When you are suffering from substance abuse, you need to find help fast. However, the type and quality of care you receive from rehabilitation will largely impact how you recover — and whether you relapse. Thus, before you sign yourself up for any rehab facility within walking distance, you should learn what makes a high-quality rehab center and look for those qualities in the facilities you consider. Fortunately, we have compiled a few of the best features in rehabs here, so you can start your road to recovery today:
Well-trained Staff
You don’t want to go through withdrawals and begin your sobriety under the watchful eye of just some guy off the street. The first stages of sobriety are physically, psychologically and emotionally difficult, even dangerous. You need to be able to rely on a staff that understands the processes and can guide you through them safely and successfully.
To start, the clinical director at the facility you choose should at least be equipped with a master’s degree in behavioral health and have a long history of work experience with rehabilitations and substance abuse programming. A PhD or MD is even better. It’s not imperative that every staff member at the rehab have a similar high level of expertise — you don’t need to pay for space at a facility where the janitors have Harvard degrees — but you should look for education and experience in the medical and/or psychology fields, especially amongst primary caregivers.
High Success Rate
This is a tricky feature to advocate because there is little evidence that a facility’s touted success rate is accurate in any way. Most will give you numbers like 80 percent or 95 percent or even 100 percent successful rehabilitation — but to understand that this number means, you’ll need to dig a little deeper. You should ask what the rehab facility counts as a success, how frequently they follow up with graduates of the program and similar questions that might flesh out that meaningless number with actual information about how patients are treated after their program ends.
Variety in Therapy
Rarely is there a road to recovery that works for multiple substance abusers. Most often, individuals require individual care, which means you need to look for a rehab center that allows you to explore different types of therapies to find the one that works for you. Some examples of good variety include programs that emphasize:
One-on-one and group. There is value in developing a relationship with a clinically trained therapist, who can identify the psychological causes for the addiction and facilitate in building better coping mechanisms. However, you will likely also benefit from group therapy, which creates a sense of community and togetherness that is vital for long-term sobriety.
Exercise and diet. It’s useful for centers to have a number of exercise options available, from a weightlifting gym to yoga classes to equestrian sports. Additionally, centers should teach about the importance of a nutritious diet in maintaining substance-free health.
Western and eastern. Western medicine is undeniably powerful at solving physiological issues, like kidney and liver failure that can result from long-term substance abuse. However, Eastern medicine is a much subtler science that often targets mental and emotional well-being. Thus, having both available to you can be essential for recovery.
Comfort and Fun
Unless you are at the hardest and lowest of all rock bottoms, you probably wouldn’t want to remain at a rehab center that forces you to sleep on the ground, doesn’t have working AC or is wedged into a bad area in dingy city. You should strive to find a rehab that looks comfortable, perhaps one in an area known for good weather and scenic views. Fortunately, many states that fit this bill are filled with rehab facilities, so if you want to beat your alcohol addiction in California, you probably can.
Family Assistance
You aren’t the only one in your life suffering due to your substance abuse. Every loved one you know — from your parents to your siblings to your friends and SO — has endured more than their share of trials and tribulations while you were actively addicted, and in response, they have learned to behave in certain potentially destructive ways. While you undergo your rehab program to learn how to live without your substance, it can be useful for your loved ones to undergo a similar kind of treatment to help them transition into a new period of sobriety for you.
You don’t want to waste money and time on a rehab that won’t work for you. While your commitment to getting and staying sober matters, your commitment might waver if you aren’t getting the help you need. Thus, you should look for the best possible facility around, and that facility will probably have the features listed above.