Anyone have Rehab experiences to share with me?

[Wardman]

I am debating the issue of going to rehab.  I have excellent insurance, so I am lucky.  I just can't get over three days without massive debillitating deression.  I am weighing all my options.  Any feedback would help.  I Have CTed a few times and if I can make it a week I can last a long time without even thinking of drugs or cravings.

[suzieneedshelp]

BTW.. now after my inpatient and being envolved in NA i have 81 days clean.
Pammy!  Hey sweet lady.. missed u!   Come visit us okie?
Yees they take insurance and took mine..partially...Still fiercely workin on that!
Love,
Suzie

[AmberHunter]

i have been in treatment 13 times that i can remember. i got something out of treatment everytime i went in i suppose... i have had good experiences and god awful experiences (rape) while in treatment. i have met wonderful counselors and have had nurse ratchett once.

i won't even go into the details of all my experiences in treatment. but remember one thing, treatment centers are businesses. businesses that hire human beings to direct the goings on in treatment centers. as long as your insurance allows you to stay in there you will be allowed to stay. the minute your insurance won't pay you will find out that you have advanced to the recovered part real, real fast! b u s i n e s s!

one thing treatment does give you that i think can be life changing is TIME OUT of your life and other responsiblilites. and you don't have access to the dope man in treatment (usually) if you take that time and use it wisely and get as much out of it as you possibly can you stand a slight benefit over someone who does it through NA alone. just my opinion. treatment is a luxury, sorry, but it is. i am not anti-treatment, obviously i have been through my share of them. but the only thing i can honestly say across the board is that going into treatment does give you time out of your everyday life to just work on yourself and be in a safe place. (i have my personal feelings of how safe they can sometimes be but for the most part... they are safe)

if i were ever to end up back in treatment i have to admit, i would do the 30 day program and move onto a half way house and then a three quarter house. something i think about from time to time. but i ain't there yet! lol!!

seems to me like you got alot of good reponses to your question about treatment centers, good luck to you!

peace,

amber

[Rodster]

Concerning quitting/rehab, you need to ask yourself the following question: Do I REALLY want to quit?, don't ask yourself this question 1 hour after you have popped Lortab either, this question I believe needs to be asked when your in full blown withdrawls (I asked myself this question all the time while I was using and it never did any good). You will need a very good support structure, these doctors here believe in a system outside the 12 step approach, since I have never tried that I cannot neither endorse or critisize it. That being said if you do decide to use a program that does not use AA/NA 12 step, make sure that they include some type of support system, no matter if you believe addiction is a disease or a behavior problem it all comes down to modifing your day by day routine FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. You must be willing to part company with all of your "drug friends", burn your drug bridges (doctors, pharmacies, Bob the pill dealer ect.). and commit to a life of sobriety only then can you have a TRUE chance for a life free of Opiates or any other addiction. Also you can't trade one drug for another (Lortab for Xanax), although some rehab programs now use long term use of Methadone and other drugs, this has shown success with alot of people as long as the drugs are only given to them on a one dose basis, right now your mental state would not be able to make rational decisions concerning weening off (at least most folks could'nt), My suggestion is to find someone you know who was an addict and now is clean, ask him what he did, and how he lives today. You can pick alot of info up on these boards, the doctors here are pretty damn sharp and can help you. Also listen to US the recovering addicts, we can tell you what worked for us and did not, a recovering addict is your best ally, he and ONLY he truly knows what your going thru, (unless of course your doctor was an addict too). If you ever have any questions about this or need any help please feel free to email me at

***@****

I would be happy to help you in any way beat this.
Yes it will be hard
Yes you will feel like **** for at least a week (maybe more)
Yes there will be times when all you can think (and dream) about is drugs.
but
Yes you can do it
And once you get out of primary withdrawls and you body readjusts you will feel better than ever, you will be happy again.

[Rodster]

Ditto Sturgil, the 12step support program is what has kept me clean for 9 months now, without it I know I would be using again, there are however other alternatives, but ALL require some type of support structure.

[bmac]

My two cents on rehab.........I was put into a hospital room and left alone for two and a half days with clonidine and phenobarb,
I watched TV(TEE vee for Peaz) and prayed and sweated. After the doctor didn't come to see me I called the switchboard and ask for the floor charge nurse. She came in and explain that the doctors there really couldn't except my insurance for withdrawals. Now these are the same assholes that took my insurance money for 3 major surgeries two years before. My opinion of Rehab, it is a joke but hey that's my opinion, sue me! LOL  Bill

[Sturgil]

After rehab they will put you in a 4-8 week IOP or outpatient program. This is where the real work begins. Most addicts stay too busy and have ahard time with free time. I did. But if you ask a higher power, in my case God, he will help you. The first 90 days I did not have a clue what to do or how to act. Looking back I know God did it for me.

I know you said the 12 steps program was a turn off but I could not make it without meetings. Shop around for a meeting you like. Even though I am a pill head I go to AA. Mainly because of the old timers and the strength they provide in my recovery. Remember drugs are only 10% of the problem, I am 90%. I had to learn how to live, act, react, rest, work and so on all over again. Just like I was a child.

I even did the second guess thing on the rehab. If you think you need, then I think you answered your own question.

Every passing moment is an opportunity to change our direction.

God's Speed.

Sturgil Flockin