The 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous has been around a long time. It has proven to be the best way to stay clean and sober. But guess what, it’s not treatment. It is aftercare. Non 12 step rehabs understand treatment is treatment and AA is aftercare. It is far too easy, and cheap, to simply take patients to AA meetings and say ok this is what you have to do to stay clean. AA is there to keep people sober but not get them sober and the difference is detox and rehab.
Posts Tagged ‘drug treatment’
Non 12 Step Rehab Centers Ahead of their Time
Monday, April 5th, 2010Dual Diagnosis is Real Drug Treatment
Thursday, January 28th, 2010It seems so obvious. Drug treatment should be about treating the whole person and all their problems. Most alcoholics and drug addicts are self medicating themselves and their problems with drugs and alcohol. And so when an addict or alcoholic goes to drug rehab and treatment they should be treated not only for their addiction and alcoholism but also any co-occurring problems such as depression, anxiety or ADHD. Dual diagnosis is still the preferred terminology for this problem. Dual diagnosis rehabs treat not only the drug and alcohol problem but the co-occurring psychological issue as well. This is real treatment at its best.
Drug Treatment Saves Lives
Tuesday, August 25th, 2009Drug addiction is a fatal disease. You either wise up, are locked up or get covered up, that’s about the size of it. Still, going through the process of drug treatment is not fun. But neither is jail or the morgue. I talk with a lot of people who tell me they have tried drug rehab several times and it does not work. And I know they are telling me the truth. Ironically, an addict is probably the worst candidate for doing everything necessary to succeed in recovery. But when your life and freedom are literally on the line, some humans can often find a new gear. And that’s generally what it takes to make it.
Drug Rehab Has Come a Long Way
Wednesday, August 12th, 2009It wasn’t so long ago, drug rehab was a really bad place. They were dirty, smelly, ugly, nasty institutions. Good places to lose weight maybe but for little else. Well, times have changed. Most drug rehabs are well groomed with caring, well educated staffs. Alcoholism and drug addiction are no longer perceived as moral or character flaws. They are finally recognized as medical diseases which can be put into remission with proper treatment. This is good news because addiction and alcoholism are epidemics which undermine the very fiber of our society. So, going to rehab for alcohol or drug abuse may not be anybody’s idea of a good time but at least they are decent places to learn how to save your life.
Drug Treatment Centers Aren’t All Bad
Wednesday, August 5th, 2009Nobody in their right mind gets up and says, “I think I’ll go to a drug treatment center for 30 days”. Drug centers are for people who have suffered a lot of pain. And pain, in this case isn’t all bad. Addicts are some of the nicest people in the world. Unfortunately, they are also some of the sickest. That’s right, addiction is a disease, a brain disease. Going to a treatment center and rehabilitation is no guarantee of successful recovery. This disease is very sneaky and will trip up the addict if given half a chance. Drug centers can only do so much to get the addict on the right road and headed in the right direction. The rest is up to the person to make recovery their number one priority, forever.
Consider a Drug Program Carefully
Thursday, July 16th, 2009Like with anything else, be careful when shopping for the right best drug program. In the case of a drug rehabilitation treatment program, like anything else, you have to ask lots of good questions. Not all drug treatment programs are created equal. Like any other enterprise, a treatment program for drug abuse is about as good as the people who manage and work there. And, there’s more. In the case of a drug rehab program, you need to know some places really don’t care as much as they should about their clients. Same as some businesses we could mention. The point is, there is much more at stake here, than say buying a new blue ray DVD. Do your homework, get as much good information as you can from former patients and even the local better business bureau.