ZortonDog

I am a father of an alcoholic/substance abuser. Does anyone have experience with with Lakeside Milam in Seattle Washington? We are from Alaska and they say on the website they have lots of experience? Does anyone know "their results" of their 30 day in-patient treatment program.

We have provided our son two options. 1) Go, come home, and join a support group or 2) Leave home and he is on his own.

We spoke with several counselors today.

Zorton

Spiritual Seeker

The results of any 30 day treatment center is not
good.
Chance of success with longer treatment option, minimum 3 - 6 mos.
Then instead of coming home going into sober living home.

Is your son a miner? or over 18?
My son went to two short term centers and relapsed immediately.
He is 24 now and in a 1 yr. program for 17- 25 yr olds.
He's been there 10 mos. and doing well. Long term programs are best, but expensive.
It is a myth that 30 days will be the fix. I thought that too when my son was 18 and I was just learning that he had a problem.
Insurance companies like this model, but in reality it is just not enough time.
This visit my son didn't really start getting serious about recovery until he'd been there six mos.

denny57

Just wanted to say welcome, ZortonDog, glad you're here!

It sounds like you have good boundaries in place with your son and I wish you the best of luck. I've also heard 30 days is not enough, but every case is different I suppose. How old is your son?

p.s. why did you take out the moose :-)

ZortonDog

Thanks for the prompt response. My son is 23, works part-time, and goes to the university part-time. The "short-terms" are limited in Alaska. He has had a couple of bad "times" lately - DTs - last week, he had a seizure last weekend - ended up in hospital ad yesterday - he had what I think, was an LDS trip - I lived the 60s and 70s so I know what it looks like, but the doctor found no evidence of it. But it's my understanding alcohol can do this. He has 1.01 % alcohol, but neither my wife nor me could smell it.

Additionally, the police would not arrest him. We thought that might help, but I suspect it doesn't now. There is no space in the hospital in-patient treatment either.

Any suggestions? Thanks very much.

So we are desperate at the moment.

Z

Ago

I don't know about Lakeside Milam in Seattle Washington, however rehabs generally speaking have a fairly standard "format", if you have questions about specific programs I can put you in touch with plenty of young people that have gone to various programs, there are a number of programs locally so I see people in "rehabs" nearly daily at meetings that have gone to rehabs in Utah, Arizona, Montana, Oregon blah blah blah.

There is one local one, Mayflower I think it's called, it seems to last anywhere from 6 months to a year, it seems very good, as well as "Serenity Knolls with 30, 60, and 90 day programs I think.

If your son is ready to get sober 30 days is plenty, if he's not 6 months is not enough.

I see hundreds of extremely young people that have some pretty serious "sobriety" in the AA meetings I attend, actually the meeting I went to this evening had maybe 100 "young people" there, and sure enough, the speaker had a 30 day "shake and bake" rehab, had a relapse, now has many years, and most of these "young people" have 30 day programs in their "story" that "didn't take" but the truth of the matter is thirty days is enough time to "ruin their drinking", a 30 day rehab "plants a seed" in young people. Most relapse no matter how long their first treatment is (in my experience and listening to "young" speakers that's my impression, it's by no means 100% but it's often enough to be "common") but for some reason, once an alcoholic has some sobriety, their "bottom" hits fast, and they know where to turn for a solution.

Please feel free to PM me if you are interested in me putting you in touch with some young people with some serious sobriety and actual direct experience with rehabs.