Choosing the right drug rehab center can be a lengthy and confusing task, especially without knowing the difference between the various types of drug rehab programs available for virtually every kind of person in need of help. There are as many choices of personalized drug rehab programs as combo meals and now you can “have it your way”. A few decades ago, drug rehab was offered with a “12-step fits all” approach. These days, drug rehab programs are offered in specialized forms such as alternative drug rehab for those who do not wish to follow the 12-step method, gender specific drug rehab, gay & lesbian drug rehab, faith based rehab for all different faiths, dual diagnosis drug rehab for those with co-occurring mental health disorders, and relapse prevention drug rehab, specifically tailored for addicts and alcoholics who have chronic relapses.
With the plethora of drug rehab programs available these days, there is help for every kind of personality and preference. Often, one treatment center will offer a few different kinds of drug rehab programs to maintain variety and other treatment centers focus entirely on one specific methodology of addiction treatment. The majority of treatment centers, however, follow the 12-step drug rehab program as a base, and put their own twist on it, adding things like acupuncture, CBT, equine assisted therapy, wilderness exercises, faith based teachings, and mental health care. Aside from alternative treatment centers, many niche drug rehab programs are 12-step based, but primarily focus on whatever the niche may be instead of the 12-step drug rehab method. Of course, finding a drug rehab that is primarily focused on the 12-step method is pretty easy.
Even though in the end, the success of any drug rehab depends entirely on the addicts’ behavior and dedication after leaving rehab, finding the right drug rehab program for each individual in need is very important before making a financial commitment to the rehab program.
There really should be more information available to help differentiate between the various types of drug rehab programs available.
Drug Rehab Combo #2, Please
The Truth About Rapid Opiate Detox
I have read so many horror stories about rapid opiate detox. People complain about the discomfort of it and I was shocked to hear people complain about how detox didn’t do anything to help maintain sobriety. First of all, detox is detox, not drug rehab. And rapid opiate detox is rapid opiate detox, not a day at the spa. The purpose of rapid opiate detox is to speed the process of the removal of opiates from the body and although patients are not awake during this process, it still has the same effect on the human body and patients will still feel like they’ve been through detox. While there are different kinds of rapid opiate detox facilities, it is important to consider the quality of each facility and program. One program,Midwest Rapid Opiate Specialists in Chicago is among the best in the country.
I think as long as people keep in mind the reality of detox, expectations will be far more realistic. Detox is not intended to rehabilitate addicts from addiction, only to remove chemicals from drugs and alcohol from the system. Detox is often the first step in recovery, relieving the physical withdrawal symptoms then moving on to drug rehab for the mental and emotional recovery. Hopefully, with a little enlightenment, more people in need of drug rehabilitation will go through detox with a more realistic point of view and use it for its intended purpose.
New Jersey Drug Rehab in Only 3 Days
Typically, we think about drug and alcohol rehab and imagine a thirty day stay in a residential treatment center, but with the continued research into drug treatment a new, innovative method has been adopted by the Canterbury Institute in New Jersey. This rehab center’s cutting edge approach to drug treatment focuses on short term outpatient methodologies to drug and alcohol rehab. Depending on the situation and severity of addiction, The Canterbury Institute aims to treat addiction on a short term basis, treating addiction with 3 consecutive days of medication and nutrient rich supplements on an outpatient basis. Medication is then taken home for a thirty day period and comprehensive follow-up implemented.
Can drug and alcohol addiction really be treated in as little as 3 days by an outpatient drug rehab? Based on what most of us have heard, seen, and been through in terms of drug treatment, we may be inclined to take a certain stance of disbelief in this methodology. However, when I think of outpatient drug treatment in general, there is no exact time period for treatment and many similar methods are utilized across the world in outpatient drug rehabs. Obviously, some cases require longer periods of time than 3 days, but it seems to me that for some cases of addiction, this is a very innovative and effective approach. Of course, like The Canterbury Institute, I understand that one treatment methodology is not the right approach to drug rehab in all people, but this is yet one more way caring individuals in the drug rehab field are working to find the right answer for those who need it. There is no doubt that there are many severe cases of addiction that are generally accompanied by co-occurring mental disorders and require more intensive inpatient drug rehab. However, for those individuals who find that outpatient drug treatment will work best for them, I feel the approach that The Canterbury Institute has taken to outpatient drug rehab is a breath of fresh air. As with any drug rehab, the idea is not to blow through it and fail to learn or heal in the process. The key to any drug rehab is caring professionals, comprehensive medical attention, and the desire to be healthy. The Canterbury Institute has 2 of the 3 elements. All that’s missing is the will and dedication of the next individual seeking recovery from drug and alcohol addiction.
“Bad Boy!” No More NFL For Vick?
In response to the latest news on the Michael Vick controversy, I decided I would add a little more opinion to the recent statements made regarding the NFL decision to suspend Vick “indefinitely”.
I saw today that the Atlanta chapter of the NAACP has come out in defense of Michael Vick claiming these charges are racially motivated and that Vick should be given a second chance to prove his character before we ostracize him from society and the NFL. Many more Atlanta residents and members of society across the nation feel similarly. I guess we all heard about Stephon Marbury’s comments that as far as he is concerned, dog fighting is a sport. I don’t know how many people would go quite that far - I think it’s a reach to contend that an activity that is based on extreme violence and often death can be considered a sport.
Nonetheless, I continue to receive feedback from Atlanta residents as to their opinions on this issue. One resident states ” I do not know how much an embarrassment Vick is to the city of Atlanta or at least he has not embarrassed me. Everybody is human and as such we are flawed individuals. ” Well, fair enough - there’s no getting around the fact that no one is perfect. People make mistakes every day ranging from completely non-consequential to life-changing.
Obviously, Vick has admitted to making the mistake of being involved in this horrible activity, but what about those who feel a ban from the NFL is going too far? I know Pamela, from Atlanta isn’t alone when she says “Vick committed a crime and he is going to be held accountable for his actions by the justice system. That should be good enough.” Without doubt, he should be held accountable for his actions, but he isn’t just a citizen who committed a crime. If it were you or I who were facing these charges, the justice system is the only system we answer to - the only set of man-made rules to which we must adhere. However, Vick is more than just a citizen. He is also a representative of the NFL and the Atlanta Falcons. When players enter professional sports, they take an oath with full understanding of the fact that they must abide by common law as well as the rules and regulations of the professional league to which they belong (code of conduct). If his actions in gambling on dog fights, knowingly financing the operation, and possibly being a party to the execution of the under-performing dogs are all violations of the NFL, then should he not be held accountable by that organization as well? Sure, Vick has sold out games in Atlanta and has been a huge money maker for the Falcons and the city of Atalanta, but at what cost? What kind of message would the NFL be sending if Vick were allowed to continue playing despite his multiple violations of NFL regulations (not to mention the fact that a large percentage of Vick’s fans have dogs as pets)? In a sense, wouldn’t his continued participation in the NFL be similar to the justice system dismissing the charges completely?
While I do understand the sentiments of Pamela and the many others who feel that a ban from the NFL is going too far since Michael Vick is such an exceptional player, I don’t feel that tremendous talent should be used to get him off the hook with the NFL. Big money or not, if Michael Vick has committed crimes against the NFL code of conduct, he needs to be held accountable through the NFL just as he is being held accountable for his crimes against common law by the justice system.
Now, as far as the NAACP claiming this whole thing is racially motivated, that’s just garbage. Dog fighting is illegal, period. It wouldn’t matter if it was Brett Favre or the first polka-dotted player ever, a crime is a crime. Just because Vick is black and being charged with a crime doesn’t mean there are racist motivations behind it. There is more than sufficient evidence for this charge (let’s not forget the guilty plea). The NAACP has it’s benefits and it’s a great organization, but as an African American woman, I’m a little taken back to hear about this kind of nonsense. Not everything is a racial matter. These efforts are best saved for a truly racially motivated crime or charge, but this is not that case.
Then, I’m hearing people using the excuse that Vick’s father wasn’t around to tuck him in at night and he had to scrap for everything he had. Okay, well a lot of us have had to do that. The large majority of American’s aren’t born into the Huckstable home with infallible guidance and a silver spoon in their mouths, but that doesn’t excuse the commission of crime or the disregard of life because childhood wasn’t what it should have been. People have overcome far worse and grown up to change the world. History is full of examples. Look, there is no way around this. Michael Vick committed a heartless, brutal crime in having knowledge of dog fighting and allowing it to continue, not to mention the charges of execution if that turns out to be true. He just doesn’t have an excuse and I feel it amazingly naive of any person attempting to manufacture one for him. He’s a grown man and he knew what the NFL required of his conduct before he ever wore the Falcon’s uniform. He violated those regulations and he committed a federal offense. He needs to deal with it and pay the price - on both ends. And for all those Vick fans out there, it’s fine to appreciate his talent. Most of us do recognize that he is an extraordinary football player, but he’s also a criminal - period.
Dog Days for Vick
Talk about being in the doghouse. I don’t know what Michael Vick’s dysfunction is, but I am sickened by what he’s done. It’s not just the fact that it’s dog fighting (which is absolutely disgusting), but also the fact that he is someone in the public eye playing professional football who has amazing athletic talent. The sky was the limit for this guy - fans loved him, kids adored him, the NFL drafted him #1 and he had his whole future right in front of him. Now he’s become a social pariah as a result of these charges and his football career is in serious jeopardy. I know the public in general is outraged, but I wanted to get a clearer picture of what Atlanta residents are feeling about this, since in some aspect the players of professional sports represent not only their teams, but also the residents of the cities those teams play for. People in Atlanta saw hope in Michael Vick (given the poor performance of sports teams there over past years). They saw a young man with tremendous potential and talent to raise the spirits of the city and renew faith in the Falcons. Michael Vick was like a superhero for Atlanta football. What do these residents have to say now?
“From him trying to carry a water bottle with questionable substance in it on the plane to him flipping a bird to his fans and now this., I just don’t have much respect for him as a man.”
“I also think he has been an embarrassment to Atlanta and to the NFL”
“I personally feel that it’s sad to see a black athlete fall for such a stupid thing and more importantly destroy his reputation to his team members, and the young kids throughout this country”
This kind of sentiment in Atlanta and throughout the country is pretty consistent, and I couldn’t agree more. Vick has thrown his entire career and all respect out the window because something twisted in his mind finds entertainment and excitement in watching once innocent animals tear each other apart. There are some things that I absolutely don’t condone, but can at least understand. If he partied too much and the disease of addiction crept up on him, okay. I’m not saying that addiction is anything less than a horribly fatal disease, but it happens to the best of us and it’s not a condition of mental or social ineptitude. But being a part of a vicious, murderous dog fighting ring is simply cruel - there’s no other way about it. These poor dogs were drowned and hung when they didn’t win their fights. This is cold blooded murder and there is just no excuse for it - and a dog? What was this guy thinking about? Whether he did the deed or not, he had knowledge of it and financed the whole operation. I just can’t fathom what would drive someone to do these kinds of horrendous things to an innocent animal, other than some kind of sociopathic mentality. It’s just inhumane and cruel to engage in such activity. So, that drives the question, should Michael Vick be banned from the NFL for participating in such activities?
ABSOLUTELY!!!! Not only should he never play professional sports again, but I think Patricia from Atlanta has it right when she says “Michael Vick should learn to be an advocate for animal rights…so he can learn just how awful him crime was. ” I think the only way this can be made right is for Michael Vick to actually understand the brutality of his crimes through experience and he might just get that in prison. This may be one of the few times that prison can actually help to rehabilitate a criminal. If he goes to prison, he will get to be right in the middle of the same hell those dogs were in, fighting for his life against others like him. Maybe then, he’ll realize how shameful it is to be in that position, how degrading and terrifying it is to be caged among gang members who will try to kill him based on an order because their whole lies have been based on violence and contempt.
We never know, this might be just what he needs to become a positive, influential, constructive member of society. He might come out rehabilitated and humbled, and change the world. It’s a long shot, I know. He might just serve his time and come out a more hardened version of who he is now. I can only hope that Michael Vick is not beyond redemption and makes the decision to change the kind of impact he wishes to have on society and make his existence more positive and meaningful.
