Treatment Rehab & Detox Clinics: Share your experiences

[Moreaux]

@Moreaux

I'm curious about your experience with rehab for a benzo / alcohol addiction. I actually made a thread a few months ago as I was considering it for a high dose clonazepam dependance and wanted to get away and taper in an 'easier' environment than real life. I also thought it'd be a good way to learn some skills about addiction in general, as I've gotten off benzo's before but have a very addictive personality and tend to replace them with something.

I even received abuse from a member here for asking, as it's not a 'real' addiction. Although it was a tiny minority and quickly handled by moderators.

After reaching out to a number of inpatient rehabs I decided not to go ahead with it for benzo's. Mainly due to the the tapering schedules proposed. Some consulted with their Psychiatrists on staff and gave me a rough tapering schedule that would be used in my circumstances.

Most said something like "I can't give you an example as it's up to the Dr, but he's very experienced! we get people off benzo's straight away!!

None could agree on a taper beforehand - ultimately it would be up to the doctor when I arrive which I didn't want to leave to chance. Most talked about prescribing anti psychotics / antidepressants as well. When I stated my goal was to just get off benzo's the response was generally the same, we can't help it's up to the (prescribing) doctor, and you have to take whatever is prescribed. In all cases the prescribing Dr's weren't on staff full time, even at the higher end places I contacted.

-----

Anyway I've gone off topic but would be interested in your experiences - length of time, taper schedule that was used.
Cheers.

Unfortunately rehab just cut me off of benzos - no taper. The only thing they gave me was an antisiezure medication. I was in rehab for 28 days, and it really didn't hit me until after I got out. It was miserable, and if it weren't for the support my parents gave me I would have committed suicide. If you can't find a place to do a taper I would work with your doctor and taper with them until you ready to step off and then go to rehab if you want to deal with addiction issues. I would not consider cold turkey an option as you'll go through horrible excitotoxicity which takes year to recover from (I know, it's been 6 years and I'm at 80%).

Here's a link to the Ashton Manual - this is the most comprehensive resource available for benzo tapering:

[irl]http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/[/url]

I would do this with a doctor if at all possible. I would request a script for Indural (propranolol) to help with th rebound anxiety that comes with getting off of benzos. It's non-narcotic and stops the adrenaline reaction. It works well and was a life saver when I was going through withdrawal.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Unfortunately rehab just cut me off of benzos - no taper. The only thing they gave me was an antisiezure medication. I was in rehab for 28 days, and it really didn't hit me until after I got out. It was miserable, and if it weren't for the support my parents gave me I would have committed suicide. If you can't find a place to do a taper I would work with your doctor and taper with them until you ready to step off and then go to rehab if you want to deal with addiction issues. I would not consider cold turkey an option as you'll go through horrible excitotoxicity which takes year to recover from (I know, it's been 6 years and I'm at 80%).

Here's a link to the Ashton Manual - this is the most comprehensive resource available for benzo tapering:

[irl]http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/[/url]

I would do this with a doctor if at all possible. I would request a script for Indural (propranolol) to help with th rebound anxiety that comes with getting off of benzos. It's non-narcotic and stops the adrenaline reaction. It works well and was a life saver when I was going through withdrawal.

wise words indeed sister

 

[manboychef]

Yeah I am still getting waves of anxiety that are worse than when I first started taking them months later.

 

[tom yum]

I know of a new rehab in Thailand called SafeHouse. I've read their programme , and it seems terrific. affordable too. It seems 'old style' , where they do a bit on the first few of 12 steps, and 'new style' by way of utilising all and every complementary therapy going. I went to rehabs in the early 80's , early 90's and early 00's in the UK. I'd have like the option of Thailand back then! Mind you, perhaps i would have disappeared in the Golden Triangle for ever!

 

[Choose Life]

Methadone clinic
Clearwater Florida
Year 2005
Experience..Give us your money
And get out

 

[Moreaux]

This review site seems comprehensive and legitimate. I was able to check out the programs I have attended and they were all there and the reviews were accurate.

Ignore the ads and scroll to the bottom of the page where you can type your zip code in and see the different treatment facilities in your area. They include inpatient, out patient, psychiatric, and day programs amongst other things.

http://www.rehabs.com/reviews/our-review-process/

 

[subotai]

Rehab from what I've seen in my experience. I'm sure a lot aren't like this but a lot of them are

"Tell us how you really are feeling"
*whatever you say"
"Here's why you shouldn't feel like that"

-Bring a lot of cigarettes but only carry 6 in your pack at a time so it looks like your almost out

Males- expect to have a lot of people try to 1-up you

Females- expect a lot of dudes to flirt with you

-There's a lot of cliques. It's basically high school without the Vladimir.

- A lot of people are real emotional because they've been getting high for however long and it all comes back out.

-There's a lot of talk in rehab, full of talkers. Not as many doers. Maybe it's just me but the real doers don't really talk about it.

-Everyone has a "boy" that did *whatever you just said*, only twice as much and often

- Spends one night sleeping in the backyard
*scumbagsteve.jpg*
"So I was homeless for a bit"

- A lot of people question the higher power thing as a cop out for doing the steps yet their the same people telling you to pray for all the dead junkies and the ones who can't make it in the door

- Just flat out ungrateful people all around. And so blatant about it. It's crazy

- Staff is (hopefully) people in recovery. I never had any problems

Don't get me wrong, there's some people who genuinely want to change their lives in rehab, and it's not usually hard to figure out who's actually about it.

But there's a lot of people who went there to hang out for a bit until they can start getting high again.

I've been on both sides of the fence so I really can't throw any stones, im just pointing out what to expect.

I really don't say much in rehab, although this causes people to ask you to share more. But if you share too much, they tell you to listen more.

It's really hard to not get any criticism in rehab because that's part of the process, telling you things you can work on. Nobody goes in there on a high note.

Better than a jail cell though, and surprisingly enough, people straight from jail are usually the best clients in rehabs.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Would you care to explain this post a bit? It interests me.

 

[aihfl]

-Bring a lot of cigarettes but only carry 6 in your pack at a time so it looks like your almost out

Males- expect to have a lot of people try to 1-up you

Females- expect a lot of dudes to flirt with you

-There's a lot of cliques. It's basically high school without the Vladimir.

Not sure what Vladimir references, but check, check, check and check.

-There's a lot of talk in rehab, full of talkers. Not as many doers. Maybe it's just me but the real doers don't really talk about it.

Yep. Out of all the people I kept tabs on after leaving rehab, count 'em, ONE left there and stayed sober. And it wasn't me.

-Everyone has a "boy" that did *whatever you just said*, only twice as much and often

The day supervisor at my last rehab: "We hear all of you talking out on the patio and we know most of it isn't true."

- Staff is (hopefully) people in recovery. I never had any problems

This I would have swallowed as hard to believe, then very, very recently I was at an AA meeting. Some folks in treatment were brought to the meeting and THE STAFF MEMBER WHO DROVE THEM THERE (in a white van, of course) PICKED UP A 30 DAY CHIP, so yeah, 'hopefully' is right.

 

[manboychef]

Vladimir is very cheap vodka. Are u from the north east subutai?

 

[aihfl]

Vladimir is very cheap vodka.

Ha! I should have known that. Vodka was my poison of choice. I never did pay attention to the labels though, I just grabbed whatever was cheapest and was at least a step above lighter fluid.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Not sure what Vladimir references, but check, check, check and check.



Yep. Out of all the people I kept tabs on after leaving rehab, count 'em, ONE left there and stayed sober. And it wasn't me.



The day supervisor at my last rehab: "We hear all of you talking out on the patio and we know most of it isn't true."



This I would have swallowed as hard to believe, then very, very recently I was at an AA meeting. Some folks in treatment were brought to the meeting and THE STAFF MEMBER WHO DROVE THEM THERE (in a white van, of course) PICKED UP A 30 DAY CHIP, so yeah, 'hopefully' is right.

ROFLMAO

Funny shit, rings true with most of my experience. One thing I will say is that while most people working in treatment are indeed in "recovery," my experience has demonstrated that they are only slightly, very slight healthier than the people they are trying to "treat."

Most of the behavior that passes for professionalism in the treatment industry would not be tolerated in ANY other are of modern medicine. To be a doctor who practice medicine as a MD, you have to go to school for about a decade and have 1000's of hours of intern experience. Most people who are hired in the treatment field haven't even finished their two year long associates degree at a community college.

No where in modern medicine would someone be hired to provide treatment prior to getting their RN degree or similar certification. The only work they would be allowed to perform legally in a hospital or clinic as an intern would be limited to changing diapers, cleaning up shit and catheterizing patients. Yet people who work in treatment don't even have their crappy alcohol and drug studies degree and are hired to work as treatment team members managing serious caseloads of clients.

Drug and alcohol counselors aren't only inexperienced and under-educated, compared to any of their professional peers in other more respectical fields of medicine, they have almost no experience working with clients, are overworked and struggle just stay in compliance with the absolutely meagerist of charting standards required by lay to document the "progress" of their clients.

It is a very sad state of affairs. If there is anything I do in my life I'd life to see the treatment industry reformed for rapists and child predators aren't allowed to work in the addiction treatment field. You'd be amazed how many predictors are employed by rehaps that treat the most vulnerable of patient populations. It is sad, makes me sick and pisses me off almost as much as what passes for politicians in America 8)

 

[Jabberwocky]

Not sure what Vladimir references, but check, check, check and check.



Yep. Out of all the people I kept tabs on after leaving rehab, count 'em, ONE left there and stayed sober. And it wasn't me.



The day supervisor at my last rehab: "We hear all of you talking out on the patio and we know most of it isn't true."



This I would have swallowed as hard to believe, then very, very recently I was at an AA meeting. Some folks in treatment were brought to the meeting and THE STAFF MEMBER WHO DROVE THEM THERE (in a white van, of course) PICKED UP A 30 DAY CHIP, so yeah, 'hopefully' is right.

ROFLMAO

Funny shit, rings true with most of my experience. One thing I will say is that while most people working in treatment are indeed in "recovery," my experience has demonstrated that they are only slightly, very slight healthier than the people they are trying to "treat."

Most of the behavior that passes for professionalism in the treatment industry would not be tolerated in ANY other are of modern medicine. To be a doctor who practice medicine as a MD, you have to go to school for about a decade and have 1000's of hours of intern experience. Most people who are hired in the treatment field haven't even finished their two year long associates degree at a community college.

No where in modern medicine would someone be hired to provide treatment prior to getting their RN degree or similar certification. The only work they would be allowed to perform legally in a hospital or clinic as an intern would be limited to changing diapers, cleaning up shit and catheterizing patients. Yet people who work in treatment don't even have their crappy alcohol and drug studies degree and are hired to work as treatment team members managing serious caseloads of clients.

Drug and alcohol counselors aren't only inexperienced and under-educated, compared to any of their professional peers in other more respectical fields of medicine, they have almost no experience working with clients, are overworked and struggle just stay in compliance with the absolutely meagerist of charting standards required by lay to document the "progress" of their clients.

It is a very sad state of affairs. If there is anything I do in my life I'd life to see the treatment industry reformed for rapists and child predators aren't allowed to work in the addiction treatment field. You'd be amazed how many predictors are employed by rehaps that treat the most vulnerable of patient populations. It is sad, makes me sick and pisses me off almost as much as what passes for politicians in America

If any of you want to learn more about really happens in the addiction treatment field, check out Maia Szalavitz outstanding piece of investigative journalism entitled Help at Any Cost, How the Troubled-Teen Industry Cons Parents and Hurts Kids.

It is no wonder the success rates for patients remaining abstinent in the world of abstinence-only treatment is less than 5% of clients 8)

 

[subotai]

Vladimir is very cheap vodka. Are u from the north east subutai?

Yeah Pennsylvania

In hindsight, my post was really just my own personal experiences and tried to make it seem like every place was like that

let me clarify: it is what you make it.

theres a lot of good people you'll come across, there's just also some useless people as well.

 

[cj]

Yeah Pennsylvania

In hindsight, my post was really just my own personal experiences and tried to make it seem like every place was like that

let me clarify: it is what you make it.

theres a lot of good people you'll come across, there's just also some useless people as well.

Your post reflected my experience as well. I have never been to a great rehab tbh but the ones I have been too where in it for the money and it was blatantly obvious. If you think far enough down that track than clients relapsing simply become repeat customers. You burn there family of whatever wealth can be gleamed then you kick them down to the next level of care they can afford. Its cynical but if you look at the history of drug treatment its anything but surprising.

 

[Tonechii]

Methadone worked best for me being a heroin addict in the suburbs of Chicago but all they wanted was money and while I remained sober for more than 9 months I just love driving over to the west side seeing people who unfortunately are like family now and getting fucked up for days on end. All methadone clinic I feel do work but just want your money and will detox you in a split second if your 30 seconds late on your payment !!!

 

[Dr.Mambo]

I've only been to treatment once. It was a sober house (halfway house). Wasn't a bad experience just a lot of classes I hated like group therapy nine hours a week, spirituality, other classes at the court house. But I met a lot of cool people. Also met new drug hook ups (there was a dealer right across the street) but that's any rehab. Of was a 12 month program but after nine months o had had enough and left.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Methadone worked best for me being a heroin addict in the suburbs of Chicago but all they wanted was money and while I remained sober for more than 9 months I just love driving over to the west side seeing people who unfortunately are like family now and getting fucked up for days on end. All methadone clinic I feel do work but just want your money and will detox you in a split second if your 30 seconds late on your payment !!!

While this is sadly true of many clinics, particularly in the US where addiction treatment is almost always primarily profit driven, following the word on the street it is pretty easy way to find a better clinic than the kind of shady operation described above.

My experience with various clinics demonstrated this for me. I got lucky with the first, and last, clinic I was enrolled at, a very, very professional operation, though they could be strict as shit about testing dirty. Turned out the other clinic in my area I was looking into was the kind of place described above, so it was pretty awesome I realized how I lucked out from the start with the one I went with.

Then again, in most places it is hard to find a clinic to begin with, and folks are regularly stuck with only one option, and even then required multiple hour daily commutes outside of major cities. Lack of competition and availability particularly lends itself to abusive, exploitive financial practices at methadone treatment providers.

 

[YMI_BISHoP]

Found regaña to be overwhelming.prefer home

 

[cj]

While this is sadly true of many clinics, particularly in the US where addiction treatment is almost always primarily profit driven, following the word on the street it is pretty easy way to find a better clinic than the kind of shady operation described above.

My experience with various clinics demonstrated this for me. I got lucky with the first, and last, clinic I was enrolled at, a very, very professional operation, though they could be strict as shit about testing dirty. Turned out the other clinic in my area I was looking into was the kind of place described above, so it was pretty awesome I realized how I lucked out from the start with the one I went with.

Then again, in most places it is hard to find a clinic to begin with, and folks are regularly stuck with only one option, and even then required multiple hour daily commutes outside of major cities. Lack of competition and availability particularly lends itself to abusive, exploitive financial practices at methadone treatment providers.

Methadone has saved my life but the people who provide the treatment are generally scum