Rehab Centers

Admitting you have a problem with drinking is a great first step. But it is only the first step. The next step is to decide what help you need. I always recommend rehab for those where rehab is an option – for some rehab isn’t an option either because some areas do not have any spaces or any that do are too expensive.

Rehab allows you to detox from the booze in a safe place monitored by medical professionals. Rehab also gives you a chance to step back from the pressures of life and just get to grips with your issues. During rehab you will learn the skills that you will need to resist the urge to drink and how to live a happy, pro-active life without alcohol.

Basically rehab gives you the best chance of getting sober and more importantly remaining sober.

Finding rehab centers

https://www.google.com/search?q=local%20rehab

A quick google search is a great place to start. Google’s integrated local search will pull up and showcase all of your local rehab centers (that are on Google Maps). From there you can see what is available locally for you.

Try expanding the search to your wider area or for the whole state/county (e.g. search for “Rehab Kentucky”). Or maybe you have something specific in mind (e.g. search for “Rehab centers with a swimming pool” or “Rehab centers that use hypnotherapy”)

You should also ask your Doctor for their recommendation. They will have contacts with rehab centers or should at least know of a rehab counselor that you can go to.

If you start going to meetings before you enter rehab then you should ask around there to see what people ‘in the know’ recommend.

Once you have you list of potential centers you are likely to have a bunch of facilities that are local and a few facilities that are much further away.

You will need to choose whether you want to travel to rehab or if you feel more comfortable staying close to home.

Pros for traveling

More Options

Simply put your local area will only have a few rehab options to choose from. The further afield you search the more options you are going to find.

More options means you will have more of a choice. More of a choice on price, quality and even the style of rehab center. If you have a particular vision in mind for what your rehab should look like travelling will make it easier for you to find.

Fresh start mindset

Putting distance between yourself and the people/places triggering you to drink can help when trying to get into the mindset required for quitting.

Less likely to just walk away when it gets tough

Going sober isn’t easy. No matter how good the rehab facility is you are still going to have moments where you want to drink. It’s in these moments that we do not want to give ourselves an ‘easy out’. If we are miles away from home it is not as easy for us to just run back.

More private

The facility itself may not be as private as local ones but the sheer fact that it is further away makes it more private for you.

Being further away from home makes it that much more unlikely for you to be recognised. So if that is important to you consider a center far away from home.

Pros for staying local

Able to do outpatient treatment

Obviously if you are looking at doing outpatient treatment then you will need a facility close to home. (No point doing outpathient treatment and then going back to a hotel room!)

Staying local is therefore good for those of you who are looking at doing treatment around your current commitments. Maybe your job will not allow you time off, or maybe you need to care for loved ones. If that’s the case outpatient treatment locally would be a good solution for you.

Easier for loved ones to visit

This one is a bit of a double edged sword in that it could be a pro or it could be a con depending on your loved ones. If you find comfort in seeing your loved ones and they are supportive toward your sobriety then being close to home and close to them will be beneficial.

If on the other hand your friends and family are a trigger for you. Or if they are just general negative influences, then going further away might be the choice. (Also consider cutting any toxic family members out of your life especially if they threaten your sobriety)

Easier for the rehab to setup an aftercare plan for you

The treatment you receive during rehab is just the start. (sorry!). Some people can come out of rehab and be fine and never think about drinking ever again. But most people need some kind of aftercare. Whether it is regular therapy sessions, AA meetings or some other type of counselling it is going to be easier for the rehab team to build your aftercare program if it is taking place in the same area as rehab.

Cheaper (maybe)

Staying local means you wont have to pay for airfare, gas, train tickets or whatever other relocation costs you incur during the checking in process.

I say maybe because as mentioned above it could be that your local rehabs are all more expensive than the choice offered. It is always worth keeping in mind though that the cost of rehab isn’t the only cost that you will have to pay. There’s the travel fees, the additional bills, the missed time off work etc.

What to choose

This isn’t a choice that you should make lightly. A good experience in rehab forms the foundation blocks for the rest of your sober life. If you have a bad experience or if you fail to complete your time in rehab then the chances of a relapse go way up.

Talk to your friends, your family, your Doctor. Really think about the options and pick the one that’s right for you. The one that has the best chance at getting you on the sobriety track.

When I first tried going sober I did the whole cold turkey thing. I relied solely on over-the-counter medications to get me through the sweats, the shakes, the headaches, the vomiting and all the rest of it.

It was not fun at all.

Also it was really dangerous. I only learned afterward that withdrawing from alcohol cold turkey like that can have some serious long term impacts to your health. And can even result in death.

That is why now whenever I am asked what the best way to do detox is – either here or in my role as a counselor – I say that the best way is the way that your Doctor advises.

A medically supervised detox will be far easier on your body than just quitting cold turkey. With easier in this case translating to safer. It also means more likely to stick. In my experience people who detox under the care of a medical profession are many many more times likely to succeed than going it alone.

What is the Detox Process?

Detox is when your body gets rid of all the remaining alcohol that is going through your system. It is not so much the getting rid of the alcohol that is the problem – that is a good thing! – it is how the body comes to adjust to not having alcohol present any longer.

Just think about it. Your body will have adjusted to the presence of alcohol for so long that it has come to rely on the fact that it will be there. Chemical processes all across your body have to account for the fact that alcohol will be present. Then all of a sudden there’s no alcohol anymore and these processes are still working as though there is. It takes time for the body to update to the lack of alcohol and during that time you will experience some symptoms.

The symptoms from detox can last anywhere from a few days to a few months. These can range from a mild hangover all the way through to seizures and even death.

Due to these risks medically assisted detox is the go to recommendation for those people who have been drinking for a prolonged period of time.

Why is Medically Assisted Detox Necessary?

Alcohol is one of the most dangerous substances that one can detox from. I would say it is probably the most dangerous substance to experience withdrawals from that can be legally purchased in most parts of the world.

Withdrawing from alcohol is known to provoke the following symptoms

• Increased and erratic heart beat
• Fever
• Hallucinations
• Anxiety
• Sweating
• Increased blood pressure
• Confusion
• Headaches
• Feelings of nausea
• Tremors
• Seizures

Seizures are the most serious of the above symptoms and occur because your brain has become so accustomed to the presence of alcohol that when it is removed it can no longer function correctly.

It really is a kind of perverse catch-22. You have to stop drinking because the alcohol is poisoning your body and killing you slowly. But the act of quitting has the potential to kill you quickly.

You might think that tapering is the answer, whereby you reduce your intake over a course of days until you are not drinking at all. But that comes with it’s own issues – namely if we were able to control how much we drank we wouldn’t be in this situation in the first place.

That’s why medical detox is necessary.

What medications are prescribed during detox

YOU SHOULD ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE EMBARKING ON ANY DETOX PROGRAM

What is prescribed during detox will vary from person to person but the most commonly prescribed medications are:

• Benzodiazepines to treat the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal (most importantly to reduce the frequency and severity of any seizures).
• Anti-nausea medications
• Vitamins (to prevent Wernicke Syndrome)
• Anti-convulsants
• General pain medication
• Anti-cravings medication (such as naltrexone) normally prescribed once the withdrawal process is complete
• Anti-psychotics

Care needs to be taken when taking any medications as there is always the risk of developing a cross dependence, particularly in the case of benzodiazepines. You should always be completely forthright with your Doctors during treatment so that they can prescribe the correct medications based on your medical history.

What happens after detox

After detox is when you learn to live in a post-alcohol world. For some people this would be a short stay in a treatment facility. For others an out-patient program can provide them with what they need to remain sober in the long term.

Some people might be able to keep up their sobriety with meetings alone.

What ever you decide is right for you just make sure that you do something. Going back to the same life as before without making any changes is one of the surest ways of triggering a relapse.

So you’ve decided that the best thing for your sobriety is a trip to rehab. That is a great first step and you should be proud that you have taken it. Now the next step is deciding which type of rehab is best suited for you.

Everyone is different. What works for me might not work for you.

I do always recommend that everyone take a long look at inpatient facilities in the first instance. I believe – and the statistics back me up – that inpatient facilities provide the best care and give you the highest chance of remaining sober long term.

But inpatient facilities are not for everyone. Whether its the cost, the time away from home or something else not everyone can use inpatient facilities. That is why outpatient programs are so popular.

Inpatient or outpatient. That is what we are going to look at it in this post.

Video overview

Here’s a really high level look at the differences between the two in this video

Inpatient

Inpatient rehab is when you stay and live in the rehab facility full time. Living at the facility helps you avoid any temptation or negative influences you may have in your day to day life. Inpatient programs are able to offer 24/7 support and care. Programs typically last between 4 and 6 weeks but there are long term programs available that can take you in for 6 or even 12 months.

Daily life during rehab

Your schedule is pretty rigid when you are in rehab. You will have set times for waking up, going to bed, meetings, group time, therapy sessions, rec time etc.

Here is what my friend Joe wrote when he described his rehab experience for us:

Things to consider

Inpatient programs provide 24 hour care. You are never really alone from the moment you check in to the moment you leave. This would be particularly helpful for those of you who believe they need to be looked in on in order to not slip.

Inpatient programs often cater for a number of different issues. This is useful if alcohol abuse isn’t the only issue you need help with. Any underlying mental health conditions are more likely to be treated when doing an inpatient program.

Treatment schedules are pretty rigid. Like Joe said before it could be described as “prison-esque” in how strict the demands are. Maybe this is good for you or maybe this will be difficult. It really depends on your personality and how you cope when giving up control.

There is no leaving once you are in. (Well you can if you want, it’s not actually prison!) Leaving the facility is walking out on the program so to stay with the program you are required to remain in the facility grounds the whole time – unless advised otherwise by your carers. This means that any family or personal obligations need to be taken care of before you go in or else they will not get done.

Costs. Living in a facility like this with 24 hour care does not come cheap. Not just the payment for the care itself, if applicable, but also for the time you need to spend off work in order to devote 24 hours a day to treatment.

Outpatient

Outpatient rehab usually involves daily treatment. Either in the form of medication, therapy, counseling or group sessions. Outpatient is usually a lot less restrictive. Once you are done with any treatments you can go. You are not expected to remain in the facility and will be sleeping at home in your own bed.

Most programs follow a “ramp up – wind down” approach. This means that treatments will be intense to begin with (ramp up) but will become less and less intensive until they finally cease (wind down).

Things to consider about an outpatient program

Treatments can be scheduled around your commitments. A lot of programs will offer evening or weekend treatments. This could be good for those of you working a 9 to 5 where you don’t think you could get the time off.

You can live at home while taking part. This is good if you have a support network at home that can take care of you outside of your treatments.

Costs. Outpatient programs are usually much cheaper than inpatient programs.

Outpatient programs might not be suitable if you:

• Experience constant urges that you are unable to overcome.
• You have a history of not committing to treatment programs
• You need treatment for alcohol abuse AND an underlying mental health condition or co-occurring dependency disorder.

In the end the decision is yours and yours alone. Different programs appeal to different people and only you can know which one is right for you.

Have you been to rehab before? If you are open to it please share in the comments below. Your experiences may help someone else get sober!

So you have admitted to yourself that you have a drinking problem. You have weighed up your options on how you want to quit and you have decided that a rehab center is the right fit for you.

Getting to this stage is a great achievement and you should be proud of yourself for admitting you have a problem and seeking help.

Now there’s just one last thing for you to do. Decide which rehab center is right for you.

There are over 500 treatment facilities in the UK and an estimated 15000 centers in the US. So you really are spoiled for choice.

That’s why in this post I am going to be going through all of the different options so that you can make the right choice for you.

Disclaimer: While I do live a sober life and did formerly have a drinking problem I did not actually go to rehab to sober up. I detoxed at home. Something that I would only recommend as an absolute last resort when rehab is not an option. And only after discussing with a trained medical professional. I have done a lot of research into this field and through my volunteer work have actually helped numerous people find placements in rehab. So while I have not actually stayed in a rehab center you can rest assured that the below is accurate and helpful. Having said that just to be sure I asked my friend Joe (who wrote a previous post about his experience with rehab) to edit and to add his thoughts. Any callouts he wishes to make will look like this:

Joe: Hi!

With that out the way lets dive into how to pick a rehab center

What do you hope to achieve

Every rehab is different and will specialize in different things. The first step you need to take is to decide what it is you want to get out of rehab. Do you just want to detox, do you want to “dry out” for a month or more, do you want help for any underlying mental issues you may be suffering from that contributes to your drinking disorder?

When you know what your goal is you will be able to better match up with a rehab center.

Joe: When I was thinking about going to rehab I wanted a place where I could detox from the booze and then stay for a few more weeks to get to terms with sobriety before “rejoining the world”.

What type of facility is best for you

Onsite Detox

Some facilities have their own detox programs. This is where they medically assist you as you come off of the booze. Other facilities will expect you to have gone through this already before joining the rehab.

Joe: The facility I went to had their own detox center. It wasn’t up to much if I’m honest. The detox takes a few days and is generally the hardest part of the process so looking back I wish I had found a place with a better detox program.

Inpatient vs Outpatient

The two major forms of organised rehab. Inpatient is when you check into a rehab facility and stay there throughout the program. Outpatient programs typically have you come in through the day for treatment and therapy and then you leave and stay in your own home the rest of the time.

Joe: I was told that inpatient treatments have a higher success rate but are often pricier or have longer wait lists for a bed.

Specialities

A lot of centers will not just be for alcohol recovery. They will also intake people who have problems with drugs, or other types of addiction such as porn addiction or eating disorders. If you have multiple issues you are looking for help with then some of these centers might be for you. Otherwise you might wish to look for centers that either only take people with alcohol disorders or who have a focus on alcohol.

Treatment/Therapy styles

There are a number of different treatment types and different therapy styles that are in use in rehab centers. The main ones are:

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
12 Step Programs (Alcoholics Anonymous)
Biofeedback Therapy
Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Holistic Therapy
Psychodynamic Therapy

You should inquire about what therapies and counselling are offered in the rehabs you look into and see if they are right for you.

Program Length

How long is a piece of string?

Rehab programs can be anything from a few day detox all the way upto a few month long inpatient treatment with a lengthy stay in a sober house and continued outpatient treatment.

So basically anywhere between 3 days and forever.

When you are looking into rehab centers inquire about how long their normal “stay” is. Ask what the usual follow up treatment process looks like. Some places may advertise a high success rate but that might only be for patients who complete a much longer stay than you are able to do.

Joe: I chose to do a 28 day before I had even detoxed. My thinking process at the time was that it would take a week to get the alcohol out of my system and then I could take 3 weeks to get used to it before I went back out. I feel this was a good length of time. I don’t think I would have got much more benefit out of staying any longer.

Location

Nearby facilties will be the first place you look. Purely for convenience factor. A lot of people, however, will recommend that you go far away for rehab as it completely disconnects your brain from your former drunk life.

Joe: The place I went to was about 2 hours out of my city. I thought this struck a nice balance between convenience in being local but was also far enough away that there was nothing around that would remind me of people or places that I associated with drinking.

Cost

Probably the biggest factor for most. It is true that rehab centers can be pretty pricey. And if they are free then you better believe there is going to be a long waiting list. When you are looking for centers check on their website for prices. A lot of centers will not share this information so you may need to call them up and see what it will cost you (or how long the current wait for a bed is). If you carry private insurance you should ask if the center is within network for you to be able to attend on your insurance.

Joe: I had to fight with my insurance company as they originally said they would only cover the detox portion of the treatment plan. After some back and forth I finally had the whole thing covered. I would recommend you speaking with your insurance company first and see if they have a list of centers that you can choose from.

Facility Amenities

Most centers try to keep you busy with meeting and therapies. But there are always shared group activities that they will encourage you to take part in. These will vary based on the particular facility you choose. Think pools, basketball courts, table tennis and so on. The recreational activities available probably shouldn’t be at the top of your list when deciding but it is something to keep in mind as you will likely have plenty of downtime if you choose an inpatient program.

Joe: My facility had a bunch of recreational activities available. They were rarely used by the residents however. The T.V room was always full and we had group basketball quite often. But I never saw anyone play table tennis the entire time I was there.

Family Involvement

Some facilities/treatment programs will restrict the contact you can have with friends and family. This is more likely to happen if it is believed that contact with these people will cause you to relapse.

Joe: We had phone privleges which could be withdrawn by our therapist. I was allowed to use the phone any time I wanted as my therapist didn’t believe my drinking would resurface through contact with my family. There was also visiting allowed a few days through the week. If you were to go further away from home in-person visiting would obviously be more difficult.

Talk to an addiction specialist

Now that you have a general idea of what you want to get out of rehab. It is time to speak with someone who can point you to rehab options. The first step should be to your GP or primary care physician. They should be able to put you in contact with an addiction specialist who will be able to provide you with your options.

Research your Options

Now that you have a list of options, that hopefully match your preferences for cost, location and all the other factors talked about before, it is time to whittle that list down to 1.

Look at the website – Does the website confirm that the center has everything that you are looking for? If you have been told the center offers a specific treatment type check this is confirmed on their website.

Look at any reviews online – What do past patients have to say about the center? Try a google search “Center Name + Review”. Also look at any social media profiles the center may have setup.

Look at any accreditations – What qualification do the members of staff hold? Also look into the qualifications themselves. Not all accreditations are equal.

Reach out to the center for more information – Have any other questions? Just give the center a call. Most will be eager to talk to prospective patients.

Enroll

Once you have chosen the center for you all that is left is to enroll.

Joe: Don’t overthink things. Pick a center that feels right and get in there.