Wow. You don't know me very well. This is unfortunate. I will bow out.

In my case my drinking got so bad that I was planning to rob a liquor store - for the liquor.

I agreed to commit myself to a 13 month long recovery work farm because I knew it would be impossible to drink without being detected.
:headbange

I know of no such unbiased studies. One year, my X went through 3 rehabs in the span of a year and it did not work. He just could not/would not do it.
He mainly went because of outside pressure (me and job).
I will fess up as a F&F member. First time, I was truly hopeful. I thought it would be the magic pill and he would be fixed. After that, I was mainly glad to have him out of my hair somewhere where he was safe and not running on yet another drunken rampage. If you read on the friends and family forum, it is quite common. The first couple of times someone goes to rehab, their loved ones are all hopeful and excited but for those who have been through the mill, it's like "Bummer he is coming back already, I wish they would keep him".

I think that some people can really benefit from being removed from their environment and spend time in a sober, safe place healing and building the foundations for a better life.
I am thinking especially of people who live in the hood or people who are in homeless shelters etc. which are drug and alcohol fueled environments.
Basically people who do not know any other way to live and who are surrounded by addicts and addiction.
I think that for people who live in a toxic environment, if they are willing to make a change, giving them an opportunity to go somewhere safe where they don't have to worry about their next meal or where they are going to sleep or about shootouts and violence is a big plus.
They can then truly focus on recovery rather than survival

I just wanted to add that I live a few blocks away from a long term facility for women and children run by a Christian mission.
I truly think that for women, a place where they can be with their children away from a partner who is himself an addict or gang banger and might be abusive is a big plus.

I don't think anyone could give hard evidence that inpatient rehab is successful. I don't think that you can find any real evidence that any peer support treatment is all that successful. At least unbiased evidence. I do believe that any treatment is successful for those that have the true desire to succeed.

I went to inpatient and attended AA and have been sober for more than 2 1/2 years. The thing is, I was resolved to the fact that it was either stop drinking or loose all and probably die from it. I found the whole rehab experience quite ridiculous. It was a one size fits all carnival of AA mashed in with a bunch of fluff. There were a lot of different people there that needed a lot of different types of help but they were all fed the same medicine. The only thing that kept me sane though it all was finding the humor in the whole situation. It did have the desired effect of getting me out of a really hostile environment for a while.

The point is nothing works if you don't make it work. If your not willing to suffer for it you will never reap the benefit of any type of recovery, treatment, program or what ever you want to call it.

Are you trying to be provocative? What fun would it be if you weren't.

This is where I tried to stay... But my beard gave me away.

Denver Rescue Mission

I was just thinking about recovery and social classes and it struck me that the people for whom I feel rehab/long term facilities can be truly beneficial are those who cannot afford pay for them and who are uninsured.

I seem to have given the impression that I started and have continued this thread in order to be provocative. I can't imagine ever doing that on this forum. You can look back at every thread I've ever started, and not find anything posted purely for the sake of provocation.

I do not wish for myself or anyone else to be riled up over what started as a few sincere & simple questions. I appreciate the responses that Boleo, Carlotta, esinger and others have given, and hope others will continue this discussion.

I think it's important that people contemplating recovery options and their families understand what they are paying for when they pay for inpatient treatment, and what to expect -- a break, a rest, a change, safety -- and what not to expect -- a cure. In particular, as Carlotta just brought up, because those in situations where that kind of respite is most needed may have the greatest difficulty achieving it.

I'm just a little upset now but my friend has made it to Base Camp from Camp 1 on Everest so I will bow out, again, with this:

Both of the first two, I think. I felt preyed upon by the group I attended the most, as well treated like a sheep by some of the counselors who pushed me that way. The last doesn't make any sense, I would most assuredly have died years ago if I had not found another program - that one would have killed me, but I'm quite alive and happily sober, so it worked out very well and I didn't have to compromise any core principles that long predate alcohol addiction. :)

I`ve never had a sponsor and took a cafeteria style approach to the steps. The most important piece of advice I got was from member with over 30 years. I asked him early in sobriety what was the "secret" of staying sober? He told me those who stay sober are those who appreciate their sobriety. I found this to be quite true.

I`ve been a member of AA for over 20 years but have learned to be careful sharing my story. My story often flies in the face of what many members hold dear which is only by having a sponsor and working the steps can one truly recovery.

All said and done everything depends on the vibe of the AA meetings you attend.

With regards to AA what you`re missing is there are a lot of well-meaning (as well as screwed up) individuals/groups who will take it upon themselves to make sure you follow their "suggestions" and heaven help those who don`t.

Because it doesn`t take long for some members/groups to make you feel unwelcome if you do not.

Now, the primary purpose in AA is to stay sober and help the other alcoholic achieve sobriety.

If one is not following the suggested steps exactly as outlined in the BB yet keeps coming back without picking up a drink and their life improves that`s what it`s all about. And if Bill Wilson were around today I think he would agree.

I`m here to help and tell those new (if asked) what I did to get sober in AA. And anyone with time knows there`s no guarantee who will stay sober and who won`t.

We`ve all been surprised.

I officially "unthank" any posts on this thread that seek to direct attention solely to contrasts between AA or 12-step programs and any other program. Including any of my own posts if they can be construed as doing that.

My initial suggestion was a contrast between programs that cost money, particularly expensive programs, and free ones. Particularly I was interested in inpatient vs. free peer-support. I heartily do not endorse the direction some posters have taken this thread.

A few posts have been removed along with some quoted content due to rule #4 ( flaming/personal attacks ) - last reminder to stick to the original question before the the thread is closed.

Well, I think (I could never afford rehab so I can`t say first-hand) is what you are paying for is an introduction to getting sober. The advantage a rehab might have over free peer-support is you live in a controlled environment which forces you to stay sober and hopefully participate in the recovery activities.

That`s the major advantage I can see it has over free peer-support. Also some counsellors might be better qualified to guild you in your recovery.

But the money many rehabs costs!

Who can afford it if they don`t have the insurance?

So you were thinking "expensive inpatient" vs. free peer support group meetings? I can't see how that's not apples and oranges, even more so than IOPs vs. free peer support group meetings, which is what I presumed you were thinking. If you need the intensity, focus and especially change of venue available in an inpatient program, then that's what you need. If you can get by with weekly or even multiple times a week community support group meetings, great, and you've saved hassle and money. Even better if you can just decide to stop drinking and stop. Different levels for different needs. :)

This post sums up the thread pretty well, imho.......
Again we get to the point of acceptance, willingness and readiness - coupled with the work.

Courage2, I just don't find any statistics on rehab vs peer to peer groups. Guess drunks don't raise their hands much for surveys.


(please note, I have replaced the initials of a recovery program with asterisks so as not to offend other members - the op did not do this. As a sidebar - I wonder how long before one may remove their thanks from a thanked post?)

maybe what inpatient does that's so necessary and valuable for some is the removal from availability of alcohol/drugs. a safe space for a while. a chance to get the mind slowed a bit without "fighting" the everywhere availability.
that kind of chance is well worth paying for, i think, if a person can't do it with peer support, no matter how much and how often, without the physical separation.

courage, wow, no, i never thought you'd start a thread just to provoke.
but i'm projecting here, i just realized: i've been accused of that very same thing. and don't get it. in my own mind, i'm sincerely trying to work something out so i understand better, or i want input so i can see views i hadn't seen before.
i assume that's what you're doing, also.
and there is no connection between provocative questions and questions asked solely to provoke.
i'm thankful for questions and conversations which provoke me in this way.

Awesome post!

I still don't quite know what I think, but this expresses how I feel about the question, more beautifully than I could ever.