Some Thoughts on the Effectiveness of Drug Rehab and How to Succeed

My sister’s story is not a particularly pretty one, but it is typical. We came from a comfortably middle class family and grew up in the suburbs of Portland. My sister was two years older than me, a straight A student and very popular. Unfortunately, despite everything she had going for her, Susan lacked self-confidence and that was her downfall. In her senior year of high school she started coming home from parties and passing out until mid-afternoon the next day. Then there were nights when she simply didn’t show up. Money started going missing around the house and Susan’s grades and personal appearance began to slip. Finally my parents had enough and checked her into rehab.

I was very close to Susan and made the decision to chronicle her recovery. It was a long battle, with four different clinics involved. Along the way, I discovered many facts about drug rehab treatment and quickly concluded that others would benefit from my experiences. You’ll have to read my book or catch me at one of my speaking engagements to get the full story, but here are several key points to consider:

An effective detox program is a critical first step to any treatment. Addicts frequently suffer from self esteem issues and any treatment must include therapy to address this. One month programs are typically created to take advantage of insurance coverage limits; effective treatment for addiction can’t be shoehorned into such a short timeframe. Clinics that treat patients with respect are more likely to see positive results. Tour the premises before agreeing to anything. A comfortable, well-equipped, well-staffed center located in an attractive setting inspires patients and indicates long-term investment.

Relapse is endemic, especially in discount clinics. Any treatment center that is properly staffed and equipped respects its patients and believes in what its doing will back up its programs with a guarantee.