Choosing a local Drug Rehab

In selecting the most appropriate drug rehab facility many different factors come into play.  One very important factor is the location and proximity to one’s usual dwelling. 

Are there advantages to selecting a facility that is close to home?  Yes,  in part.  It may seem like a convenience to choose a drug rehab facility that is a short drive from home.  In some cases,  this would be a benefit perhaps where transportation is limited,  or resources are limited.  However looking at the broad picture,  one should note that if it is easy to “get to” the facility, it is equally easy to “return home”  at a critical point before the program is complete. 

Very important points to remember:   the person entering rehab is doing so to make a change.  This is not a little change.  This is a life changing experience.  The program must be allowed to run its course.   One very common phenomenon is a person enters a rehab program usually in a bit of a dazed or possibly fearful state.  It takes a bit of time for the person to settle in,  meet and become familiar with the staff handling their case,  and other clients as well.   Coming off drugs or alcohol leaves a person feeling somewhat vulnerable,  irritable and cranky,  and generally anxious.  This is to be expected.  If it were all that easy to come off and stay off their substance anyone could just take a couple weeks off work, stay home,  and that would be enough.

However,  that is not the reality.  The reality is any person will generally hit a point in their program when suddenly it seems like an unsurmountable goal to finish.  At that very critical point,  the phone calls home can get quite disturbing,  complaints are a dime a dozen,  and pleas to be taken back home are very very common.   It is clear that if the facility is very close to home,  a short taxi ride or worse yet,  a family member coming to rescue the person ( part of the prior pattern obviously that still needs to be broken) is going to sabotage any chance the person may have had for recovery.

For this reason,   our experience has proven time and time again that the best scenario for drug or alcohol rehab is to have the facility chosen at least a plane ride away,  and in so doing there is that much more of a guarantee that the program can run its course.   The idea is  not to be cruel and force a person through a program,  but to be kind and give every chance to support the process and continue a program even through the rougher weather.   Our many success stories bear this out as a successful rule of thumb in deciding on whether to do a local program,  or get the person out of their “comfort zone”  and give it every chance possible of a successful outcome. 

For more helpful advice you can contact any of our counselors at addicted.org  who can help you in making the final decisions in choosing a drug or alcohol rehab facility.