If you're looking for drug or alcohol addiction help - you'll have already realised the myriad of options on offer. Many aren't aware of the right questions to ask, and how to compare more than one centre.
Before taking the plunge, here's everything you need to know when shopping around for addiction help in Barry.
Step 1 - Choose The Right Treatment Type
Having gone through months (years?) of denial, when we're ready for treatment, it's easy to rush ahead into the first detox provider you call. But considering first, what your treatment needs truly are, can help you pay for rehab just once, and not twice.
Detox, Rehab, Or Both?
Whilst most follow the conventional programme of detox, then rehab, then aftercare, it's possible to do only one of these. But is it right for you?
- Do you need detox, or rehab? (Be honest).
You could go for a detox-only programme, but run greater risk of future relapse if other supports are not in place.
Rehab In The Right Place
Thinking of treatment nearby? It's a natural response when feeling low.
But there's more to consider, in your long term sobriety journey, than the clinic next door.
Therapy levels vary wildly from clinic to clinic, and therapist to therapist. What feedback do you have on the clinic you plan to attend? Asking a few basics like these upfront can save a lot of headache later.
See all the locations Abbeycare serve, here.
Detox Requirements
Getting the right help means being picky about the support you'll receive while in treatment.
Multiple previous detoxes, or challenging liver issues, should mean you're extra careful that the clinic can accommodate your needs, both safely, and comfortably.
The clinic team over the phone should be able to give a rough indication of how they'll approach your treatment.
Likewise for therapeutic help, what specialist qualifications in addiction do the team have? Ask here about issues that have been sticking points for you in the past, and their suitability to help.
KEY QUESTIONS
- Are you a rehab clinic, or a hospital?
- Is dealing with someone with my intake level and addiction history, a normal everyday client for your clinic?
- If there are unexpected issues during my detox, what happens?
Step 2 - The Rehab Need-To-Knows
What is day to day addiction treatment inside the clinic actually like?
Rehabilitation clinics operate a residential service - you stay residentially, in the clinic, 24hrs a day, usually with your own room and personal space.
Since every individual is different, and needs can vary widely, (even two people consuming the same amount of alcohol or drugs can need very different timescale and treatment) - a personal assessment is usually needed, before admission to a clinic can go ahead.
What Is A Care Plan?
Whilst all clinics operate a group environment generally, most should look to help you keep track of your progress, and monitor treatment goals reached.
In the best clinics, where personal attention is high, you'll work with an assigned case manager, throughout your stay, who should help you draw up a care plan, in this way.
This document will be used as your yardstick to measure progress and keep track. Don't miss this bit out.
KEY QUESTIONS
- Do you provide a written plan for me to follow, during treatment?
- How do I make sure I stay on track during treatment?
- Is care planning done for me, or is it collaborative?
- Is there a member of staff assigned to me personally?
What Do I Do In The Clinic, Each Day?
What actually happens in a clinic, every day?
It can be tricky to discern exactly what happens each day in treatment, as the routine can vary.
Private clinics are normally group oriented. Consistency can be maintained by everyone sharing in the same day structure, usually in the form of an agenda. The agenda lets you know what's happening when, and what activities you should participate in.
Detox from alcohol or substance misuse in a clinic can last anywhere from a few days to several weeks, depending on multiple factors. Some will be ready to start therapeutic work after just a few days. Others may take 7 days or longer. There is no fixed timescale for each individual.
Visiting the clinic before committing to treatment will also help you gauge just what the everyday is like, inside a centre, before committing financially.
KEY QUESTIONS
- How can I see what's inside the clinic, online?
- What is the daily agenda of activities inside the clinic, and how soon after detox will I be expected to take part?
- Is it possible to arrange a pre-admission visit, to look around? Is there any charge attached?
- When do I get to start taking part in the therapeutic help inside the clinic?
Does Covid-19 Affect My Rehab Treatment?
Rehab is almost always a group exercise, even at higher end clinics.
Only with the support of others on the journey, can we hope to make a full recovery.
But doing so safely, in the age of Covid-19, means ensuring the clinic you choose has provisions in place to guard against risk of infection.
Step 3 - What Budget Is Available For Treatment?
Naturally, funding private rehab treatment in Barry is a concern for many.
The differences between public and private options are vast.
Automatically choosing the lowest price provider can lead to poor care levels inside the clinic, detrimental to your recovery progress.
Cheap providers often involve minimal rooms or living conditions, and poor therapy. Look instead for smaller providers, with more personal attention.
Call round a few providers, using our cheatsheet if needed - and get a feel for pricing, and whether they can meet your needs comfortably. Don't commit to anything just yet.
Looking Beyond Clinic Treatment
Support In The Community
Most cities and towns across the world play host to mutual aid style meetings locally, like the 12 step driven groups of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous.
However, specialist medical help will be required to kick start the journey with detox, which cannot be obtained via such community groups.
Community support is invaluable, at the right stage in the process. But initially, it's important to get professional help to detox safely, and comfortably.
NHS Assistance
In the first instance, it's possible to present to your GP and discuss the possibility of referral to your local addictions team, in the NHS. They will usually help you monitor the effects of addiction in your life, but are unable to refer or provide funding for immediate detox, in most cases.
At best, only the most extreme or chronic cases are normally considered for hospital detox or residential clinics.
Aggregating funds together, between friends and family, can be a good approach to securing private treatment instead, where the individual can't finance it themselves.
Step 4 - Get Independent Reviews
While many providers will claim to show many positive reviews, their legitimacy is not always clear.
The industry regulators - the Care Quality Commission in England & Wales, and the Care Inspectorate in Scotland, publish the only independent reporting on standards available, for private rehab clinics.
These two regulatory bodies inspect rehab clinics on a regular basis (usually annually) and produce written reports on their findings.
Clinics are graded across multiple areas of care, including support standards, management, and clinical environment.
Regulatory Reviews - The Need To Knows
In some visits, the provider is made aware in advance, that the inspection is occuring - these are what's known as "Announced" inspections. Other times, inspection teams show up without warning - these are "Unannounced" inspections - therefore, to get the most reliable information, look for reports which state the inspection was Unannounced.
Step 5 - Choose A Clinic
It's now time to decide on one of the clinics you've looked at.
The clinic team will ask you to complete a telephone questionnaire, to make sure they can meet your needs.
A telephone assessment might last up to 30 minutes, after which the provider will likely request you to pay a deposit towards treatment, so that they can progress further with your admission.
It's a good time at this point to also sort out any payment by insurance policy, or other means.
Step 6 - Arranging Payment
As above, expect to pay a deposit prior to admission.
Most clinics will expect a deposit of £2,000 or more.
Not many clinics remain, who offer finance payment plans, directly.
Make sure to get an email confirmation of deposit paid, and confirmation of what happens next.
Balance To Pay
The balance to pay for treatment, if not paying via insurance or a third party, is usually due when you arrive to admit to the clinic.
Interest on late payment for a significant sum like this can be significant, so it's worth getting this done on time.
Step 7 - Admission
By now, you should have an agreed time and date of arrival at a clinic.
You'll usually be asked to bring certain essentials with you:
It's worth checking usage policies re internet and wifi, and devices, as you may be disappointed if the clinic you've chosen asks you to hand them in, before your stay begins, without prior warning.
Treatment centres must co-ordinate their clinical and medical teams availability for your arrival - so being on time matters. Try to arrange your transport to the clinic, ahead of time, to make sure things run smoothly.
At this point, congratulations! Your recovery journey has already begun.
Asking The Right Questions
You've reached the end of our ultimate guide on finding the right rehab!
Thanks for reading our free guide.
Abbeycare's UK clinics have been helping those in Barry.
Thousands have already joined Abbeycare to overcome addiction, from every corner of the globe.
There's no substitute for the years of experience we've had, assisting with even the most complex cases.
Our team can even get transport organised too, if needed, from your location (with an extra charge).
How did we do with inspections from regulators? Check our reports, available on our clinic pages, here: Abbeycare Scotland, and Abbeycare Gloucester.
Our admissions team will help you navigate the treatment options.
Our medical team are ready to help you detox, comfortably.
Our addiction specialist therapists can help you overcome the underlying issues of addiction.
Our clinical team are ready to help you start the journey.
Are you ready for recovery?
Ready to get started? All calls are confidential. Ring direct on 01603 513 091.
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