick their addiction and get their shattered life back together. When an addict realizes that they need help and they reach out, that is not the time to slap them down for their failures and push them into a spartan facility with a mass of other unfortunates and expect them to succeed.
I’ll tell you what kind of an experience is going to offer the highest chance of successfully overcoming a drug addiction. Pick a Drug Treatment Center that looks like a resort. That’s right, sunny beaches, spa, massages, pool, gym, gourmet meals, you name it. When your loved one is undergoing drug detox, it’s probably going to be one of the worst experiences of their life. They need those comforts around them to fall back on and keep going. Look for a center that offers a wide range of treatment options including non-traditional therapies. Make sure the staff are all certified professionals and that they are experienced in treating the addiction your loved one is dealing with. Ensure that aftercare programs and family counseling options are available; when my son completed his treatment, ongoing support programs were invaluable in terms of helping him remain on his feet and they helped us as well. Most importantly of all, look for a rehab that offers individualized programs. Every person is different so it only makes sense that individualized programs offer the highest success rates. If all this costs a little more, and appears to be “posh,” so be it. I say its better than going through rehab two or three times.