FAQ's | What you need to know about drug rehab, substance abuse, interventions, counselling, addiction treatment centres and more!

Unfortunately this is not a easy answer.  There are many factors to take into account.  From a harm reduction viewpoint, success would be any improvement in a persons living situation, employability, reduction in substances used, improved relationships ect.  If you look  12-step programs, addiction specialists state a 8-12% success rate.  Again, there is factors to take into account.  The best chance at a person having continued sobriety is if they have a solid after-care program in place and are able to continue implementing recovery methods into their daily routine.  Please contact us for any answers about addiction rehab.

Outpatient addiction treatment is a drug rehab program that a person participates in while living at home.  This method of treatment allows the person to continue working, attend to their responsibilities, and learn to function in society without substances.  A successful outpatient program will consist of regular counselling sessions and an individualized treatment plan that fits the needs of the addicted person.  Such programs actually eliminate the destabilization a person experiences when leaving an inpatient program and returns home.  The addiction counsellor will work with the client while they deal with real life obstacles, providing them with answers about addiction rehab and more.  Having this imediate help and support also can reduce the chance of relapse.  The length of the program varies depending on the depth of the persons addiction and the set program length that they have devised.  There are several advantages to outpatient treatment, but one of the main benefits would be the direct care that the person receives.

With so many options for inpatient addiction treatment out there, the range varies from Government funded centres which are free, to Private Drug and Alcohol Treatment Centres which can range from $6000 to $30,000 a month.  The quality and amount of services provided is usually relative to the cost of each place.  You cannot put a price on a loved one recovering from drug addiction, but you can put a price on the quality of care that person recieves.  This is where we suggest you do your due diligence on each treatment centre you are considering.  WebMD has an outline of the difference in treatment costs and services.  Pacific Interventions will provide support, quidance, and knowledge to navigate inpatient options.

Inpatient addiction treatment consists of the addicted person living at the treatment centre or residential facility where they conduct all of their programming out of.  All the clients basic needs are provided.  Food, shelter, counselling, group facilitation, and 12-step meetings (if the program follows this method).  These programs usually range from 28 – 90 days in duration.  The person would be participating with anywhere from 10 to 100 other people who are there for substance abuse treatment.

When a person enters drug rehab, they themselves will be seeking answers about addiction rehab as well.  Firstly, you want to let that person know they are loved and supported.  In our experience, anyone who is struggling with substance abuse is yearning for a connection to their family and loved ones.  Therefore, educating yourself about addiction or taking a family program that teaches you many skills to improve your relationship with the addicted person is recommended.

If your loved one is not willing to goto treatment then you would want to speak to someone about an intervention or a qualified addiction counsellor.  Assuming the person struggling with substance abuse is willing to try a drug rehab program then you have a few options.  First off, deciding on either inpatient treatment or an outpatient treatment program.  Inpatient treatment centres have different intake procedures.  Most government funded centres will require you to get a referral from a certified addiction counsellor.  You can contact your local community services centre and they will be able to connect you to their addictions department.  The waiting time to get into a government funded centre can be up to 6 months.  Alternatively, a private addiction treatment centre has a much quicker intake process.  Most private pay places you can have your loved one in as early as the next day.  As with an outpatient program, if it is a private organization you will be able to start the program immediatley.  

Outpatient rehab is less expensive than inpatient treatment.  Inpatient can be up to $650 per day.  The ability for the organization to save some money on overhead costs results in outpatient being less costly.  This definately does not mean that the quality is less.  Outpatient treatment costs are between $100-$500 per hour depending on the service you are utilizing during that time.  Also, because each session is specific and goals are set for the next session, you are able to take the new skills and tasks with you and practice implementing them into your daily life.   Therfore, your treatment affectiveness may be more beneficial as you can dive directly into the issues you are facing.  An outpatient treatment program can address an existential crisis with very positive results, as in most cases the person struggling with substance abuse is more motivated to make the changes, as opposed to one that has been forced into an inpatient program.  Pacific Interventions is unique as they provide indiviual program options to fit many different budgets ranging from hourly sessions to complete treatement programs.

An addiction counselor is Addiction counselling will also provide you with answers about addiction rehab.  Addiction counsellors will use differenent analysis tools to look for any physical, mental or emotional, and environmental difficulties that are contributing to substance abuse issues.  They will gather an initial assessment on your history of drug use.  They will use various assessments such as MAST, DAST, CRAFT and other assessments to ensure that a proper diagnosis can be made and then an addiction treatment plan can be developed.  The counsellor is their to be empathetic, non-judgemental and conduct one-one and group counselling sessions.  A qualified addiction counsellor will also facilitate psycoeducational groups.  Throughout your treatment you will be provided with relapse prevention methods and most importantly you will devise a solid after-care program to make relapse less likely to happen.

Merriam-Webster describes an intervention as this “an occurrence in which a person with a problem (such as a drug addiction) is confronted by a group (as of friends or family members) whose purpose is to compel the person to acknowledge and deal with the problem”.  Beyond the dictionary definition, there is a lot of planning that goes into an intervention.  Knowing what to say during an intervention is crucial.

The short answer is absolutely.  Although there is many factors to consider.  If the addicted person is very willing to accept help then an intervention will go much smoother.  Most interventions have some form of resistance by the individual.  This is why having a professionally trained interventionist is the best course of action.  The interventionist will be able handle any objections that the person presents.  The interventionist will be able to provide several options which allows the person to feel like they have more say in how thier recovery is going to go.  If you are planning on an intervention on your own, the follwing link will help.