Selecting a treatment program for substance abuse is an important part of obtaining the results that you or your loved one hope to achieve. The White House explains that it is important to treat an addiction early because it can save lives.
The challenge is finding the treatment program that is most appropriate for your particular needs or the needs of your loved one. In some cases, going out of the state and traveling to a facility can provide the tools that you or your loved one needs to recover from substance abuse.
Changing the Environment
Help Guide explains that there is no one treatment that works for every individual. As a result, finding a program that is appropriate for the individual can seem particularly challenging.
When you or your loved one is struggling with temptation that relates to the overall environment, traveling for treatment may be an effective way to break away from the habitual cycles. Traveling is already a large change and the body will not face the same environmental triggers because the climate, the overall weather conditions and the surroundings are not the same.
Changing the environment can be a break from the norm, which makes it easier to focus on treatment. It also helps reduce the number of triggers that encourage substance abuse, which can make the initial steps toward a drug-free lifestyle a little easier.
Alternative Treatment Strategies
The treatment options that are available in a particular location may not be appropriate for your needs or the needs of your loved one. The National Institute on Drug Abuse explains that substance abuse and addiction are complex and treatment approaches must vary based on the needs of the individual.
When the treatment options that are available in a local area are limited, it may be useful to travel for rehabilitation because it can provide alternative strategies and more treatment options.
Traveling for treatment is particularly useful if you or your loved one has already tried treatment at a local facility and relapsed on the substance. Since the treatments that were available in the local area proved inadequate, it may be necessary to seek alternative solutions or a different approach to substance abuse treatment.
Better Facilities
The options that are available in any local area can have limitations. A treatment program may have limited facilities in certain locations, so traveling can provide access to treatment programs and facilities that have a higher rate of long-term success.
Depending on the program, you or your loved one may gain access to:
- A greater number of treatments
- Better medical facilities
- Long-term aftercare services that reduce the risk of a relapse in the future
The best treatment program for any individual can depend on personal goals, the reasons that substance abuse started and personal preferences. In some cases, traveling for rehabilitation can provide the tools and treatment options that you or your loved one needs to recover.
Sources:
- http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/ondcp/Fact_Sheets/investing_in_treatment_5-23-12.pdf
- http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/principles-drug-addiction-treatment-research-based-guide-third-edition/drug-addiction-treatment-in-united-states
- http://www.helpguide.org/mental/drug_abuse_addiction_rehab_treatment.htm
- http://www.helpguide.org/mental/choosing_drug_rehab_treatment.htm