How to Select a Good Drug & Alcohol Addiction Rehab

First, It is best to find one that is local. Many people worry that if they go locally, that someone will know them there. The truth is that so many people believe this that you are as likely to meet someone you know at a rehab 3 states away as you are 3 blocks away. It is important to be close to home for many people so friends and family can visit on visitor’s day and for families to do family therapy without huge expense, or not do it at all. Recovery rates go up significantly when the family is involved. This is especially true for adolescents.

Get a list Rehabs from the internet or from local mental health providers. Then call and ask to tour the facility. I recommend that you go for the tour and speak to both the clients and a few of the staff. Note the attitudes of staff and clients, are they happy, helpful and hopeful? When you have good success rates in a facility, you should sense all of these things. Also request a copy of their daily schedule for the clients/patients. Is it full of treatment? or full of fluff?

Next, look at the length of the program. Any less than 28 days isn’t likely to do much. Having said that, longer stays only show slight improvements for each additional month. I would say that most people c an be squared away in a month or two at a good program. Severe and resistant cases shouldn’t take more than 3-6 months, longer than that is a waste in my opinion.

Look for an addiction rehabilitation program that does more than just Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA). About 95% of rehabs do this model and offer nothing else! What will you get for treatment if you already tried AA or NA and it didn’t work for you? That’s right, more AA, NA and lots of guilt. You will be labeled “resistant” and did something wrong and fail to work the program. The old adage “The program (AA/NA) never fails to work, some people just fail to work the program,” is still alive and well in rehabs across the country. I would look for a program that offered things like, outdoor therapy, Zen therapy, ect., and definitely SMART Recovery (Great recovery system!). By the same account make sure they don’t have a lot of “Fluff” therapies, like Reiki, massage, horseback riding, and other lame, unproven therapies.

Call some mental health providers and ask their opinions of the various facilities. Don’t just ask if they “like them” or “recommend” them, be sure to ask WHY! Opinions are no good if they are just that – opinions, based on little or nothing. Get the best facts you can get and leave the rest.

By: Paul Cline. I sincerely hope this helps you, a loved one or a family member, for more Free resources, visit my website at: www.advancedtrainingseminars.com