Once addiction begins, it must be treated as soon as possible, for it is a disease that usually worsens over time. In its early stages, it may seem manageable. Though you are becoming more dependent on drugs or alcohol, you can manage all your responsibilities. However, as a progressive disease, it won’t be long until addiction starts to adversely affect your health, relationships, and financial stability. When you realize you need to seek help in dealing with a substance use problem, it’s important to address your problems quickly to avoid some of the severe consequences of active addiction.
One of the principles of effective treatment is that addiction treatment needs to be ready and available as soon as you need it, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Many treatment centers aim to get you into a program within 24 hours of your decision to seek treatment. While that doesn’t always happen for various reasons, it’s best to begin to address substance use disorders as soon as possible.
When you begin treatment at Desert View Recovery, you’ll go through an admissions process that includes intake, assessment, preparation, and payment options. You may have several questions and concerns when you’re preparing to go through addiction treatment. What should you pack to prepare? What will the admissions process be like? We can help guide you through the process and help you prepare for your stay in treatment.
The first steps in treatment are extremely important because it’s when you determine the right level of care for your needs. Learn more about addiction treatment and the admission process at Desert View Recovery.
How Does Treatment Begin?
People begin their journey to recovery in many ways. Some people realize they need help and seek it on their own. But one of the hallmarks of addiction is denial because it’s often hard to seek or admit to yourself that you have a problem. For that reason, many people approach treatment reluctantly. They may even agree to it just to appease concerned loved ones or satisfy a court order. No matter why you are taking your first steps toward treatment, it’s important to make sure you’re getting the help you need.
You may start by speaking to a doctor that directs you to treatment or calling a treatment center directly. Your friends or family members may reach out for help on your behalf or connect you to treatment options. Either way, one of the first things you do in treatment is the assessment process.
Since addiction is a complicated disease that can affect multiple aspects of your life, it’s important that treatment is tailored to your needs specifically. The assessment process can help determine the levels of care you need and the therapies your treatment plan will include. The multiple levels of care in addiction treatment are based on your level of need. Acute medical needs may require higher levels of care like medical detox, particularly if you are likely to go through severe withdrawal symptoms. As you advance in treatment, you’ll move to lower levels of care that require less intensive treatment.
Substance use problems come with various underlying issues that may be the consequences of the causes of addiction. For instance, mental health disorders, like anxiety and depression, are common among people who seek addiction treatment. Mental health issues, along with physical and behavioral health problems, can complicate addiction treatment and need to be addressed simultaneously. During the assessment process, you’ll go through a biopsychosocial assessment that is designed to identify your various needs in addiction treatment.
You will create a personal treatment plan early in the process. If possible, you will sit down with a therapist on your first day in treatment to create a plan that’s right for you. Each week, your treatment plan will be reassessed to make sure it is meeting your needs. It can be adjusted accordingly as you move through your program.
What to Bring to Treatment
Before you enter an inpatient treatment program, you’ll have to pack for your stay. Many of your needs will be taken care of as a part of your treatment program, but you will need some things from home. At Desert View Recovery, we provide high-level care, including medical detoxification, inpatient, and residential treatment services. We can help you prepare for treatment before you leave by walking you through the packing and preparation.
You will need to pack for your stay in inpatient treatment, which will last as long as you need it. Medical detox often lasts for a week to 10 days, while inpatient and residential services can last for several weeks or more. There is no cap on the amount of time you should spend in treatment; it ultimately depends on your needs and how you progress through treatment. As you are packing, some of the items you will need to bring are apparent, like clothing and toiletries. However, you will need some other items for the admissions process, so it’s important to check the list before you leave.
If you’re not sure what you can and can’t bring to treatment, our admissions team at Desert View recovery can help. Feel free to call any time to make sure you are prepared to take your first steps toward recovery.
What Should You Bring to Addiction Treatment?
When you’re preparing to come to addiction treatment, you need to make sure you have a few things in your suitcase. Of course, you’ll need clothing. Even if you are in inpatient treatment for more than a week, a week’s worth of clothing should be enough. You’ll have an opportunity to have it cleaned as you go through treatment. You’ll also need toiletries and personal care items, such as a toothbrush. You will also need to make sure you have admissions and administrative processes. Here’s a list of some of the things you’ll need.
- Clothing
- Toiletries
- Cell phone
- Credit or debit card
- Picture ID
- Insurance information
- Prescription information
- Contact information of your doctor and lawyer
- Emergency contact information
- Reading material
- Journal
- Over-the-counter medications
Remember that you will be sharing space with other people going through treatment. It’s important to wear appropriate clothing and leave inappropriate reading material or magazines behind. It’s also important to note the season and region you’ll be attending treatment. Desert View Recovery is located in Riverside County, California, which is a warm-to-temperate desert climate. While it will be comfortable most of the time, it can get chilly during the winter months, especially at night.
You’ll need a credit or debit card on file, but you won’t need large amounts of cash in your pocket. You may want to bring some for snacks and expenses while you travel to Desert View Recovery, but beyond that, a single card should be all you need.
What Should You Not Bring to Addiction Treatment?
It’s important to consider what you will need to bring to treatment, but what you should NOT bring is also important. Here are some important things to leave at home when you’re packing for treatment:
- Drugs and alcohol
- Weapons
- Jewelry
- Significant valuables
- Aerosol sprays
- Mouthwash
- Products that contain alcohol
- Inappropriate clothing
- Inappropriate reading material
- Food
It’s important to keep in mind that you will be sharing spaces with other people who are pursuing their recovery. For that reason, you shouldn’t pack anything that might jeopardize your sobriety or the sobriety of other people.
Paying for Addiction Treatment
The cost of addiction rehab is a barrier to sobriety for many people, but several options can help you afford the treatment you need. The full continuum of care can cost several thousand dollars, depending on the specifics of your treatment plan. However, it’s important to note that addiction can also be expensive. As it takes over different aspects of your life, including your health and finances. For many, drug rehab is a worthwhile investment.
Insurance is one of the best ways to make treatment more affordable. But navigating the insurance process can be intimidating. We can help verify your insurance coverage and navigate your treatment plan.
Navigating Insurance
Because of legislation like the Affordable Care Act and mental health parity laws, many insurance companies now offer some coverage for mental and behavioral health care. Health insurance companies are likely to offer some coverage for substance use treatment. Insurance providers that offer mental and behavioral health coverage must offer it on a similar level to the medical healthcare they offer.
In-Network Insurance Plans
The term “in-network” refers to an arrangement between a healthcare provider and a health insurance company. If your insurance company gives you a list of in-network healthcare providers, it refers to companies that the insurance company already has a relationship with. They have likely negotiated discounts in exchange for a streamlined claims process. It may be easier to get coverage at an in-network provider. Desert View Recovery accepts coverage from several in-network insurance companies, including the following:
- Anthem BCBS
- Agua Caliente Tribe
- Cigna
- Holman Group
- Sierra Healthcare Options (SHO)
- Sierra Health & Life (SHL)
- Health Plan of Nevada (HPN) HMO
What Is Covered By Insurance?
Insurance coverage will depend on your policy, but insurance companies tend to offer coverage for evidence-based treatment approaches. They may not offer coverage for alternative options, but they may offer coverage for the following:
- Medical detoxification
- Inpatient and residential services
- Dual diagnosis
- Behavioral therapies
- Outpatient treatment
Your treatment center may offer some alternative therapies like yoga, art therapy, and other options. However, as long as they are supplemental to evidence-based approaches, you may receive some coverage.
Addiction Treatment Frequently Asked Questions
Addiction is a progressive disease, and it’s important for you to address it as soon as possible. However, as you take your first steps toward recovery, you may have some questions that need to be answered:
What Is Addiction Treatment?
Addiction treatment is a complex process tailored to your individual needs. Effective treatment will be grounded in evidence-based approaches so that it will meet multiple dimensions of needs, including medical, psychological, and social needs. The severity of your substance use problem and related issues will determine the level of care you go through. If you have a high likelihood of severe withdrawal symptoms or other medical issues, you may begin with medical detoxification, which involves 24-hour medically managed treatment.
As you progress through treatment, you may advance to less intensive care. After detox, you may go through medically monitored or clinically managed treatment. High-level care may start with a medical setting and medical staff close by at all times. As you progress, you may continue to a dorm or apartment-style setting in residential treatment.
One of the most important aspects of effective treatment is a personalized treatment plan. You will make a treatment plan with the help of a therapist early in the process. It may involve individual and group therapy sessions, behavioral therapies, and therapies designed to treat specific needs like past traumas or anxiety disorders. Your recovery plan will be assessed by your therapist weekly to make sure you are on the right track.
How Effective Is Addiction Treatment?
A common concern for some considering treatment is if rehab works. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has reported that addiction treatment is effective in lowering drug and alcohol use and related issues like criminal activity. It can also help increase occupational, psychological, and social functioning, which can be affected by substance use disorders. Treatment is most effective for people who stay in treatment for as long as they need; cutting it short can lead to relapse.
Of course, treatment isn’t a magic pill, and it can be challenging for some people to achieve and maintain sobriety. The relapse rates for addiction are similar to those of other chronic diseases, which is around 40% to 60%. However, it’s possible to achieve recovery, even after multiple relapses.
What If I Relapse?
Relapse is a part of the recovery process for many people. Relapse can damage your morale, and it can even be dangerous in some circumstances. However, if you experience a relapse, it’s important to realize that it doesn’t mean your addiction treatment efforts have failed.
Since each day in addiction treatment can be dangerous, time spent in treatment, away from active addiction, is valuable. Throughout the treatment process, you will learn about addiction, your triggers, and your personal struggles that may be related to addiction. That experience will stick with you, even through a relapse. It’s important to recognize that a relapse doesn’t mean lasting sobriety is impossible for you. Many people achieve long-term sobriety after they have experienced a relapse.
Like other chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension, relapse doesn’t mean you should give up on treatment. A relapse may signal that you need to revisit treatment and examine your relapse prevention plan.
What Is Inpatient Addiction Treatment?
Inpatient treatment is medical or clinical care that involves 24-hour services while you live on-site. High-level inpatient treatment may involve medically managed services in clinical settings. Medical staff will be available at all times, as you are being treated for acute medical issues like withdrawal symptoms.
Inpatient treatment also involves lower levels of care like medical monitoring or clinically managed residential treatment. In residential treatment, you may have more independence throughout your day, but you will still be living on-site and attending many hours of treatment services each week.
As you make progress in treatment, you may reach the point when you still need treatment to continue, but you can live on your own. Then, you may continue on to outpatient treatment, which involves treatment during the day while you live independently.
How Long Is Treatment?
Addiction treatment is a highly personalized process. The time it takes for you to complete a treatment program may be unique to you. Inpatient treatment can last for a few weeks to months, but there is no cap on the amount of time you can or should spend in treatment. Rather, it’s best for you to take the time you need to ensure treatment effectiveness. According to NIDA, the full continuum of care in treatment should last at least 90 days. That includes both inpatient and outpatient treatment. Spending fewer than 90 days in treatment may lead to less effective treatment outcomes or brief periods of sobriety.
Will Treatment Cure My Addiction?
There is no known cure for addiction. As a chronic disease, addiction may cause cravings and compulsions to use for a long time, even after you achieve sobriety. However, addiction is treatable, and a life free from active addiction is possible. Treatment may not cure addiction, but it will give you the tools to achieve and safeguard your sobriety for years to come.
