In considering treatment options for alcohol abuse, dependence, or addiction you will have first decided between inpatient and outpatient. Except in very rare cases outpatient is your best choice: it is cost effective, minimally disruptive, has continuity, and can adapt to your changing circumstances and needs (see Alcohol Abuse Treatment - Inpatient or Outpatient?). But having decided this question you are left with a confusing number of choices.
It's hard to make any choice at a time when every decision seems overwhelming. It's also tough when you don't really want to choose - who wants to go into treatment for a condition that we hate to admit we need help with? Or even that we have? Or that works so well in some ways! Not many of us.
Given that we may not want to admit that we need help, don't really want help, and that we're probably only looking in order to placate our family or employer or the courts, how are we going to decide what to sign up for? And even if we do really, secretly, know we need some help with this, how are we to pick a program or office or counselor or other professional?
There are a lot of choices.
Most of us avoid seeking professional help for messy situations. Things have to be pretty bad before we head off to the divorce or bankruptcy lawyer, the doctor, the dentist and so on. When we do we frequently get names from friends and colleagues who liked this doctor or got this great settlement and so on. But no one talks about, or asks about, their alcohol problems and solutions. You're pretty much stuck with late nights searching Internet or thumbing through the Yellow Pages. That being the case, you'd better do some preparation before you start making those phone calls.
Looking through ads, whether electronic or print, will tell you a few things about program philosophy. Generally the possibilities will come down to two: services that are modeled on AA, and those that aren't. Ninety percent are in the first category, the so-called 12 Step programs. If you have been to AA and been comfortable with that format then you may prefer to continue with that model. If you haven't been to any AA meetings this might be a good time to go - it's free, it's convenient, and it'll answer a lot of your questions in a hurry at no expense. You may find that it works for you and you can stop looking. That happens for roughly ten percent of those who try AA.
If you are comfortable with the AA approach, but still need more help, then you can start looking at program philosophies, staffing, duration, and services. That's a lot to sort through when you're in distress. You can shorten the process with a few key questions:
What is your success rate? In fact, no program knows. Anyone who claims to know is misleading you.
Are any of your staff former clients? Competent and confident programs do not hire former clients. Nor do successful clients need to stay attached to "their programs" to maintain their progress.
How many of the staff identify themselves as "recovering?" The real world is not made up of "recovering" people and that's the world you want to live in. A program that's merely an extension of treatment for staff members isn't going to help you prepare to leave alcohol behind.
If traditional AA meetings don't help you, then you can probably decide with some certainly that 12 Step based programs aren't going to either. That being the case you can sort through the tiny number of "non-12-Step" possibilities using the same questions.
Assuming you receive satisfactory answers, you can add a few more questions. If they don't use a 12-Step basis, what do they use? Generally, they will be based on you and your unique circumstances and needs.
Additionally, good programs, AA anchored or not, will have physical and medical components; may work with anti-craving medications such as Naltrexone; use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for related and underlying problems; offer complete confidentiality; and are unlikely to accept insurance (which is rarely available in any case and seriously compromise confidentiality when it does exist).
Finally, good service providers will begin with an intensive involvement that tapers down over a year. Behavioral change is difficult and takes time, thirty to ninety days of focused work on all aspects of your life, followed by decreasing structure as you resume control over your life. A good program, like a good counselor, is interested in becoming obsolete.
Take what time you can afford and choose carefully. If the muddle, distress, and confusion is too much, and it frequently will be, find a friend you trust who doesn't have a vested interest in the outcome to help you reach a decision. Listen to them.
The different number of treatment programs found today for drug addiction in Hawaii, will confound you. Especially if you are someone; looking for a drug treatment for your loved one but has no prior knowledge about drug treatments and does not know where to start. A lot of resource material is available today. You can find them at the treatment centers, libraries and the different reading places. The state government has taken a great initiative to spread about drug addiction in schools, workplaces and many other places. You can also call a counselor and meet him to understand the different possible treatments available and to figure out the best solution for your loved ones. But it is always advisable to go with a little homework. You can very well acquaint yourself with the different possible methods. This will also help when you meet the counselor, for you are in a better position to understand and compare your notes. Let us look at the various treatment options available for drug addiction in Hawaii.
1.The Residential Treatment Program
This is one of the most intensive forms of drug addiction treatment. Here the patient is taken away from his comfortable zone, so that the reasons for temptations are decreased. Some drug treatment centers even carry out their residential programs outside Hawaii. This is more of a group treatment where the patients who are admitted here, work together to cure their addiction. These are mostly patients who have been addicted to drugs for a long time or have a very high level of dependency on the drugs. The detoxification process and the behavioral therapies happen simultaneously for all the patients.
The detoxification process mostly goes on till several weeks as here the patients are completely abstained from drugs. This can cause strong reactions on the body. Thus a dual treatment starts for them, where they also have to control their body reaction as well as keep away from drugs. This follows an even more intense aftercare treatment. They have a lot of group activities and sport activities which help a patient to unwind him from stress and this lessens the dependency on drugs. Some good programs for drug addiction treatments in Hawaii also give the patient a platform to develop or cultivate their hobbies like drawing or cycling.
2.Rehabitation Treatment Program:
This is usually a treatment choice when the patient has a supplementary illness with addiction. For the same, the treatment programs are modified depending on the patient's medical file. They too go through a detoxification program where they are cleansed of their body toxins. The period of detoxification may wary from 3 days to sometimes several weeks depending on the patient's level of drug intake. This is an inpatient treatment. After the detoxification process is over they are put into an aftercare treatment which is outpatient. Sometimes the patients have to continue taking the medicines they took in the detoxification treatment to control their temptations for drugs. This is to avoid withdrawal symptoms.
3.The Outpatient Treatment:
The outpatient type of treatment is subscribed when a patient need not come to the clinic every day. This usually happens after the patient goes through the detoxification process where he completely closes contact with the drug and he does not need take intensive aftercare treatments. The patient comes in for his treatment some particular hours of the week where he goes through a behavioral therapy. The patient has a one to one session with the counselor where they work together on the different emotional issues which are affecting the patient and the counselor helps the patient to work on them. These sessions help the patient in the long run and so the chances of he taking to the drug are less.
4.The Day Treatment Programs:
This particular program is chosen when the patient cannot completely abstain from his work commitments and duties. So he spends three to four hours at the clinic everyday and then returns to his day to day activities. This is a very rigorous form of treatment. The behavioral therapies and the counseling are similar as in the other types of treatment programs. They are taught different breathing exercises and yoga exercises to combat their temptation by themselves. They also undergo group counseling sessions which help them to face their emotional troubles and tackle it. This helps them because the reasons they took to drugs becomes nonexistent.
Both Edward Wilson & Todd Lange are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Edward Wilson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Alcohol Treatment, Psychology and Alcohol Treatment. Dr. Edward Wilson has been developing and providing alternative alcohol counseling including moderation, since 1990. He is co-founder and Clinical Director of Your Empowering Solutions, Inc. located in suburban Los Angeles. You can learn mor. Edward Wilson's top article generates over 49500 views. to your Favourites.
Todd Lange has sinced written about articles on various topics from Disease & illness, Alcohol Treatment and Medicine. Please visit to read more informative articl. Todd Lange's top article generates over 823000 views. to your Favourites.