tylorwellington

Hi Folks,
I'm having trouble getting answers to what I think is a simple question, maybe you can help?

I'm currently in the process of helping a loved one find treatment. When we ask questions about what treatments will be used in any given facility we call, they won't tell us much.

So here's my specific question, and it's particularly aimed at those who have been to inpatient treatment programs:

What specific methods of treatment did you undergo while at rehab, and, which ones did you find helpful? Further, if you could describe the exact processes used by your treatment provider, that would be great too.

I'm trying to be an educated consumer about this, in the same way that my doctor explained my options for dealing with a nerve problem a few years back, and gave me detailed explanations of the procedures involved, I would like to be just as informed about addiction treatment, but substantial answers have been hard for me to find.

This question also goes out to anyone who works in treatment. But please, I don't need an explanation of the steps or spirituality or words of wisdom about recovery. Not that I have a problem with any of that, but when I asked this same basic question in another forum, I didn't get any answers to my actual question about treatment methods/procedures. I'm on the verge of laying out a lot of money for treatment, so I must know what I'm getting into.

thanks in advance!

T.

Anna

Hi,

I am sure that treatment methods vary considerably from place to place, so your best option is to ask questions of each place you call. By the way, is your loved one seeking treatment for him/herself, or is this your idea? The motivation the person has is far, far more important than the treatment centre.

tylorwellington

He has asked me to help him.

Part of the problem is that when we call to programs they won't give detailed answers, and some of them spout a little bit of jargon. So my purpose here, is to find out from people who've experienced being treated for addiction, what are the treatment methods they underwent, and their opinions on whether in their specific case, the treatment helped. Then, I will know what questions to ask when I make another call - because as it is now, they people at these programs are only rushing us to enroll, but not really giving us info. I haven't laid down on an operating table without an explanation of the procedure involved, and I wouldn't think it proper to enter into an addiction treatment without knowing about the procedure involved. I'm sure people can relate to my standards here. Hopefully you can fill me in on your experience with different treatment methods.

yeahgr8

I went to 12 step rehab, it basically gave me an introduction into the program of AA which is a a workable solution for alcoholism (NA for drugs)...it proved to me that there was a solution and that there were real life examples of people that had stayed sober for 20 years plus and led happier lives than i ever had...

Of course you could fast track it and walk into AA, ask for a sponsor and begin the steps but rehab was part of my journey to recovery...

I chose 12 step rehab because i wanted to have support when i got out and had been to AA a few times before and knew i could go there afterwards...it was a choice of the 12 step rehab or a holistic one which was much nicer and seemed it would be a lot of fun but as i was screwed and desperate i went for the one that might help:-)

tylorwellington

thanks yeahgr8. So was it basically an education in the 12 steps? or was there some other process involved?

Anna

Many of our members start recovery by going to AA and using the 12-steps. There are also many others who use different recovery programs or figure something out themselves. I did it on my own, and with the continued help of SR. Some of our members use detox and inpatient/outpatient treatment.

laurie6781

Actually as much as you 'feel' you are 'helping' your friend, because 'he asked you for help' it is a very bad idea.

He needs to do HIS OWN FOOTWORK even if it is just starting out by going to AA, if he truly wants recovery.

This is a common ploy of A's so that when whatever you choose does not work (because he refused to do the work) you will ultimately get the blame. It will be "see, I went, it just didn't work, YOU picked the wrong place." etc

It is up to the A (Alcoholic and/or Addict) to do their own work on finding recovery.

Maybe you might like to come over to our Friends and Family of Alcoholics forum:

Friends and Family of Alcoholics - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information

Lots of great folks there who have learned from personal experience that the A needs to do this themselves.

Love and hugs,

tylorwellington

Thanks for the advice Laurie, but with all due respect, I'm not looking for judgment over my personal relationship, I'm asking for information about treatment methods. I'm looking for honest descriptions of treatment methods people have undergone, and personal opinions as to whether they were helpful to that particular person.

If you haven't been to a treatment program/rehab, then you needn't worry about my question, because you can't be expected to give answers you don't have.

Now, there has to be some people here who have undergone addiction treatment - would you mind sharing your experience with the methods involved?

thanks,
T.

susanlauren

Tylorwellington,

I think Laurie has hit the nail on its head. Unless you are seeking treatment for a minor (i.e., under age 18), the individual who wants treatment should be making the phone calls to the various treatment centers, researching on the internet and doing whatever other footwork is necessary. It should not be a family member doing the work.

In my opinion, whether you were asked to help or not is irrelevant. If your family member really wants help, he or she should be taking the initiative, taking action and making a "sweat equity investment" in his or her own recovery. Otherwise, I think Laurie is right: the situation is going to turn around and bite you in the butt.

From my own life experience, I would tell you that if someone wants recovery badly enough, that person will seek the solution with a vengence. Nothing will stand in the way. There will be willingness to do anything, to go to any length to get better. It is the alcoholic or addict's responsibility to find his or her way into recovery.

I did not go to treatment. I went to AA directly. But if I had needed or wanted rehab, I never would have allowed a family member to find a treatment center for me. Never.

Susan


PS. You know T, when you ask for people's help or advice, you don't always get what you want to hear. I considered deleting my post after I read your response to Laurie, but I'm not going to do that. You can discount or disregard what I have to say and/or what Laurie has to say if you wish but my advice stands.

keithj

I went through a few treatment programs, both inpatient and outpatient. One of them was very CBT based. I ended up drunk. One was standard matrix model of education, relapse prevention, behavioral modification, some 12 Step ideas thrown in. I ended up drunk. One was combination of MRT, CBT, relapse prevention, education, etc. I ended up drunk.

Spiritual awakening through AA's 12 Steps led to years of contented sobriety and a life beyond my expectations.

tylorwellington

I understand that this is yours and Laurie's position, point taken. And now, no one else needs to tell me the same thing, even though they may feel this way. I didn't come here looking for an argument, so we needn't argue over it. Your advice is taken under consideration.

Suppose that I just want to know about the treatment methods. Am I allowed to know? Or is it a secret? Are friends and family not allowed to be informed about the procedures? I would like to know, so if it's so painful to you that I might pass that information along to someone who's in need of it, then either don't respond, or pretend that I'm asking for myself.

Again, can anyone tell me about the procedures/methods involved in addiction treatment? Which ones work/how do they work? If I were looking for a rehab for myself, which methods do you recommend, from personal experience?

Anna

Tylor, it does seem as if you are not liking the responses you're getting here.

Our members are honest and forthright, and telling it like it is.

You should not be doing the looking, and any method will work if the motivation is there.

tylorwellington

I liked the responses to my actual question, such as keithj's. I'd love to hear him expand on that answer and tell me a little bit about what he was exposed to with those method's - like what happens in matrix model or cbt. Or maybe he won't because he thinks they're worthless - I don't know. But these are the type of responses I find helpful: those that answer my actual question.

And I'll rephrase for those of you who think I shouldn't be passing along info to someone in need. I personally want to know about methods used in rehab, I'd like to know how you're treated with the method (like how does it work? do you read a book? are there some sort of exercises or something? or is it some trick of psychiatry that the method employs? idk, but I want to know, so that I can be informed), and whether you think it's helpful.

thanks
T.

tylorwellington

Also, if this helps, I'll give an analogy that may help anyone who's interested to help me:

Q: I'm having a problem with my foot and ankle. It's often numb or tingling and in intense pain every time I bend it. Has anyone experienced this and fixed it? If so, what did you do, and how did it work?

A: I had the same thing. I was under the care of several doctors for a few months, but it continued nonetheless. The thing that finally worked was an epidural. A pain specialist put me on a table with a live ultrasound so that he could view my spine as he performed the procedure. He inserted two needles into my lower back at just the right spot and applied a medicine to my spine. He said there was an inflamed nerve there that other forms of medicine weren't effectively reaching - this was supposed to make the inflammation go down, so that the nerve which connected to that area of my leg could function properly. I left his office in a lot of pain, but within a few days I was able to walk normally again without any of the symptoms. That was a year ago, and I've been great ever since. If you have the same thing, it may be worth asking your doctor about the possibility of using the same treatment.

This is a real example from my own life. That's all I'm looking for here. Several doctors that were helping me never mentioned this option, and I was lucky enough to finally find one who did. In the meantime, I threw a lot of money down the drain, and was in pain for a long time. I may have found my solution quicker if I had known about more options. That's all I'm looking for - experience in dealing with different methods of addiction treatment, and some basic understanding of what's involved.

Anna

Here is a complete list of recovery programs:

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

least

WHen I was in rehab the first three days were to detox safely and then I was issued a full daily schedule of classes, counseling, meetings, and 'homework'. It was very regimented. We were busy all day, all recovery-related. It was a very AA-oriented rehab. I must say that the food was wonderful - I gained weight!

laurie6781

Your analogy doesn't work here as we do NOT give medical advice.

For every treatment program or rehab there are that many different 'opinions' about it.

Google rehabs in your area. Google MRT, CBT, SMART, and the others listed in Anna's link.

Besides that, what a program is CBT, AA. whatever, it affects each individual alcoholic and/or addict a bit differently.

There really is no way to tell you say about Hazelden and their rehab. Why? Well for 1) to some extent they do try to outline the program for each individual, and 2) each individual that has been through Hazelden in the last 30 years or so has a bit different experience.

Good luck.

Love and hugs,

yeahgr8

Education in 12 steps and also doing the first 4 steps at the rehab with a view to leaving and immediately finding a sponsor and continuing the work...what usually happens is that when you leave rehab the sponsor will ask you to go through from step 1 again which is cool as very few rehabs do the steps the Big Book way which any decent sponsor will have you do, i.e. the way that has gotten all those alcoholics sober since late 1930's...

Also we went to an AA meeting a week at the rehab and had ones in the rehab centre which was great for me as i was literally petrified of AA...

Hope that helps:-)

Just noticed Keith's post, yeah i got drunk after rehab...BUT it did help me walk into AA where i got sober 6 weeks later so much as i would like to say that the rehab was not part of the journey to getting sober, it actually was for me because i wouldn't have gone to AA and done what was asked before the time that i did, if that make sense...

I did try all sorts of "treatments" along the way over the 20 years i was drinking too...and i have to say, again, i needed to do them all because it was only when i had run out of all option and exhausted all avenues that AA would have worked for me...thats for me anyway...

Then again i know people that have walked into AA in their early twenties with no previous treatment and have been sober ever since...so...

But yeah Keith is spot on if your other can walk into AA, get a sponsor, work the steps your other will fully recover from the alcoholism...it's just getting their ass there with enough willingness to actually do what they are asked to do which, in my case, would not have been the easiest thing to convince me to do until i was ready...

bellakeller

I went to a strictly 12-step rehab. There we had one-on-one counseling, family counseling, group therapy, 12-step meetings and retraining on basic life skills. It wasn't a magic bullet; my treatment hasn't ended there. I think this might be one of those diseases with no current cure; just constant treatment. After rehab, I've gone to outpatient group therapy and AA. I also have a shrink and a therapist. It's all worked to help keep me sober so far.

keithj

Tylor,
The treatment I've been through has all been some variation on the theme of group counseling to identify the behavior patterns that lead me to drink. Then, strategies are presented for how to change those behavior patterns. There has been emphasis on environmental changes, and emphasis on coping skills. I've had education on how the body and brain responds to alcohol, and education on how my core belief system is leading me to an inevitable drink.

You can, and should, look up the specifics of CBT, MRT, DBT, Gorski's Relapse Prevention, and the Matrix model of addiction treatment. It's all going to involve a lot of group counseling and discussion, with specific homework designed to get the client to see the problem and cope in more productive ways.

You should also know that 30 day treatments have abysmal success rates. Those that are successful use treatment as a springboard to a continued recovery. In that regard, everything I learned in treatment was wonderful. It's all good stuff. But this is a lifetime deal. The specifics of the treatment mode don't matter much at all, because the client is going to have to figure out a way of living that works for a lifetime. What they do in 30 days (or even a year) is barely scratch the surface of a new way of life.