• H&R Moderators: VerbalTruist | cdin | Lil'LinaptkSix

A rant about current treatment models

I would like to see a study done to see if personality type plays a role in the efficiency of self help groups. I always figured it worked better for extroverts rather then introverts like myself

Agreed! I am going to ask around. Who knows :)
 
So I was channel surfing over the weekend and came across an episode of Intervention. Does anyone else think that this show perfectly encapsulates everything wrong with the treatment industry? Like surprising the addict and strong arming them into going to treatment THAT DAY. I'm surprised it doesn't fail more often. Maybe it does, they just don't show those episodes. I know several addicts whose families have surprised them with an intervention and it ended up being a catastrophe. The show is also sensationalized with outright lies. I saw one episode several years ago about an alcoholic. The show stated that this woman drank up to a gallon of vodka a day. Even accounting for her ample size, consuming a gallon of vodka in 24 hours would result in a BAC >1.6. I read a while back that the highest BAC ever recorded was in Poland at 1.48, and the man did not survive. And Jeff Von Vanderen, man, having him at an intervention staged for me is the stuff of nightmares. I would probably call him a "bald asshole" a la Larry David in Curb Your Enthusiasm and walk out.
 
^ "Intervention" is great exploitation trash TV. Total guilty pleasure...love lurid, sensationalized tales of substance abuse...they're always good for a laugh

Threatening to call the police & inform on someone if they don't abide by your wishes is such a punk move, though. That's what they do when the addict is self-sufficient, with their own home and finances...I understand no longer giving someone money & resources to facilitate their drug habit and all that, but to willfully visit the oppression of the state upon them & put them in a cage simply because you don't approve of their lifestyle? That's gross. 8)

I liked the one episode, I can't remember exactly which one it was, featuring the drunk tweaker who'd hang out naked all day, smoking meth...they gave her the option of treatment or jail, and she basically said fuck you, I'll go to jail! Then she got out of jail and went back to tweakin'. Legend. I hate the sanctimonious assholes who populate such television programs and the entire rehab/12 step industry.
 
I liked the one episode, I can't remember exactly which one it was, featuring the drunk tweaker who'd hang out naked all day, smoking meth...they gave her the option of treatment or jail, and she basically said fuck you, I'll go to jail! Then she got out of jail and went back to tweakin'. Legend. I hate the sanctimonious assholes who populate such television programs and the entire rehab/12 step industry.

Lol, I remember that one. Classic!
 
Intervention is super explotaitive and unethical. Imagine trying to live a normal life after being on the show. Getting a job girlfriend ect would be difficult. Someone in the throwS of addiction can't really consent to such a large life changing decision. Exploration at its worst just like that Dr. Drew show
 
^ "Intervention" is great exploitation trash TV. Total guilty pleasure...love lurid, sensationalized tales of substance abuse...they're always good for a laugh

Threatening to call the police & inform on someone if they don't abide by your wishes is such a punk move, though. That's what they do when the addict is self-sufficient, with their own home and finances...I understand no longer giving someone money & resources to facilitate their drug habit and all that, but to willfully visit the oppression of the state upon them & put them in a cage simply because you don't approve of their lifestyle? That's gross. 8)

I liked the one episode, I can't remember exactly which one it was, featuring the drunk tweaker who'd hang out naked all day, smoking meth...they gave her the option of treatment or jail, and she basically said fuck you, I'll go to jail! Then she got out of jail and went back to tweakin'. Legend. I hate the sanctimonious assholes who populate such television programs and the entire rehab/12 step industry.

The really sad part is how episodes are regularly played by counselors in treatment centers as part of "therapy" and "drug and alcohol education." Treatment, huh?...
 
The really sad part is how episodes are regularly played by counselors in treatment centers as part of "therapy" and "drug and alcohol education." Treatment, huh?...
Seriously? We WEREN'T allowed to watch it.
 
Seriously. I've noticed it shown at a variety of treatment centers. It's far from outside the norm when it comes to quality of care in this particular field...
 
FUUUUUUUCCCKKK MEEEEEEEEE...I just called to see what time I should show up to IOP to start filling out papers tomorrow and I was told I shouldn't have been admitted because their IOP is moving from a night program to a morning program. If I have to take that much time off from work I might as well go inpatient, which I'm NOT going to do. So it's back to square one. Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck
 
:( I am so sorry to hear this aihfl! What a PITA. That sounds like the kind of shit that often happens with treatment programs (things aren't always communicated so well), it is just such a bummer to hear about it happening before you even got a chance to start.

What are you plans?
 
FUUUUUUUCCCKKK MEEEEEEEEE...I just called to see what time I should show up to IOP to start filling out papers tomorrow and I was told I shouldn't have been admitted because their IOP is moving from a night program to a morning program. If I have to take that much time off from work I might as well go inpatient, which I'm NOT going to do. So it's back to square one. Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck

That sucks man but try not to let it get you down.
 
What are you plans?

Not sure yet. They referred me to three other facilities. The first was the second place I did inpatient. 12 step indoctrination. Pass. The second is their "sister" facility in South Orlando. The drive would be heinous, taking place during the evening rush (it doesn't help that Interstate 4 is in the midst of a massive rebuild) but at least toll-free. Their chemical dependency IOP is dual diagnosis though and I'm not sure I need that element of treatment. I have an intake appointment with a therapist at yet a third place on Friday which would be geographically convenient (about a 20 minute drive), and they sound a bit more flexible as they have a lot of groups which can accommodate erratic work schedules such as mine. They don't require meeting attendance but it is "strongly encouraged." When I asked if they're treatment model is 12 step, that was the answer I got and I'm not sure what to make of it. The intake therapist stressed that everyone who runs a group is a licensed mental health counselor, and they don't have an issue with the benzos if my prescription is legit. If this place where I have the appointment Friday is a bust, I'll try that place down in South Orlando. And if both of those are a bust, I might just start seeing my own therapist on a weekly basis.
 
So I have an intake appointment at another IOP program today, and my enthusiasm for enrolling in an IOP is quickly waning. I have managed to get myself back into a routine and I'm starting to think heavily about how disruptive to that routine an IOP would be. I've had a great week so far. Just to illustrate what I've been doing:

Saturday - day off, went paddleboarding in the morning, worked out with the personal trainer in the afternoon, got my hair cut in the evening, watched at Netflix DVD at night
Sunday - worked a full day, then met a friend for dinner and went to see The Founder (highly recommended BTW)
Monday - went spinning at the gym in the morning, then worked until 8pm
Tuesday - worked a full day then went on a 14 mile bike ride with friends
Wednesday - unexpected day off, had the ex-wife help me set up a new MacBook Pro, went on a long walk, sushi dinner with friends, Costco run
Thursday - day off, went with a friend to Blue Spring State Park to see the manatees in the morning, worked out with the personal trainer in the late afternoon, Publix run, watched a Netflix DVD
Friday (today) - work, intake appointment for an IOP, Billy Joel concert at night
Saturday - work, no plans for the evening as of yet, will probably just stay home and veg since it will be a late night tonight
Sunday - day off, spinning at the gym in the morning, then playing on a recital at a historic home in the area (some of you know that I had a first career as a symphony orchestra musician) with some fellow musician friends and I'm sure we'll hang out after

The reason I am still entertaining the idea of IOP is that I don't know how long I can keep up this level of activity without support therapy. On the other hand, IOP being 9-10 hours a week, will seriously curtail the amount of time I'm able to spend out and about and being active. I really don't know what to do at this point. I suppose ultimately I'll decide after going to this appointment and getting a feel for whether or not I think this IOP program will be helpful. I'm certainly no stranger to both inpatient and outpatient treatment, so I hope I'll be able to effectively gauge whether or not I'm just going to be spinning my wheels, or if this is something I should do. In the meantime, the idea of adding IOP and curtailing the amount of time I have to do things I want to do is causing me serious anxiety. Maybe individual therapy once a week is the answer.
 
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Just to point something out the downside to IOP is that many of the patients are going to relapse and that could put you in a vulnerable position. Put a bunch of drug addicts together and at least some of them are going to pair off and get high.
 
This is true. I make it a policy not to associate with anyone in any treatment programs I'm in (that they are also in) outside of actually receiving treatment. Same thing with meetings. It takes me a long time to be able to get to a place where I can be assured that my relationship with someone else, particularly if they are new to recovery, won't come back to bite me in the ass. Generally people who are all into talking about and "fellowshipping" their recovery outside those kind of environments are people I tend to be wary of. They tend to burn out IME.

Looks like you're at a kind of crossroads aihfl. The IOP will hopefully be good for you, just do everything you can to keep the more sustainable habits in place regarding your lifestyle outside of treatment. It's these (healthy habits) things that will keep you healthy and moving forward long term. Try and use the IOP program as a way to continue fostering healthy habits at home. Hopefully they'll give you a few good skills you can use to do so (outside of being told to go to meetings. . .). That is their point, after all.
 
Also don't let the stress of trying to find a good IOP burn you out on recovery. Your ultimate goal is to get off drugs not go to an IOP program. I am going out on a limb here but I bet you already know 95 percent of the things they are going to teach at an IOP.
People, Places and things is the key to recovery. I would get the personal therapist if I was you. This is a good place to find therapists



https://therapists.psychologytoday.com/rms/?tr=Hdr_Brand]
 
This IOP seems pretty lightweight. It would only be about a 4.5 hr commitment a week vs. 9. And they have numerous groups at different times and locations and I would be free to attend any of them, so that is a pro because I don't work regular hours. But the cons are 1. will I really get any more accomplished in 4.5 hours of group a week than I would one hour of one-on-one, and 2. the therapist "warned" me that there are people that were court ordered into their program and have shitty attitudes. I'll have to think about it over the weekend. I'm thinking I'll just try it for a week and see if I get anything out of it. I actually have a good therapist who works in the same practice as the pdoc. He does not specialize in addiction therapy, but the more I read in this forum, the more I think that may be an asset and not a liability.

On a completely different note, seeing Billy Joel and hearing "Piano Man" live was awesome beyond words. My high school band director and I did a cover of Piano Man when I was still in high school - I played piano and he sang and played the harmonica. So needless to say, that song has always been especially meaningful to me, especially now to know Billy Joel is another musician in recovery.
 
I suggest sitting in on a day of the IOP groups before you commit to it. I've made the mistake of not doing that and shot myself in the foot, and I've also avoided a really bad program or two by doing just that. They should allow you to check the actual groups out before making a full commitment to them.
 
Though not applicable to everyone, I feel like a lot of people with addiction problems fall into two groups. Group A is people who started drinking/using to fit in better socially, feel cool or accepted, control social anxiety, etc. Group B is people with deep existential pain, loneliness and disappointment with life and the world, and drinking/using numbs that pain or distracts the thoughts.

Group A types do very well with 12-Steps, as it's structured socializing predicated on this common obstacle. People in Group B do not like 12-Steps, typically because they will overthink it or they will be subject to the anti-intellectualism that is a real thing in a lot of meetings. Group B people need an individualized treatment plan that is much more self-empowering. Putting them through AA/NA often just reinforces their frustrations with society.
 
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