ZenButterfly

I went and saw a counselor yesterday regarding the cost of the outpatient treatment I am interested in. It turns out my health insurance doesn't cover it and the cost is $6,000 which I really do not have. Of course it would cost me more to keep drinking like I have been.

I'm at a bit of a loss over what to do. Part of their plan for me would be to go to AA 3x a week and find a sponsor in addition to being there 3 nights a week. I wonder if I should try just going to meetings and getting a sponsor first. I am worried about my future but I'm in a bit of sticker shock. I can only imagine how much the 30 day full time inpatient treatment would be. ;-(

Thoughts?

Algorithm

Your health insurance doesn't cover it because they know that treatment is usually little more than an expensive introduction to AA, although it sometimes includes RET/REBT therapy, which is more or less the foundation of the SMART Recovery program. They also know that addicts are most vulnerable to relapse right after treatment.

Some insurance plans will cover the cost of addiction treatment, but there are downsides to using insurance to cover the cost of addiction treatment, since the addict diagnosis will follow your medical record forever, almost like a pre-existing condition.

I would suggest saving your money, and foregoing addiction treatment entirely. Addiction treatment rarely yields the results that people hope for, namely an external cure, and the revolving door is very common.

Flawed

I did outpatient rehab earlier this year....and to me it was a benefit. I did AA at the same time and got a sponsor as well. My insurance did not cover it as well, but the rehab I went to allowed me in on a "scholarship" on a sliding scale of about $1,000 per month. As long as I passed the urine tests and mouth swabs we took three times a week I was allowed to keep my scholarship. I did, and after four and a half months I graduated and am still sober. It worked for me, I understand there is no one plan that works for everyone, but if it something you think will help you then keep looking into it. All of the recovery centers in my area require AA/NA meetings and sponsorship as well to stay in the program.

entropy1964

Hey Algo
Is this your personal experience?

hellrzr

I was in the same boat. My AA sponsor, who I had not listened to up to that point, told me to hold off on rehab and take 30 days and just do what he asks of me and see how it goes. I did just that and thanks to actually taking direction and the action of following the 12 steps, I am now over 4 years sober with no obsession to drink what so ever! It's about as close to a miracle as I've had in my life and I've seen many other people with the same experience.

So yes, go to AA, find a sponsor who is active and will take you through the steps and, most importantly, listen to that sponsor and follow their direction!

There is a saying that I hear that states that after rehab you ultimately just end up with an expensive Big Book (as mentioned by Algorithm). There is some truth to that but rehab also helps lots of people who need that kick start. My sponsor went through rehab and also agreed it was a expensive Big Book but for him it was the price he really did need to pay for that Big Book. Thanks to him my Big Book was much cheaper and just costs a $1 meeting to maintain ; ).

shortstop81

Zen - I don't know if it's appropriate for others to recommend if this outpatient treatment is worth it or not.

Personally, I needed a combo of everything to get sober - AA, outpatient/inpatient treatment, counselling, therapy. Not one particular method was the silver bullet, but rather a culmination of the tools and support systems I picked up.

If money is a real issue, then you could always go with your plan and get active with AA to start. If you continue to struggle, then that treatment program isn't going anywhere. As others have mentioned, there isn't really a price tag on your sobriety, but there are many options out there.

fini

..... the cost is $6,000 which I really do not have. Of course it would cost me more to keep drinking like I have been.

this is an interesting point, ZB.
because when i really didn't have $ for all kinds of needed things, the fact that keeping on drinking cost more never stopped me from drinking more as somehow i'd always find the money for that.

going to AA and finding a sponsor is not much use in and of itself unless you do this in order to do the stepwork. if you want to be done and change your life and are willing to do all the stuff, then ......

ZenButterfly

Thanks for your feedback everyone. I think I will see how I do until January and then make a decision.

Forward12

You can always give AA a go, possibly multiple meetings a day and see how things with. That is free so you've really got nothing to lose.

Algorithm

My personal experience is immaterial, for the simple reason that we're not in a 'no cross-talk' environment, requiring a passive style of self-disclosure ultimately designed to avoid discussion.

The expensive introduction to AA aspect of addiction treatment is common knowledge in the recovery community, as hellrzr noted. It even has a formal name: 12-step facilitation (TSF).

That said, my experience with addiction treatment has indeed been little more than TSF. This should not be surprising, since about 90-95% of rehabs use 12-step facilitation (TSF) as their treatment model.

I discourage such expensive, time-consuming detours, and encourage more decisive, and more direct action. If the original poster is still interested in TSF, however, there should be far less expensive options available if they do a little more research.

They could also read the AA doctrinal literature, or hop on over to the silkworth.net web site and listen to audio book versions, and decide if paying for an introduction to all of that is even necessary. They even have the Father Martin chalk talks on there.

The Big Book of AA, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, Under the Influence by James Milam, and Father Martin's chalk talks will probably get you practically the same treatment.

One could also always simply quit drinking.

Fusion

I couldn't agree more with Algorithm. Holding my sober head up and proud, to be self-recovered after I quit drinking. For so long I meandered and was taught it was complicated, conditional, contingent. Not so.

entropy1964

Thanks Algo. I was just asking if it was your experience because my personal experience has been so different than what you describe in your first post. But I do understand what your saying. And man if I could 'simply quit drinking' without support, believe me I would We're all different and I'm so happy you've found a way that works for you. That's what we're all after here. I most definitely don't want/need to defend or argue anything.

BullDog777

when all was said and done the cost of my hospital and rehab was more than 40K. Honestly, had i known it would have been so expensive i probably would'nt have gone. I'd also probably be dead right now too. just food for thought.

Algorithm

How was your treatment experience? You went several times, no?

entropy1964

Hey Algo

If its all the same to you, this isn't my thread. Its not that I don't want to share, its that I don't think its appropriate here.

As it pertains to the OP's question I believe that treatment can be a necessary option when the person is ready. Ready being the operative word. If an addict is not ready (and that's been me) the treatment will not be effective. No program will unless the addict is truly ready to embrace a new way of thinking. If a person can go to meetings or embrace a program that works without treatment, as many do, that's a win win.

If you want 'my story' please PM me and I'll tell ya all about it

tomsteve

early on I heard," give AA 90 days. read the book and start working the steps. if you don't like what ya got, your misery will be refunded at the door."
at 90 days, I didn't know what was different, but something was- different in a good way.
it wasn't much after that I realized drinking for 23 years yet giving AA 90 days wasn't very fair. I decided to give it 23 years, then make a decision.
I have 12 more years before I make my decision, but so far the results have been pretty awesome.

FreedomCA

If rehab can be avoided by meetings, sponsorship and stepwork, great. You have now saved money and the cost of having to leave your life for however many days.

But if someone for whatever reason is unable to do those above things, the rehab option may be needed to get things going.

Dee74

For those who find support essential I think AA is a pretty easily accessed support structure.

You may also find SMART and LifeRing meetings around if you live in a big town or city.

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...formation.html

No need to wait until January IMO - if you decide to do IOP as well later on, so much the better.

D