The topic at one glance
- Those of us in need of drug rehab often face a long waiting list for treatment.
- An inpatient rehab can offer the best chance of recovery, so the need to wait for a vacancy can have serious repercussions.
- Up to fifty percent of people put on a waiting list wonтАЩt make it to rehab.
- Thailand offers an alternative to long waiting lists in western countries.
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I Feel Like Giving Up тАУ What Do I Have to Do to Get into Rehab?
It may come as a surprise to those of us desperate to escape addiction to find the resources┬аwe need to make this change┬аarenтАЩt always easy to access. Where help is available, it often involves┬аhuge expense┬аor being stuck on a┬аwaiting list┬аfor state-funded rehab. Despite all the hand-wringing of politicians fighting their тАШwar on drugsтАЩ, there is surprisingly limited funding for actual solutions to the problem. In locations such as the UK, where overdose deaths have┬аhit record levels, there has been a significant reduction in the money available to fund rehab beds.
It is not only clients in need of state-funded rehab who may be faced with a waiting list. Even if you can afford to pay for treatment, there is no guarantee you are going to find something right away in your local area.
The Importance of Inpatient Addiction Treatment
It can be incredibly difficult to break free of an addiction problem without appropriate support and resources. We can sometimes manage to get through withdrawals alone (although this can be dangerous) if we have a good enough reason to, but the problem isnтАЩt so much stopping but staying stopped. There are┬аusually underlying issues driving the addictive behavior, and these are unlikely to be resolved by detoxing the body from alcohol or other drugs.
ItтАЩs Not Only About Getting Clean: Inpatient Treatment Centers Teach You How To Do Recovery
An inpatient treatment program can offer the best chance of escape from addiction because the focus is on removing any obstacles to recovery.┬аRehab provides┬аclients with┬аeffective tools┬аand┬аstrategies┬аso they can┬аdeal with life without the need of chemical assistance. There is also the opportunity to work with a therapist to uncover any underlying issues (e.g. childhood trauma) that drive the desire to escape reality by using mind-altering substances.
Some of the other benefits of inpatient addiction treatment include:
- It provides a┬аsafe environment┬аfor clients who are still dealing with withdrawal symptoms.
- This type of program┬аgreatly increases the likelihood of making it through those early days┬аof recovery when clients are at their highest risk of relapse.
- Being around other people going through a similar process can greatly┬аincrease motivation.
- It means┬аbeing away from the usual triggers and stresses┬аthat drive the addictive behavior.
- It means the client can┬аfocus all his/her energy on recovery┬а(this single-mindedness of purpose increases the chances of success).
- It often happens that clients are┬аdealing with other issues such as chronic anxietyor recurring depression which can be dealt with in rehab specializing in dual diagnosis.
Why Can It Be So Hard to Access Rehab Treatment?
The benefits of a rehab program are obvious, so why can it be so hard to access treatment? Why are those people who are desperate to escape addiction put on a waiting list or not helped at all?
Lack of willingness to invest money into helping those who want to recover
Despite the colossal expenditure by governments around the world on their тАШwar on drugsтАЩ (the US government alone has spent over┬а1 trillion dollars┬а), there isnтАЩt the same willingness to invest money into helping those who want to recover. This creates an unacceptable situation where┬аpeople are punished for their addiction problems┬аwhile also having no means of escaping these problems.
Failure to understand the real reasons behind addiction
A cynic might wonder if the emphasis on punishment rather than providing help is based on a 19th┬аCentury mentality towards addiction. Despite all the scientific evidence to the contrary, there can still be an underlying attitude that those who develop this type of problem are somehow weak-willed or willfully misbehaving. This┬аfailure to understand the real reasons behind addiction┬аhas meant the problem is getting worse despite forty years of fighting a war on drugs.
тАШPerformance targetsтАЩ tempt government-funded rehabs to turn away the тАШharder casesтАЩ
It can often be the most desperate clients who find it hardest to gain access to inpatient treatment. One reason for this is the┬аpressure on government-funded rehabs to meet certain┬атАШperformance targetsтАЩ. This means if too many clients fail to complete the program, the facility could lose its funding. There is, therefore, a┬аtemptation to turn away the тАШharder casesтАЩ┬аwhere there is a higher risk of relapse.
Inpatient Addiction Treatment Waiting Lists around the World
Here are some sobering statistics on rehab waiting lists from around the globe:
- UK тАУ there has been a┬аreduction┬аin government spending┬аof up to 30%┬аon addiction treatment programs┬аduring the last decade with more cuts expected. This has meant stricter rationing of services and longer waiting lists.
- US тАУ in some States those looking for inpatient treatment can face a┬аwaiting list of up to 18 months.
- Australia тАУ the┬аsix-month waiting list┬аfor rehab in some areas has led to a situation where the most desperate people are being┬аhoused on psychiatric wards.
- New Zealand тАУ The┬аTacking Methamphetamine Progress Report┬аreported that┬а34% of those in need of help found it difficult to access treatment. It is estimated that the government would need to┬аdouble the current spending on addiction services┬аto deal with the countryтАЩs waiting list problem.
Why is Being Put on a Rehab Waiting List a Problem?
One of the jobs of government is to ration public resources. Even in those societies where the public is willing to pay high taxes, there is still going to be a limit on the funding available for things like addiction services. It might seem reasonable then that those in need of government-funded rehab sometimes need to be put on a waiting list. The problem is this┬аdelay in treatment can have severe consequences.
Here are some of the risks associated with having to wait for rehab:
- Research suggests┬аup to┬а50┬а%┬аof those who are put on a waiting list┬аdrop out before a place becomes available. The longer the waiting list, the more likely to client is to fall by the wayside.
- The best hope for a lasting recovery from addiction is┬аwhen they client has тАШhit rock bottomтАЩ, but if there is a long wait for treatment, this┬аopportunity can pass, and it might never return.
- Some clients are in such a desperate physical state that any┬аdelay to treatment could mean they wonтАЩt survive.
- The┬аnegative consequences┬аof the addiction┬аcontinue to┬аimpact┬аnot only those caught up in addiction but also their┬аfamily and friends.
Pros and Cons of State Funded Rehab
Gaining access to a state-funded rehab without having to wait can mean the difference between life and death. These facilities do fantastic work, but it is worth mentioning here that there are pros and cons with this type of option:
The Pros and Cons of State-Funded Rehab include:- It can mean that┬аtreatment is free.
- In some countries (e.g. US), state-funded rehab can be offered as an┬аalternative to going to prison.
- There are plenty of┬аdedicated addiction professionals┬аworking in these state-funded facilities.
- Some of these facilities offer┬аcontinued treatment follow rehab┬а(e.g. sober living houses).
- Waiting lists.
- There may be┬аpressure to treat you in the shortest possible time.
- Some of state-funded rehabs follow the┬атАШone-size-fits-allтАЩ approach.
- Likely to live in a sizable community of┬аclients just donтАЩt want to be there┬а(court-mandated clients).
- These rehabs may have a┬аpoor client-to-therapist ratio.
- The┬аresources┬аavailable at a state-funded treatment center are┬аoften limited.
Thailand as an Alternative to Long Waiting Lists in the West
People from the West have been coming to Thailand for addiction help since at least the 1960s. Initially, the only options available were detox temples like Thamkrabok, but over the last two decades, a number of Western-style private facilities have opened their doors.
Some of the reasons clients give us from choosing Thailand for addiction treatment include:
- Long waiting lists at home.
- Lack of suitable treatment options at home.
- Clients like the┬аindividualized treatment┬аapproach we offer at Hope (this is far more effective than the one-size-fits-all approach common in some countries).
- Clients can be attracted to the┬аmix between Western┬а(e.g. CBT)┬аand Eastern┬а(e.g. mindfulness) approaches.
- Thailand offers a┬аcompletely different environment┬аto what most clients are used to, and this can make it easier for them to see things in a new way.
How Do I Get into Rehab? Is Getting into Rehab a Difficult Process?
The exact process for accessing government-funded rehab can differ depending on the country. This┬аprocess usually begins with a visit to your family doctor┬аor┬аcontact┬аwith the┬аaddiction services. There is usually going to be some type of assessment made to determine your suitability for a program, and if you meet the criteria, you can expect to be put on a waiting list.
Finding a place at a┬аprivate rehab┬аis usually easier than a government-funded facility unless you live in a country where there is currently a high demand for beds. It usually┬аbegins with a phone call or email┬аto the facility you are considering. There are online services available that find a private rehab on your behalf, but this usually means you end up paying hefty commission.┬аThe process for getting into Hope Rehab is straightforward:
- Contact the team.
- Complete the initial assessment by phone or do it online
- Pay your deposit
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Should you have any questions regarding the topic or addiction treatment in general, please donтАЩt hesitate to drop us a message via the contact form below. Same goes if you would like to enquire about a space for yourself or a loved one at Hope Rehab.
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