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Addiction Is Not a Disease and Rehab Is Bullshit

All I know is that I would give anything right now to go into a plain detox center that has nothing more than a simple bed, bathroom, shower and three reasonably healthy meals per day, as well as basic detox drugs, a doctor, a nurse and kind, non-judgmental staff. Just allow me to be there 7 to 14 days to get these opioids out of my system at a reasonable price. Give me a place that is in network with my insurance, and uses in network doctors. I don't need anything else but the doctors and nurses coming by every once in awhile and checking my vitals, and giving me hope - that I am not alone, and that I will get thru this. And yes, adjusting my detox meds according to my symptoms. I just don't want to detox alone. I have no family or friends to aid me thru the process. I don't need no rehab meetings, 12 step programs, lectures on how to make amends with people who I supposedly screwed over while using drugs (all I am guilty of is taking doctor's prescriptions). Just get me in and get me out. I have my own psychologist, my own psychiatrist and my own doctors to deal with post-detox matters. And yet it seems is that in order to get this simple form of treatment, I need to make a top attorney's salary or a Hollywood actor.
 
Yes, at the end of the day it is the drug user's own responsibility to learn how to practice new, healthier patterns of behavior, but If you or your insurance is paying tens of thousands of dollars for treatment, anything less than individualized, truly evidence based care should be considered a treatment failure. I don't mean a failure on the part of the person in treatment, but a failure of the treatment providers fo meets the client's needs.
 
bluesteyes said:
All I know is that I would give anything right now to go into a plain detox center that has nothing more than a simple bed, bathroom, shower and three reasonably healthy meals per day, as well as basic detox drugs, a doctor, a nurse and kind, non-judgmental staff. Just allow me to be there 7 to 14 days to get these opioids out of my system at a reasonable price. Give me a place that is in network with my insurance, and uses in network doctors. I don't need anything else but the doctors and nurses coming by every once in awhile and checking my vitals, and giving me hope - that I am not alone, and that I will get thru this. And yes, adjusting my detox meds according to my symptoms. I just don't want to detox alone. I have no family or friends to aid me thru the process. I don't need no rehab meetings, 12 step programs, lectures on how to make amends with people who I supposedly screwed over while using drugs (all I am guilty of is taking doctor's prescriptions). Just get me in and get me out. I have my own psychologist, my own psychiatrist and my own doctors to deal with post-detox matters. And yet it seems is that in order to get this simple form of treatment, I need to make a top attorney's salary or a Hollywood actor.
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Have you asked your doctor to find one for you? They should be able to write up a referral and then locate a detox facility that will accept your insurance. They should be able to tell the cost after insurance up front. What state are you located in?
 
I agree with those who say its a bit of a falsehood that addiction isnt a disease and it can hurt those seeking treatment to say so.

But I believe this guys main point is the rehab system is broken from top to bottom and its model, not the model of addiction needs to change.
 
Moreaux said:
Good points, however, defining what constitutes a good rehab is very subjective, unless it's an outright scam. Honestly, the one I went to was a recovery mill - very over populated primarily concerned with the bottom line. Addicts got five minutes tops with the psychiatrist, treatment was standardized for all of use, DOC or mental health issues didn't matter, we all got the same group treatment. We had counselors which we saw twice - once during admissions and once prior to leaving. Patients had to take the initiative to become educated or take advantage or resources. It was not ideal but I was desperate and figured out how to work the system early on so I was able to make my situation "about me" instead of mindlessly shuffling along with the crowd. I advised all the other patients to do the same. Their success rate is abysmal, but it worked for some of us. Having them available was certainly better than nothing.

I do think most people don't realize that it takes being very proactive in your own recovery to attain sobriety. I think a lot of people expect professional to go in and fix their lives and then get frustrated when that doesn't happen. My first experience in rehab my expectations were similar and I was pissed when I relapsed as they were supposed to "fix me." I think programs need to set expectations up front, and advertise that people will get out of the program what they put into the program.
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The second rehab I went to that sucked was very much like the recovery mI'll you describe. But leaned more toward the scam side of that equation
 
cj said:
The second rehab I went to that sucked was very much like the recovery mI'll you describe. But leaned more toward the scam side of that equation
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That's sad. On one hand I wish they were regulated but I could also see that being harmful. This may bring criticism, but I feel that the only people who should be involved in anything related to recovery are people in recovery because we get it. Both times I went to rehab I had a 22 year old counselor who had the best of intentions but never even tried drugs so they couldn't relate, and talking to them was useless.

I feel like there is big money to be made in recovery because you are dealing with a stigmatized and marginalized desperate population who will try just about anything to reclaim their lives so it's an easy target. I'm not surprised religious venues have gotten involved, I am surprised big pharma hasn't gotten involved as they would benefit from both sides of the equation...
 
I don't think anyone can argue with the dire necessity of supporting higher standards among professionals. It is a privilege to make your living providing substance users treatment. No one is entitled to a job working in treatment just because they themselves were once an addict.

Some skillful regulation would make this possible. The current regulations in place are super few and far between. At the best of times they are rarely enforced. It is sad, because it shows just how much our culture cares about helping substance users recover from addiction.

The good news is that I see the things just starting to change in the treatment world and how our culture understands addiction. The war on drugs and prohibition really did a number on us as a society (this shouldn't be news to any BLers :\).
 
toothpastedog said:
I don't think anyone can argue with the dire necessity of supporting higher standards among professionals. It is a privilege to make your living providing substance users treatment. No one is entitled to a job working in treatment just because they themselves were once an addict.

Some skillful regulation would make this possible. The current regulations in place are super few and far between. At the best of times they are rarely enforced. It is sad, because it shows just how much our culture cares about helping substance users recover from addiction.

The good news is that I see the things just starting to change in the treatment world and how our culture understands addiction. The war on drugs and prohibition really did a number on us as a society (this shouldn't be news to any BLers :\).
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I should have been more specific but I was taking a break from tiling my bathroom and thought I would respond quick. I didn't say that anyone should be entitled to a job. There are many addicts in recovery who are professionals who have the necessary credentials who can man these facilities.

I am absolutely against counselors who are not in recovery being the sole professional point of contact at these recovery centers as they cannot really relate to the addict's struggles. A non-addict lacks the perspective regarding the struggle of recovery and they tend to regurgitate book learned info, but without that addicted perspective it is hard for them to pass that information to the addict in a relatable fashion. They also tend to lack the skill of being able to identify when addicts are giving them lip service, which usually means a deep heartfelt discussion is necessary to examine what is going on with the addict as to why they are obfuscating. It's those missed opportunities that hurt addicts the most, as it tends to happen around issues the addict really needs to address. Also,most addicts feel more comfortable opening up to other addicts. We are a judged and stigmatized group. There are few exceptions where normal people truly do relate, but those people are few and far between in a recovery setting.
 
It is very important that people who work in the treatment field understand addiction. However, uderstanding the nature of addiction doesn't require that one must have once been an addict. Garbor Maté is a perfect example of this.

You post above is the flip side of the addict-normie distinction I find so unhelpful. That dichotomy is useful, but only up to a certain point. The harmful behavior associated with addiction is not binary in nature. In an almost ironic way, the addict-normie distinction, reinforces the stigma of which it is a product of itself.
 
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It's funny, I just recently stumbled upon him...



He seems for the most part to be right on point. My only qualm is I think he pushes the idea of childhood trauma too much. I don't think you need to have suffered some sort of childhood trauma to become an addict, but I pretty much agree with everything else.
 
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toothpastedog said:
It is very important that people who work in the treatment field understand addiction. However, uderstanding the nature of addiction doesn't require that one must have once been an addict. Garbor Maté is a perfect example of this.

You post above is the flip side of the addict-normie distinction I find so unhelpful. That dichotomy is useful, but only up to a certain point. The harmful behavior associated with addiction is not binary in nature. In an almost ironic way, the addict-normie distinction, reinforces the stigma of which it is a product of itself.
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Except he thinks his addiction to classical music counts.

His book is great though.
 
It is perhaps a silly example, but even though it is very acceptable to be addicted to consumer goods in Western society doesn't mean the harms attendant to mass consumption are any less real than those associated with heroin addiction.
 
What state are you located in?
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California. But I was told yet again today by another doctor that as a chronic pain patient and mental health patient with no street drug history, no booze problems, no criminal past, and very little money (but good insurance) that it would be very hard to find an in network detox facility. So I got the Suboxone script instead. And it's not just finding the in network facility - it's important that the facility have in network doctors. One of the local rehabs around here that is preferred but primarily treats street drug users and court-mandated patients actually has doctors in it who aren't preferred with my insurance. If you aren't careful (which is an easy thing to do when you're dope sick), you can end up with a non-in network doc and a huge bill at the end of your stay.

The whole system is massively screwed up. Unless you strike gold, rehab these days is set up to benefit street drug users or guys like Robert Downey Jr. with massive wads of cash. With the rise in prescription drug misuse, there need to be more affordable facilities that can individualize their treatment better. There should be facilities that I can go to, without paying an arm and a leg, that will address my chronic pain issues post-detox, for instance, as opposed to throwing me into AA meetings.

Please note that I am in no way criticizing AA or saying I'm a better person than a street drug user. Everyone has their own individual problems, and whatever works to keep you clean is whatever works. But it needs to be more individualized.
 
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Yes. I've been telling people this for years. Nice find and good read, TPD.

Check out this YouTube video: https://youtu.be/ao8L-0nSYzg

Edit: I would LOVE to get diamorphine at the hospital. This guy is from England I think, I'm pretty sure they use H the same way morphine is used here in the US. Because we're stupid.

Edit II: Nice find on Gabor Mate too, Cf & Nutty. He's written a lot of good books on this subject.
 
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I guess some people are different but speaking for myself I totally agree with TPD i quit smoking cig 19 years ago after smoking my whole life and did it on the first try. Quit weed for a longtime mostly cause of fucking monthly urine samples at pain man. Really the only thing thats ever been able to get a hold of me is 18 years on oxy from pain man, so when i get that monkey off my back im gonna throw him under the wheels of my truck his head will look like glenns did from the walking dead after asshole negan clubbed the shit out of him (maybe thats a little extreem) but really i dont need no counceling i just need to get the fuck off i'll never touch it again trust me i'll live with my pain cause big pharma and pain man hurt me more than my back will. Now i just gotta end this hell taper and jump. Then after all i need is weed and some blue moons and maybe a little bourbon no more fuckin ops!.
 
Definition of disease:

a disorder of structure or function in a human, animal, or plant, especially one that produces specific signs or symptoms or that affects a specific location and is not simply a direct result of physical injury.

Or

a particular quality, habit, or disposition regarded as adversely affecting a person or group of people.

fwiw
 
I've read his book and have to agree. The disease model of addiction is disempowering and creates helpless and hopeless victims out of us.

It's a choice - don't underestimate your ability to condition your behaviour and your brain's inherent neuroplasticity to undo old habits.
 
Bella Figura said:
I've read his book and have to agree. The disease model of addiction is disempowering and creates helpless and hopeless victims out of us.

It's a choice - don't underestimate your ability to condition your behaviour and your brain's inherent neuroplasticity to undo old habits.
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Well said! Thanks Bella!!
 
toothpastedog said:
Well said! Thanks Bella!!
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Thanks toothpastedog, I think it's great to raise awareness of this approach to recovery. It absolves the person suffering a dependancy of any guilt and shame if they do slip up - it's not the end of the world, it's just a matter of persistence and determination. It's way too easy to adopt a defeatist attitude if you're told you've got a disease and it's not your fault you've 'relapsed' and you're doomed etc

Integrative therapy, coupled with mindfulness meditation and some psychedelic / mdma experiences helped me far more than any rehab or group meeting ever could. Once you regain hope and learn to believe in yourself again, it really becomes a mind over matter situation, you just need the self-belief and drive to go for it.

No one is a lost cause :)
 
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