AHS Views

Many people go in and out of drug rehab over and over again. They go through rehab, relapse, rehab, relapse, and on and on. Why? There are thousands of rehab centers available, they have different philosophies and treatment methods and the results, obviously, can vary. How are you supposed to know beforehand whether a drug rehab program will suit your situation and actually work?

For the layman, it’s hard to know. But a drug rehab specialist who has helped thousands of addicts and is familiar with the various types of rehab can assess the situation and determine which type of program would be best.

No matter which program is used, success is determined by the rehab program’s ability to get down to the bottom of the problem that caused the person to become addicted in the first place. It also has to give the person the tools they need to stay drug free once they leave.

Each person’s needs are different. If you want to stop the revolving door of rehab, get a drug rehab counselor to help you find the program that’s right for you.

One of the problems with drug addiction and abuse is that the person often has to resort to criminal activity to support the habit. This can be a disaster for addicts as it’s almost as easy to get drugs in jail as it is in the streets – yet another reason to get addicts into drug rehab fast.

I read an article today about a teen who’d become addicted to prescription painkillers after being prescribed them by his doctor. He’d been on them quite a while – he’d had three surgeries – but, unfortunately, it doesn’t have to take long to get addicted to things like OxyContin. Some people get addicted in a week or two.

He got involved in dealing the drugs – working under bigger dealers – just to support his own habit, not to make money, and then couldn’t quit. The dealers told him that if he quit dealing, they’d hurt his mother.

That’s the kind of thing you’re up against if you let someone who’s addicted to drugs stay that way. If someone you care about is addicted to drugs, get in touch with a drug rehab program counselor who can help you find treatment.

I saw an article today entitled Rehab Centers Take Issue with Media’s Portrayal of Revolving Door Celebrities. While it’s true that relapse gets more attention that success, the fact is that many rehab facilities are a revolving door – which is why “relapse is part of recovery” is believed by so many. But, it doesn’t have to be like that. There is such a thing as a successful drug rehab program and, if you’re looking for a rehab that works, a drug rehab program counselor can help you find one.

Why do people relapse? Because all of the components needed to make rehab successful are not part of every drug rehab program. For example, many rehab programs last 30 days or less. Drug addicts have often been using drugs for years and, chances are, the reasons they began using drugs probably started years before that. How can you sort all that out in 28 days? It’s just not enough – especially when they first have to go through withdrawal.

If you’re looking for a good drug rehab program, choose one that will keep the person until they are really rehabilitated. They have to have a real desire to be off drugs. In fact, the desire to not take drugs has to be stronger than the desire that drove their addiction. When you consider that addicts will do just about anything to get their next hit, that’s saying a lot.

Nevertheless, once the person is back out in the world, that’s exactly what it will take to prevent relapse. And the chances of a person getting to that point in 21 days are pretty slim.

If you’re looking for a rehab program that really works, don’t settle for something second best. It may seem easier, faster or even less costly, but none of that will do you any good if there’s a relapse. Not only does the risk continue, you’ll have to pay for rehab over and over again. Contact a drug rehab program counselor who can help you find something that really works.

Although it’s usually parents who are looking for alcohol or drug rehab for their kids, sometimes the tables are turned – singer and actor Mario’s mother had a heroin addiction most of Mario’s life. He’s now produced a documentary about it called I Won’t Love You to Death: The Story of Mario and His Mom. She has been clean now for 3 ½ months - Mario says they’ve been the best in his life - thanks to Mario, family friends, an interventionist and drug rehab.

I’ve known a lot of people who’ve grown up with parents who are addicted to drugs or alcohol. It’s a very hard life for both the parents and the kids.

I Won’t Love You to Death is a very appropriate title. Parents who are tolerant about their kids taking drugs or drinking, and kids who tolerate the same thing in their parents, really are in a life and death situation. Sometimes we think that being loving and tolerant will make the problem go away. But, it won’t. The number of alcoholics or drug addicts who recover on their own can be counted on one hand. Drug rehab is what they need.

A good drug rehab program counselor can help you with intervention, and make sure the person you care about gets into a drug rehab program that’s right for them. Don’t wait. Don’t love them to death.

I read an article today that had a link in it that allows you to find 15,000 drug rehab centers with one click. If someone you care about is on drugs, the last thing you need is to have to search through 15,000 different drug rehab programs and centers to find the one that’s right for you. Really, if you’re concerned about someone who’s taking drugs, or who is be abusing alcohol, your best course of action is to contact a drug counsellor - a specialist who knows all about it, can answer your questions, and help you find the right drug rehab or other treatment that you’re loved one needs. Not all drug rehab programs are the same: you have to make sure that the one you choose is one that will work for the person you’re trying to help. Choosing the wrong one could result in relapse - which happens to many people. A good drug rehab program counselor can help you find one that will work. 

It looks like Lindsay Lohan needs to go back to rehab. She was seen drinking at a Utah bar less than a week after completing two months of drug rehab.

If Lohan is back to partying already then I am sure more trouble is soon to follow. Just this year she has been in three different drug rehab programs, and has had several run ins with the law - including a driving under the influence.

In the process, Lohan is killing her career. Her last film, “I Know Who Killed Me,” was her lowest grossing yet. Granted she’s not one of the great actresses of our time yet, but she does have potential. And she’s throwing it away.

If she doesn’t get it together she is going to end up in jail or worse. Her best move right now would be to get back into a drug rehab program and stay there until her alcohol and drug addiction is really handled.

“Babyshambles” front man Pete Doherty is in the news much more for his drug addiction, on and off relationship with model Kate Moss and run-ins with the law than for his music. After years of drug addiction, he’s finally in a drug rehab program and has been clean for seven weeks – the longest time he’s gone without drugs in eight years..

What’s cool about this is that he’s proud of it. “In the last eight years, I’ve never been that long without drugs. I’m not going to lie and say it’s not a struggle, because it is. But in a way, I’m quite proud to be able to admit it, particularly for my mum and dad,” he told reporters.

After three years, Doherty has also reunited with his dad. “My dad has welcomed me back into the fold. I can actually go home, I can actually talk to him. He came in for some family therapy, which is a miracle in itself. It was an emotional time, to be honest,” he said.

Doherty’s attitude is a far cry from other celebs in the news who seem to be largely using their rehab as a media magnet.

Thanks for the good news, Pete. And good luck. It’s great to have another celeb actually taking a drug rehab program seriously.

Should addicts who commit crimes as a result of drug addiction get their prison sentence reduced if they successfully complete a drug rehab program?

I read an article today about a man who robbed 11 restaurants, a liquor store and a convenience store to get money for drugs. While awaiting sentencing, he got into a drug rehab program and, so far, appears to have handled his addiction. As a result, the judge reduced his seven-year sentence to five.

The judge noted that this is the first time in the man’s adult life that he’s been clean and that “his efforts should be encouraged as being the best means of protecting the public.”

The success of drug courts in the U.S. has proven his point. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration quotes about 80% of addicts commit crimes directly related to their drug addiction. If the criminal gets help with his addiction through a successful drug rehab program, he’s likely to stay out of prison permanently.

The New Jersey Star Ledger just reported that an employee of a drug treatment center was arrested for sexual assault. He’s worked at the center for the last five years but was picked up after investigations revealed he had demanded sex from two clients in exchange for swapping their dirty urine samples for clean ones so they could pass their drug tests. Not exactly the ideal employee for a drug rehab program.

Currently the man is not allowed to counsel women doing court-mandated drug rehab but, believe it or not, he’s still working there!
 
That kind of behavior is bad enough under any circumstances but having worked in the drug rehab field for a while now I can guarantee you that the chances of those girls completing the program successfully are very slim. Several years ago a client told me she got involved in a relationship with her drug counselor at another rehab center – both she and the counselor wound up on drugs. Thankfully, the client ended the relationship and got into a successful drug rehab program.

But others aren’t so lucky. When a drug rehab program employee steps over the line and behaves inappropriately towards a client, they should be out of there. Forever. And never allowed to work in another drug rehab program.

Tom Sizemore’s reality TV Shooting Sizemore centers around Tom’s legal difficulties stemming from his drug addiction. Sizemore has been to drug treatment more times than I can count but, once again, he’s violated probation. Fortunately, a judge is sending him to drug rehab.

Sizemore’s troubles started in 2004 when he was arrested for possession of crystal meth. Last May he was arrested again, and was initially sentenced to 16 months in prison.

But Sizemore got lucky: He says he’s ready to kick the habit and a judge has given him another shot at rehab. If he makes it through rehab successfully, he won’t serve any more prison time but, if he blows it, he could be in prison for four years.

Sizemore says some people may not think he deserves another chance, but he’s glad he got it. Let’s hope that having a successful TV show about your drug escapades doesn’t stop him from getting through a drug rehab program successfully.