Ahh, It's Time For Rehab!!!!

Luann de Lesseps, is the latest who's in trouble with the cops.

Actually, needing to go to rehab is not funny or a joking matter.

That said, it seems all too often when so-called stars and celebrities run into trouble with the police, regardless of the cause, they head for rehab. I would imagine that usually, it's with their lawyer's encouragement or suggestion.

Yes, it seems that most of them think when they make it to court they can proudly proclaim that they are in rehab. Hmm, as if the judge has never heard that one before.

What is rehab? How does it work, or not. And, are there alternatives?

For this posting, I'm going to use alcohol and alcohol problems. To some extent, drug treatment works similarly. But, I'm going to concentrate on alcohol.

Unless you've lived in a cave your entire life, you've been around people who have had problems with alcohol. This could be old Uncle Henry, who every holiday gets blitzed and causes family turmoil. Could be a close friend, relative, or spouse who ongoingly readily admits to a drinking problem but does nothing to get their drinking under control. And, yes, some people get a divorce because of alcohol use. Then there are the DWIs and loss of jobs. Alcohol use does cause many problems. The other aspect of alcohol is that we do things under the influence that we would never do when sober. Well, you know what I’m talking about. Too much alcohol impairs our judgment and tosses our impulse control put the window.

Before going further, I'd like to mention that many communities have city-sponsored detox centers. I think that the lines are blurred and you may well find the same services at some detox centers that you'd find at rehab. That said, the celebrities that we read about are surely going to private hospitals (psychiatric) and not using the community-based services.

Detox may be a misnomer, as most people don't actually have to detox from alcohol. By that I mean, if they stop drinking they will not have any type of physical/medical problems from stopping alcohol. That said, yes, there are some who when they stop drinking should be medically monitored in case there are physical or medical problems caused by stopping the alcohol use.

So, what’s available for treatment? I’m going to lump the detox center and the private hospital (both can be reffered to as rehab) together. Most hospitals will have all of what I’m listing and detox typically fewer.

1) Information and education about alcohol and how it affects the body and mental status.

2) AA’s twelve-step program. Unfortunately, in my opinion, this program if you will is relied on too much. God is mentioned, if I remember correctly, six times in the twelve steps. In fact, courts have said prisoners can’t be forced to attend treatment that uses the AA model, as it’s a religion. Another thing I don’t like is that those who participate in the program state that they are powerless over the alcohol. If they are actually powerless, hey, there’s nowhere to go from there.

3) Group meetings.

4) Visits by a psychiatrist and or counselor for individual therapy.

While I’m a little out touch I guess I would say, not having worked in six or seven years, I doubt if things have changed.

Would imagine most city/county or state funded detox centers are short term. Get in and sober up, participate in some groups, and be offered ongoing treatment when leaving the center. This would be individual or group counseling with an alcohol and drug counselor. Of course, some folks who have problems with drugs are also mentally ill. And, the discharge plan from the detox center would include mental health treatment and a case manager.

Now, the fancy places that the rich and famous go I would assume would have somewhat regular visits by a psychiatrist as well as individual counseling with a licensed counselor (LPC, LCSW, and psychologist).

 Of course, the fancy places would have a discharge plan for ongoing treatment.

Does any of this stuff work? Well, you’d have to define work. It’s not like a broken arm. You can go into a hospital and have your arm fixed. It’s surely not the same as dealing with drinking alcohol that’s causing you problems. You can't go to rehab and get fixed. You can go into rehab and possibly have a better chance of making changes in your drinking-surely, no guarantees.

EDIT: Time for a comment. Nothing I say here is medical advice. I am merely giving my opinions. If you have a problem with alcohol, I suggest you look into whatever treatment is available to you and try to make an informed decision.

 Now, that said, unless you have medical problems that might make detoxing a problem I’d most likely try to stay away from the hospitals and detox centers. This does not mean I’m saying you shouldn’t seek help. Most communities have free help through community services boards and if you have insurance, it will usually cover a counselor.

What I would watch out for are the places that may well be scams. I know of folks who’ve paid $50,000 plus for out-of-town treatment that seemingly are not any better than what should be available locally. And, there are some actual scams out there. Let the buyer beware. And, good luck!

I've read over this several times. Obviously, this surely is not a complete survey of problems with alcohol or alcohol treatment. Though I think the information can be helpful if you seek treatment, ask lots of questions. And, if you are having problems and can't seem to get going again or whatever term you want to use, seek help!