Addiction is one of the diseases that has its tentacles actively extended to every corner of the United States. In 2018, about 20.3 million Americans above the age of 12 years had a substance abuse disorder.1 Generally, 165 million people were substance users in the same year — all casually jogging towards the addiction threshold. Annually, alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana continue to top the list of commonly abused substances.
Despite the tremendous health risks and possible death posed by addiction, over half of the U.S. population continues to abuse addictive substances. Fortunately, somewhere along the line, millions of individuals that have found themselves trapped in addiction are also seeking redemption from its grasp. More so, in most cases, if not all, the search for help leads addicts to a plethora of drug rehabilitation facilities.
Given the numerous facilities littered around the country, it can be hard for addicts or their family members to pick out a suitable drug rehab center. There is always that subconscious urge to ascertain that you are handing over your loved one to the care of compassionate professionals who know what they are doing.
Some of these facilities do not have clear-cut modes of operation, and prospective patients might find it hard to comprehend what to expect. Amidst the confusion, they might be misled into opting for what they would have rejected otherwise. Due to poor choices, some individuals have had to move from one facility to another, spending short periods in each due to unsatisfactory services.
What Are The Questions To Ask When Selecting A Drug Rehab Facility?
This article intends to provide a set of questions which you — as an addict or addict’s family member — can use as a guideline while choosing an Austin rehab center. Hopefully, it saves you some disappointments, energy, and money.
1. What is the facility’s philosophy?
This is very important because you want to be sure that their notions of addiction treatment and what it entails aligns with yours, or surpasses your expectations. If you should ask this question, you must pay attention to details as the answers are being provided. While discussing this, you might want to channel your interest in:
- The mode of treatment offered — Is it the type of facility that suppresses addiction by substituting the abused drug with another, in a process referred to as harm reduction. Avoid centers that expose the patients to harmful medications, addictive drugs, or electric shocks during treatment.
- The social and residential treatments accorded to patients — You don’t want to leave your loved one in a minimum prison, where they are kept in isolation and infused with drugs daily. Your facility of choice should provide a serene, comfortable, and safe environment that allows for freedom of expression.
- The ratio of staff to patients — Even if your loved one is to be receiving treatment in a group with others, you want to be sure they receive all the needed care, duly.
2. How long will the recovery program last? What do I expect at the end?
The answer to this question is mostly dependent on the extent of treatment required, with regards to the type and degree of addiction the patient suffers. Hence, the procedure can be —
- Short term (two weeks to 28 days) or long term (up to six months)
- Inpatient or outpatient
- Grouped or individualized
You have to understand that addiction is a complex disease that affects both the physical and mental health of an addict on varying levels. Often, long-term treatment programs are recommended to ensure that your loved one receives all the necessary mental and physical care. This also increases the chances of leaving the program fully sober.
Choosing between outpatient or inpatient programs is mostly dependent on the patient’s availability and financial abilities. The staff at the center should be able to help you make a choice that doesn’t jeopardize the program’s success or other interests of the prospective patient.
You also want to be assured that whichever step is taken, your loved one will come out fully sober with access to after-care treatments. Beware of rehab centers that make ridiculous promises by advertising treatments that would cure a long-term addiction in two to ten days.
3. How comprehensive is the treatment?
Some rehab facilities offer a one-way treatment that does not address the patient as a whole. As a result, when the patient is through with their treatment, they find it hard to integrate into society, or relapse just as soon as they leave.
Addiction makes substantial alterations on the mind, which are sometimes difficult to correct. However, reputable drug rehab centers can use evidence-based approaches to fix these physical and mental alterations caused by substance abuse.
Two vital points to consider in this aspect are:
- Nutrition — Addicts are commonly diagnosed with nutritional deficiencies. And, the impact of these deficiencies is mostly visible, especially in the case of long time users. Progressive drug rehab centers incorporate personalized diet plans in the early stages of the treatment. This helps patients to reinvigorate their bodily functions to optimal performance in no time. Also, their moods are improved, and cravings are quenched through the tactical supply of nutrients. Thus, making the patients more focused and receptive to treatments.
- Holistic treatment — Opt for a treatment center that treats the patient as a whole using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or similar treatment modalities. In the course of treatment, a genuine drug rehab center should be able to address the co-occurring mental health issues which are unique to the individual.
Furthermore, patients should be equipped with transitional skills that help them cope with sobriety and subsequent societal issues after treatment.
4. What type of detox is provided?
This is as essential as the entirety of the treatment. It is the first step in treatment recovery and can get tricky sometimes. Hence, the appropriate detox procedure must be followed to the letter. Medical expertise and care are needed to ensure that the patient doesn’t suffer unbearable or life-threatening withdrawal symptoms during the detox.
Be sure you are choosing a rehab center that offers medical detox carried out under the supervision of a certified physician. Therefore, you should opt for an accredited detox center such as Briarwood Detox, which provides high-quality medical care 24/7 in a fully-equipped detox facility.
5. What is the professional composition of the rehab center’s staff?
Foremost, confirm that the drug rehab center is accredited. Then, you need to ascertain that your loved one will be receiving the best care possible from certified medical and psychiatric professionals.
As well, the drug rehab center of choice should have a dietician, a case manager, therapists, and licensed social workers. With all these key players in place, you can feel a bit more confident knowing that your loved one will be receiving a personalized treatment.
Feel free to contact us if you need more assistance in selecting a drug rehab center.
References:
https://drugabusestatistics.org/
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