If you are looking for help for an addicted loved one, don’t let myths about inpatient drug and alcohol addiction treatment facilities get in the way.
Let’s dispel some of the myths and misconceptions about this treatment option.
Myth No. 1: Inpatient Treatment Centers Only Cater to Celebrities.
Fact: One of the advantages that an inpatient treatment center can offer its clients is privacy. Once someone checks in, they have the time they need to focus their attention on healing and their sobriety, without the distractions of the outside world.
This factor benefits people in the public eye as well as “regular” folks. You don’t need to be famous to get help at an inpatient treatment center.
Myth No. 2: Residential Treatment Is Too Expensive.
Fact: Most inpatient treatment facilities accept insurance. You can find out in advance how many treatment days your insurer will cover and the percentage of the cost the insurer will pay.
Great Oaks Recovery invites you to fill out our online insurance verification form to learn more about how your benefits can be applied to addiction treatment.
Myth No. 3: Inpatient Treatment Centers Make You Go Off All Drugs “Cold Turkey.”
Fact: In some instances, going off alcohol all at once is dangerous and can even be life-threatening. Each residential drug and alcohol treatment facility sets its own policies around detoxification. However, a medically-supervised detox is not the same thing as having a client simply go off their drug of choice and wait for them to “sweat it out” over the next several days.
At Great Oaks, all new clients receive a complete and thorough evaluation that includes a physical exam. The detox program is overseen by our medical director and clinical staff. Specially trained and licensed nurses are available on a 24-hour basis to monitor clients’ condition and provide comfort measures, which may include medications as necessary. A therapist is assigned to each client at this initial phase to offer suggestions for managing symptoms as well. We do everything we can to keep clients as comfortable as possible during withdrawal.
Myth No. 4: Going to Detox Is Enough.
Fact: If it were that easy, inpatient treatment centers for drug and alcohol abuse wouldn’t exist. Going through detox only frees a person’s body from the influence of chemicals. It doesn’t teach them how to stay sober going forward.
It takes time to learn how to adjust to a life without drugs and alcohol. For many people with substance abuse issues, their drug of choice has been an important coping mechanism for a number of years. It helps them reduce their stress levels or just “check out” when things become too much for them to deal with.
To take that away without replacing it with a more positive option doesn’t teach the person better ways to deal with life’s inevitable stressors. It only sets up the person for a likely relapse, since they will revert to the strategies they are familiar with if they don’t receive professional treatment.
Myth No. 5: If I Go into Treatment and I Relapse, it’s a Sign of Failure.
Fact: A slip or a full-on relapse isn’t a sign of failure. It’s an indication that you’re human. We talk about being in recovery, not being recovered from addiction. It’s an ongoing process that you walk through one day at a time.
There are times when, despite the continuing care support offered after the residential treatment program is finished, individuals experience a slip or even a relapse. It’s never too late to return to treatment to get back on track and to revisit some tools for dealing with stressors.
How Great Oaks Recovery Center Can Help
Great Oaks Recovery Center offers a full spectrum of addiction treatment, from detoxification to continuing care and a family program. We’re committed to helping clients build a future free from the burden of drug or alcohol addiction.
