Mulling over the severity of drug addiction and deciding to go to rehab is one of the toughest decisions an addict will ever make. When you enter an inpatient facility, you’re committing to a stay in an unknown environment, around people you’ve never met before, and it’s in some ways no different than going in a hospital. It’s not a place that people want to go to. However, if you have a drug addiction severe enough to warrant inpatient treatment, entering rehab is always the right decision to make.
Once you’ve decided that inpatient rehab is the right thing for you, the next question to go over in your head is exactly where you’re going to get treatment. Some people don’t have the choice to go to a local facility, and sometimes the local rehabs aren’t something you’re comfortable with. Out of state facilities with outstanding reputations will sometimes draw people to them, and that’s a positive thing. If you’re considering traveling to rehab rather than going to a local facility, here are a few things to consider.
WHY TRAVEL FOR REHAB?
If there are a few facilities in your area, it might be that you feel traveling for rehab isn’t a good idea, and that’s fine. Many people will choose to remain in a local area for rehab, either because they don’t want to be far from their families or because their insurance requires it. For others with the choice to travel for rehab, there are a lot of reasons they make this decision:
- Better quality rehabs in out of state or out of area networks
- The opportunity to see a new state or area
- A fresh start somewhere away from where you used
- Greater assurance that you won’t just walk away from treatment
- Chance to meet people from another state or area.
It’s for these reasons, and many more, that some addicts pack up and seek treatment in other areas or even other states. There have been a few occasions where people may even choose to get well in other countries, something that’s not common but not completely unheard of. Perhaps you’ve heard of a rehab in another area that has a much better reputation than your local centers, and you’ve found a way to fund that stay. Should you travel?
ACCEPTING THE CONS
Traveling for rehab isn’t always advantageous and will depend in large part on your situation. If you have a very close-knit family, the idea of being a state away from them may not be your cup of tea. You may want to make your family a part of your recovery, and if they’re many miles away, they might not be able to travel to you and take part in your recovery. For some people, there are a lot more reasons to stay than to seek treatment somewhere else.
Another big reason why someone may not feel the need to travel for rehab is when they live in an area that already has highly reputable and respectable drug rehabs nearby. After all, if you live in an area that’s packed with top-rated drug rehabs, why go anywhere else? You may live in a location that other people travel to for help. If that’s the case, it makes sense to stay where you are. If you decide to stay at home and seek treatment, it’s okay. Not everyone travels for rehab.
LOCAL HELP
The cost of going to a local rehab will almost always be cheaper than seeking out of area help. Not only is your insurance more likely to pay for an in-state rehab, but you’re also much more likely to get state financial help if you don’t have insurance. Money is always a big issue in just about every decision like this that we have to make. Nixing travel expenses can lower the overall costs of rehab and give you a much sunnier financial outlook when you’re out of rehab.
When you’re in a local facility, it’s much more likely that your family will also be able to participate in different phases of your treatment, making that a comforting thought as you enter the rehab. However, there are also the local temptations you might have to contact people that you used with, and the familiar sights and sounds of your area may be something that you have to address when you’re in a local facility. People are sometimes tempted to leave their facilities as well, and that’s a lot easier to do when home is just around the corner.
NO WRONG CHOICE
The great news is that whether you travel for rehab or not, you’re going to be entering a treatment facility that can help you recover from drug addiction and/or alcoholism. Entering treatment is a life-changing experience, one that will give you the strength you need to rebuild your life after a tragic experience with drug addiction. The world is a much different place for you after you go to treatment. It’s more wide open and more welcoming.
Traveling for rehab has its own set of challenges, but it’s one that is also worth it. Whether you go to a local rehab or travel out of state or even out of the country, for rehab, the important thing is that you’re going somewhere, anywhere, to get well from your affliction. You’ll find as you move through the phases of your chosen treatment center that your life gets better one day at a time, a little at a time. The longer you’re away from drugs, the more you see the insanity of drug addiction and the havoc it spreads through families and communities.
Reading about prospective rehabs can be an exciting experience before you dive into treatment. You’ll learn about each treatment center and decide whether or not its program for recovery is something that appeals to you. You’ll cross off most of the centers and choose only one that you believe will help you make the journey through recovery. One thing is for sure. Whether you go away for help or stay at home for help, you need to make the solid decision that you’re going to get help somewhere. If you travel and have the means to do that, and you want to get well, you will. And if you stay at home and get into a great treatment center, you can get well there, too. The only place you can’t get well is if you delay the decision for help.
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