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.
New Jersey Drug Rehab in Only 3 Days
Drug Rehab Funding For The Poor
We have been overwhelmed with recent news of public figures and teen “idols” getting into trouble with drugs and checking into high priced rehab centers that seem to resemble more of a vacation destination than a self improvement drug rehab. From Al Gore III, to Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan, it seems like the funds for rehab are unlimited while the majority of addicts trying to get help have spent all their money on their addiction and cannot afford to get into treatment centers without the assistance of federal or state funding. Usually these kinds of treatment centers have long waiting lists and substandard treatment due to low funding.
It saddens me to no end that public figures such as Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan are looked up to in many circles and considered to be idols with millions of little girls wanting to “be like” them when they grow up. Read More
More on Needle Exchange…
In response to some very worthwhile and intuitive comments on this issue, I thought I’d do a follow-up post clarifying some of my feelings on the subject. My issues with this program lie in the limited benefits of needle exchange after weighing in all the factors of drug addiction.
Yes, this program may prevent many HIV/AIDS cases contracted through use of infected needles and that’s great. Truly, one live saved is worth the effort no matter what.
But I remain weary when I think about the idea that this program is not doing much to actually target the problem of addiction itself and ignoring the blantant illegality of drug paraphernalia. I agree with my husband when he suggests that the taxpayers might be better served by their money going to beds for treatment centers.
Having clean needles may help with one of many dangerous and devastating aspects of drug use. But it also perpetuates drug use, leaving a plethora of other devastating effects of addiction unaddressed.
I just feel that there has got to be a better way for us to reach out to addicts and help them get their lives back on track, as opposed to handing out clean needles to continue the same dangerous and addictive behavior.
Clearly, we all agree that more funding needs to go into drug treatment and addiction education programs, and I guess until the day comes when we can see that idea become more of a reality, any program (like the needle exchange program) is like putting a band-aid on an amputated limb. It may very well save some people from HIV/AIDS, but it leaves the door open, further perpetuating drug use and addiction. And that is the bigger problem, the effects of which can be felt from every angle.
Clean Needles to Save Lives?
What message are we sending by implementing needle exchange programs in this country? This has been a highly volatile subject taking heat from both sides. On the one hand, of course we want to lower the risk of HIV/AIDS contraction through infected shared needles of drug users and by all other means. I’m all for public health and less cases of diseases with and without a cure.
On the other hand, is this giving a free pass to IV drug users to continue their abuse, walking around with an “immunity card”, preventing them from being arrested for carrying drug paraphanelia? This attitude is almost like giving up on these people and saying, “if they want to use drugs, let them - just as long as they don’t increase our health care costs with more HIV/AIDS cases.”
I tend to lean more to the side of the latter opinion. What are we saying to these people? The needle exchange program comes complete with clean needles and an “acceptance” of IV drug use. Addiction is not something that becomes okay because clean needles are being used. Addiction is a horrible disease that costs our society billions of dollars in addiction treatment, hospitalization, and incarceration costs. Just because we may be able to decrease a small number of HIV/AIDS cases from infected needle sharing doesn’t mean we’ll avoid HIV/AIDS cases brought on by prostituting for drugs or engaging in reckless sexual behavior while under the influence of drugs. What about crimes committed for money to buy drugs, violence as a result of drug use and black market drug dealing? What about the millions of families and close relationships destroyed on a daily basis because of drug abuse? What are we going to do about these things?
We shouldn’t encourage programs that give addicts exemption from the illegality of carrying around drug paraphanelia, this just perpetuates their addiction. Perhaps this serves the interest of public heath in one area while undermining it in other, arguably more harmful areas. This is supposed to save the lives of drug addicts? They’re killing themselves, HIV or not. If it is the will of our society to save the lives of the millions of Americans struggling with addiction, we need to put more money and effort into drug rehab programs and drug addiction education. Sobriety is the only life-line an addict has, not the availability to get clean needles which they can then turn around and sell for more drug money, or use to overdose. This is ludicrous to me. What real difference is it going to make in the lives of those who struggle with drug addiction to have clean needles to use to get high and continue to kill themselves?
I’m dying to hear an opinion which will make this program somehow make sense to me.
Al Gore III Goes to Treatment to Settle Drug Charges
Al Gore III was arrested on July 4, 2007 at 2:30 am carrying marijuana, Xanax, Vicodin, Valium, and Adderall, none of which he had a prescription for. This isn’t the first time he’s been in trouble with the law involving his car and drugs. In 2003, he was arrested when he was pulled over for not having his headlights on and police discovered marijuana in his car. In 2002, he was arrested for drunk driving near a military base in Virginia. And in 2000, after being clocked at 94 mph, he was ticketed for reckless driving in North Carolina.
Now, after this past arrest he has been offered what appears to be Prop. 36 - the option to attend a drug rehab in order to avoid jail and formal charges. It is rumored that he has signed himself into a drug rehab for 90 days and is completely dedicated to the rehab program. Although it is my sincere hope that he is dedicated to recovery this time, he has done this before. After his arrest in 2003 for marijuana possession, he attended a drug rehab program, 12 weeks of urinalysis testing, and community service. Here we are 4 years later with a far more serious charge than just marijuana possession. As a first time felony drug offense, I see it as only fair that he is offered Prop. 36 and allowed to attend a drug rehab program instead of instant jail time.
I just hope he makes a real effort this time and truly understands the severity of his offense, and the reality of addiction, with the importance drug rehab but only time will tell. Drug rehab programs do a lot of good for people completely under the grip of addiction as well as those who are just beginning to walk the line. Drug rehab can work as a preventative measure just as effectively as it can a recovery measure.
