Linz

Hi all...
As some of you know I took myself to rehab on March 12th. Yikes! I had no idea that rehab facilities differed so much!
I have written a letter to the director about the happenings in rehab in hopes that he addresses certain situations. This place is no place to get sober/clean. It is not a comfortable or emotionally secure environment, and I have been advised to go to the local papers to complain about it. I have also been advised to take them to small claims court.

Also, I paid for 30 days up front because that is what I was advised to do... you know, to "go ahead and get it out of the way." I left after only six days, that is all I could bare. They charge $100 a day, obviously I was planning on a 30 days stay so I paid $3,000 up front.

In the letter that I wrote, I forgot to mention that I spent my last day there, Saturday, at the mall. Everyone wanted to go to the mall... I find the mall to be more abrasive than therapeutic.

Rehab has left me feeling stressed out, disoriented, and absolutely, 100% confused.
But you know what? I'm sober right now because that is what it is going to take to be able to take them to small claims court if the director does not want to refund my bank account.
(I took out a loan in the amount of $3,000 to be able to go to rehab...)

Has anyone else ever had a similar experience with a rehab facility? What did you do about it? AND has anyone here ever had to take someone to small claims court? How does that work?

stugotz

The Mall? Just sayin...

BackToSquareOne

You have to read the paperwork Linz, it may be non-refundable.

Spinach

Good luck. Could be a good focus but when that ends make sure you have something to fill the gap.
Your brief comments make it sound like the wrong place . What were the positive sides if any.
Fingers crossed.
John.

checkmate1

I have never been to rehab but I would imagine that the facilities would not be the sought of place you would want to stay in like a hotel or something. These types of places have you for 30 days kick you out to get the next lot in simple as that. Of course the more you pay the better facilities etc. I can see that your annoyed paying 3 grand up front but to some people it might be money well spent. These places are for sick alcoholics some of these places are for homeless people which this would be paradise. I'm not having a go at you but rehabs are not meant for you to feel comfortable there there to help you beat addiction into recovery.

SSIL75

I don't understand the mall reference?

langkah

Rehabs and treatment programs are presented as answers but they only rarely get the alcoholic's attention. No more than another mess or fright. Had you gone to a plush and posh place the difference is your account would be 10x lighter.

Now you know and have that experience to share with others.

Small claims procedures are easy, but the scoundrels are used to handling those if they've been in this racket long, and you'll lose.

littlefish

I've never been to inpatient rehab but I have had long experience with outpatient rehab. I hated my outpatient rehab in the beginning and had nothing but complaints. But after 6 months my attitude changed completely.
Most of the recovered people I know praise their rehab facilities and found their rehab experiences very important.
It's truly a shame if you have ended up in a place that is not up to standard.
Just out of curiosity, aside from the mall visit, (which sounds really bizarre), what else bothered you about the place?

Terminally Unique

Linz,

I'm sorry to hear that your rehab experience was not what you had hoped for. They most likely have all their ducks in a row, so to speak, and depending on the contract you signed at intake, it may very well be non-refundable, so do read it over again.

That said, you are at least sober for now, and that's something. As I told you when you were originally considering rehab, there are effective ways to stay quit without rehab, and which don't require spending more than the cost of a six-pack of beer. If rehab isn't for you, you may want to at least consider these other methods. There are several people on this forum who know what they are doing, recovery-wise, and no doubt they would be happy to help you stay quit without rehab.

Justfor1

The difference in quality of treatment center vary quite a bit. I should know I been to 7+ treatments. The beds/food differ, the detox approach differ and after care differ. The most important thing that differs is the quality of the therapists. I hope I will never have to go back to a rehab but if I ever do I will only go to BettyFord, Hazelton or the Mailbu program. The food at some of the treatments were as bad as jail. Also, the beds frequently starting to activate my old back injury I've had. Some treatment centers have more court mandated people than others. The second time I did a 28 day program 1/4 of the people had jail ankle braclets on treated the recovery center like jail.

Sapling

Hey Liz...I was paying about 6 times that a day when I went into rehab...I went in 5 days early to detox...$1800 for that...Then I made it two weeks where they introduced us to AA...I was ready to take that route on my own. I talked to the head person there and told them my plans and if I could get my money back for the remaining 2 weeks...She did her best to talk me out of it along with every other counselor in the place...Saying I wasn't ready...I asked if I could my money back or not...She said yes and I left...Jumped into AA...Worked the steps....Meetings every day...I'm at 9 months sober now and quite happy. I still get Emails from them and was invited for the 6 month reunion there...I went...Out of 40 people in my group...4 showed up...That was including me. I guess if your willing to do the work...Anything's possible...I hope you get your money back.

Zebra1275

I'n sorry to hear about your rehab experience. I hope this doesn't stop you from getting sober.

MysteriousGrl

I'm sorry to hear that your rehab experience wasn't what you expected. From personal experience, I've been in and out of detox centers and inpatient rehabs since Feb 2011. The first rehab convinced me that I needed to pay up front and that my insurance would reimburse me. They also misrepresented themselves and told me that they had licensed therapists on premises. 7 days into the 'program' I was able to talk to my health insurance company and they told me that the rehab didn't meet the necessary criteria (no licensed therapists or qualified medical staff on the premises - we had to travel into town to the Dr's office) and that my insurance wouldn't cover it. It was $7,000 a week! It turns out the idiots didn't cash the check we wrote and we were able to stop it in time. They dragged us to court and we won without even having to hire a lawyer. Talk about stress and wanting to drink even more after that sh*t. Needless to say I relapsed, went back into detox a couple of weeks later and then got shipped off to another inpatient rehab in FL for 30 days. It was a much better experience (structured program, great AA meetings, highly qualified staff and therapists who actually seemed like they cared) and my health insurance covered most of it. However, after two weeks of sobriety I relapsed while going to an out-patient program close to home. After another week bender, I went back to detox and back down to FL for another 30 days. Guess what, I relapsed AGAIN. I guess the point I'm trying to make is that no matter how horrible or great a rehab facility is, you have to really want to get sober for it to work, and even then it doesn't 'fix' you. It's easy staying sober in rehab, but when you're released to the outside world and left to make your own choices and decisions, that's when the real work begins.

Good luck and I hope everything works out for you!

BASEjumper

I have never gone to an inpatient rehab, your experience sounds awful. I did an outpatient rehab for 9 months, and that got me firmly established in sobriety. It cost me $15 per week, I would be wary of any place that asked for that kind of money up front. I know it's probably to get you invested in the process but it feels shady to me.

Why did you leave after such a short time? What was so intolerable that you couldn't do 30 days?

Lenina

Linz,

I'm so sorry you've had a bad experience. maybe I was just extraordinarily lucky with my own treatment, that was back in '86. I had a few days after the first week when I wanted to leave because I didn't like the way things were going. LOL I was having to come to terms with some uncomfortable truths about myself.

We weren't allowed to leave the facility so I'm baffled as to why you were forced to go to the mall. I hate malls and shopping in general. I was running out of personal care items so I was allowed to make a list and an aide got them for me. The items were screened and I was given the receipt.

We had good food, Healthful snacks were always available between meals. The place was very clean. The bed was just a standard hospital type. The staff was excellent but for one nutty counselor. My own psychiatrist saw me three times a week for 15 minutes each time.

it wasn't particularly posh but I felt safe. Linz, please cotinue to stay sober. It's so worth it.

Love from Lenina

sugarbear1

You didn't fully explain what their method was or what happened. Seems like it worked for you after 6 days, though. Try something else like a program of recovery....maybe AVRT?

Linz

Littlefish:
The mall was very bothersome, as everyone kept asking if they could spend the $$ that I had on my card. Somehow those girls found out that I had a debit card with me... I hadn't even pulled it out of my wallet.
Some other things that bugged me about my stay at the facility:
1. We woke at 5:30 every morning to wash walls. It was not a structured sort of chore time, so all of the girls would just wash over what other girls had just washed. I say "wash," but I really mean "wipe with a damp rag."
2. Having to wake up at 5:30, you'd think that we would at least be suseptible to some good sleep. Nope. Stereo's BLARED from almost every single room at any time of day, especially at 2 and 3 a.m. Girls would run in and out of mine and my roommate's room to "scare" us from our sleep. I asked them to stop but they didn't. I told a staff member and got a response similar to: "Honey, that's just somethin' you're gonna have to grin and bare."
3. People would come into my room and steal my things
4. We were supposed to have a meeting a day. Whether this meeting was N.A. or A.A. based, or even group therapy. I was there for six days, and in the midst of EACH ONE OF THESE DAYS, at least two meetings were cancelled. (We had group therapy 4 times a day, and we were supposed to have an n.a. or a.a. meeting once a day.) While I was there, I got to attend ONE a.a. meeting. In that meeting a daily reflection was read and then the "authority" who read it asked us a question about it, I tried to answer, and she interrupted me by asking us if we wanted to play Uno.
5. When I would ask for milk for my coffee, they would say there was none.
6. Most of the food that we had was donated, and I find that to be a great system... BUT.... most of the food that was donated was way out of date. Every cup of yogurt that I'd open for breakfast was sour.
7. Girls would take breaks from group therapy to go outside and smoke about five times in one hour.
8. During group therapy, the counselor would ask a question, and then interrupt whoever answered with a story of her/his own. If she/he did not do this, the question would be along the lines of, "what kind of dog is your favorite one? which guy over in the guy's building do you find hot? Or a comment along the lines of, (and this one was actually used God, Brad Pitt could throw me up on the table and _____ me any day!"

I could go on. The list DOES go on...

As for the contract, the money is non-refundable. BUT... the contract has already been breached. I did not receive the promise of treatment that I signed for ON that contract. Therefore, it is meaningless. It was a a "promise for a action" sort of contract.

I have been wronged, and I'll bring them to court.

Linz

BASEjumper - yep, totally that unbearable. ENTIRELY unbearable.

Lenina

Linz,

That sounds horrible! I hope you do prevail in court. Can you check into the regulatory agencies in your state to find out where to send complaints? didn't you say the place was licensed? I'd give the agency a call and a letter.

We didn't do any cleaning other than keeping our room neat and cleaning up after ourselves. Our days were highly structured and no coarse language was permitted. It was very civilized.

do keep us posted on your progress and let us know how it goes in court. I think this place sounds like it needs a surprise visit from the licensing agent.


Love from Lenina

babycat

Linz, that really, really sucks. I hope you get your money back. That place sounds awful.