Do you or a loved one need addiction treatment for alcohol or drugs? Thousands blindly walk into addiction treatment in expensive rehab centres and find that the reality doesn't meet expectations.
We've compiled this need-to-know guide, including questions to ask each clinic *before* you pay - including a printable cheatsheet.
Step 1 - Get Clear On Your Needs
At the bottom of another binge it can feel all too easy to quickly commit to the nearest clinic offering a fast detox. But spending just a little time getting clear on what you truly need, can save a costly mistake.
Detox .v. Rehab
A normal stay for alcohol or drug treatment would include the three stages of detoxification, rehabilitation, and aftercare planning. But there's no point in spending more than you have to.
- Have you been detoxed before? (Be honest).
Be honest with yourself here, as going the detox-only route initially, when underlying work is truly needed, often ends in paying for treatment twice, not once.
Treatment Near Tredegar
Caught up in the need for detox, many will commit too early to a clinic as close as possible to home, without thinking ahead.
But there's more to consider, in your long term sobriety journey, than the clinic next door.
Most clinics provide standard detox protocols and some form of therapy. But will they still be supporting you after you leave the clinic? It pays to shop around here.
See all the locations Abbeycare serve, here.
Detox Requirements
The quality of support you receive from the clinic team, can make or break recovery results.
Multiple previous detoxes, or challenging liver issues, should mean you're extra careful that the clinic can accommodate your needs, both safely, and comfortably.
Specific detoxes that may need more specialist intervention include high dose methadone transfers, multi-substance detoxes, or cases with previous hospital admission for addiction.
Getting reassurance that the provider is not only ready to detox you based on your needs, but has done so many times for others in the past, is important.
KEY QUESTIONS
- In your experience, would someone with my detox needs be better suited for hospital detox?
- What experience do you have in administering detox for individuals with my specific intake and frequency?
- If I have questions about my specific detox needs, who would I speak to?
Step 2 - Behind The Scenes In An Addiction Treatment Clinic
How does admitting to rehab work?
Private rehab clinics are centres where all the normal addiction treatment options like detox, therapy, and relapse prevention, are provided in a private setting, all under one roof, with specialists in the field. With your own room, and seclusion away from the addiction triggers in normal life, you have a chance to truly recover.
The provider you're working with should ask you some questions over the phone to make sure you're a good match - it's important to give honest answers, to avoid complications later.
Keeping Track Of Getting Better
Whilst all clinics operate a group environment generally, most should look to help you keep track of your progress, and monitor treatment goals reached.
Most providers, at the start of your stay, will help you visualise personal goals and progress targets, in a specifically designed care plan.
This document will be used as your yardstick to measure progress and keep track. Any input at this stage will likely pay dividends later.
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?
- Do you take account of my history of addiction when making treatment care plans?
- How is my treatment regimen communicated between staff members?
Life Inside The Clinic
What's the daily routine, inside a rehab, during treatment?
Without actually being in the clinic, the closest you can get is to ask questions about the daily experience of life in the clinic.
In treatment, you should receive some form of agenda for each day of the week. This lays out the timetable of events, and what's expected.
The duration of detox each individual needs, will vary, based on multiple factors, including frequency and recency of usage, history of addiction, previous detoxes, etc. Depending on usage levels, many will be able to progress to the next stage of treatment after just a few days. Other times, it takes longer for the body to process the left-over substances. Clinic staff understand this.
Always enquire about having a look around the clinic, by visiting first, before committing. Most clinics don't have an open-door policy, but will happily let you see inside, by arrangement.
KEY QUESTIONS
- What see inside photos do you have, of the clinic, online?
- Do I take part in daily activities even during detox?
- How do I get reassurance about the look and feel of the clinic, prior to arranging admission?
- When do I get to start taking part in the therapeutic help inside the clinic?
Addiction Treatment & Covid-19
Rehab is almost always a group exercise, even at higher end clinics.
Overcoming old patterns of self-isolation is normally a big part of getting better.
Achieving recovery in a covid-19 world, however, means making some accommodations along the way.
Step 3 - What Budget Is Available For Treatment?
Getting funds together for rehab in Tredegar takes planning, for most families.
Public services are accountable to the tax payer, and seldom offer more specialist interventions.
Automatically choosing the lowest price provider can lead to poor care levels inside the clinic, detrimental to your recovery progress.
Instead, to keep costs reasonable but standards high, consider providers further afield, or smaller clinics with a lower headcount and rural location.
By calling and comparing a few treatment providers against each other, this step should give you a sense of what rehab will cost.
Other Avenues For Help
Local Mutual Aid Meetings
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.
Whilst mutual aid plays a big part for many, later in their recovery journey, those at the start will need professional help to detox safely.
Local mutual aid meetings *can* be a huge help, and can be a source of potential sponsors and sober mentors for the future. But the first stage of help - physically detoxing - will need more specialist care.
Public Healthcare For Addiction
Whilst the NHS do have addiction keyworkers in different regions, they’re normally overrun with enquiries and demand on resources, meaning obtaining funding for a rehab stay is unlikely.
Eligibility for short term detox is slim, and is usually restricted to only a handful of cases.
In reality, where the need for detox is urgent, we often see families and groups of friends pooling funds together, to help a loved one access treatment faster, from a private provider.
Step 4 - Get Impartial Consumer Reports
Reviews of your chosen provider are easy to find on the net, but are they real?
Arm yourself from the outset, with the *only* truly impartial consumer report available for private clinics - the Care Quality Commission (England & Wales) and/or Care Inspectorate (Scotland) inspection reports.
These two regulators ensure clinics are up to scratch, and send written reports to clinics with their findings, on how they can improve their service, and potential penalties, if they don't comply.
Clinics are graded across multiple areas of care, including support standards, management, and clinical environment.
Regulatory Inspections - Keynotes
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 - Arrange Admission
With the homework all done, it's time to get serious about arranging treatment at one of the providers you've shortlisted.
Expect to go through a few questions initially, when you call the provider you've chosen - this is normal.
When the assessment is complete, you'll likely be asked to pay a deposit, to book a place in the clinic, and allow the provider to start preparing for your arrival.
It's a good time at this point to also sort out any payment by insurance policy, or other means.
Step 6 - Financing Treatment
As above, expect to pay a deposit prior to admission.
The deposit could be anywhere from £500 - £3,000, depending on specifics. Most clinics accept payment over the phone by card.
A few offer payment plans to help spread the cost of rehab, although nowadays this is less common.
Make sure to get an email confirmation of deposit paid, and confirmation of what happens next.
Remaining Balance
The remaining balance is normally paid for on arrival at the clinic, at the point of admission.
It's a good idea to pay this promptly, to avoid excess charges.
Step 7 - Admission
By now, you should have an agreed time and date of arrival at a clinic.
Bring along a few supplies with you, like those below. You should be able to arrange for anything else, after arrival.
Your booking confirmation or documentation received should note guidance on extras such as internet usage, family visits, and precautions or special measures in place as a result of covid-19.
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.
And of course, enjoy your recovery!
Print Our Cheatsheet To Easily Compare Providers
Thanks for reading our guide.
You've completed our guide on finding the right rehab near Tredegar!
Abbeycare's UK clinics are available to those in Tredegar.
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.
Not nearby? No problem, we can arrange transport too, in many cases.
Our clinic inspection reports are available on the relevent service pages: Abbeycare Scotland, Abbeycare Gloucester.
Abbeycare admissions team can advise on options that suit your needs.
Our medical team can assist you to detox, safely, and comfortably.
The Abbeycare therapy team are specialists in helping you identify and work through the underlying triggers behind addiction.
The Abbeycare clinic team are ready to help you co-ordinate everything.
The only thing left is - are you ready?
To get your questions answered, or to get started in recovery, our team can help, on 01603 513 091.
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