Deciding What Treatment is Right for Someone.. A Meaningful Task

This week I decided to talk about a subject that I believe is a key component in a person’s successful treatment, going to the right treatment facility. But how do we decide what is the right treatment for somebody, and is it the same for all? It is a question that I hear come up often.

I want to start by bringing up my favorite word, reciprocation. Those of you that know me well know how much I hate that word. I understand that there is a level of business in the treatment industry, people send clients to people who send to them, which is very understandable, but on the same note I truly don’t believe in referring a patient to a program just because I need to reciprocate. We can’t forget that we are dealing with human beings here. Too many look at these patients as dollar signs or poker chips they are cashing in on, and it is not justifiable.

A couple of the ways that we decide at Sunrise is by taking into account their history, prior treatment, longevity of using, financing, and family dynamic. For instance, sometimes the mother of three has a hard time going away for 30 days, especially if it is her first time in treatment. In that case, we might recommend an intensive outpatient program.

Sometimes finances play a part in where is right for someone. Although there are some clinicians who don’t like to be concerned about financing, the truth is, it is a par t of the puzzle.

There are many elements involved in determining the type of program for the specific individual. Depending on someone’s treatment history, they may need a gender specific treatment center. Another element is that for some a 30 day program may not be enough, a person may need 90 days, or more, all which are alternatives for a patient.

The reason I brought up the reciprocation aspect first is because doing that makes us not look at all those elements that need to be taken into account for a person to get the proper treatment for them. We, in the industry, have to realize that just because we have relationships does not give us the permission to not fully look at what a patient needs. While that place may be the right one for the patient, it also may not be.

We are dealing with people’s lives, and the decisions that we make as a referral source could possibly change or affect the rest of their lives. We need to remember that.

Treatment After Detox

Have you ever heard somebody in detox say, “I know what I have to do when I leave here.”

Whenever I hear that, it is always a red flag to me because it means that they know what they have to do, but don’t know how to do it. This leads me to my topic.

People need to understand that detox is just the first step in recovery process, a place where your body heals. But, the reason I feel so strongly about treatment afterward is because people need time to learn how to live in a different way. Treatment provides a minimum of 30 days where people can work on themselves. It is not only the education that they need, but I believe it is the time, time away from all of the stressors of life, stressors such as relationships, business or family. The problem with people coming straight out of detox and not going to treatment is that they are not ready to get back into reality. Going to treatment gives them that time to just heal themselves without having to deal with those outside stressors. It also allows them the time to learn how to deal with the stress.

During the treatment period, you can map out what changes need to be made in your life, such as ending an unhealthy relationship, or maybe leaving a job that is a major trigger.

The point I want to make is that treatment gives you the time to get healthy before you are out there dealing with the real world. Can people stay clean and sober straight out of detox? Sure. But, in all my years of experience, the folks who went from detox into treatment had a much higher success rate.