Finding the Right Rehab Center for You
Your recovery depends on you. You’re the foundation, you’re the captain of the ship. You’ll get a lot of help along the way if you choose to accept it, you can take other people on as your guides, your navigators. Other people will help you to get sober and stay that way, but you’ve got to be your own rock through all of this. That said, while the right rehab in California is not what’s going to make or break your recovery, there are rehab facilities in California that will make the process, while still an uphill battle, just a bit less steep.
Check the Reviews
It might feel a bit odd typing “rehab in California, best-reviewed” into Google. After all, we’re talking about your health, your recovery from addiction, here, not the most overlooked burger joint in the city. But, you can find reviews of rehab centers on Yelp and other websites where people can rank their experiences. Look, there are people who review national forests and natural landmarks, so of course, you can find a lot of reviews for rehab centers. That said, there are a few things to bear in mind when reading these reviews:
-Some people are paid to write negative reviews in order to help the competition. This might not be the other group’s fault. It may simply be that they hired a marketing firm without knowing that that marketing firm was a bit shady.
-Some people just aren’t very good at reviewing things. There are reviews for Yellowstone National Park complaining about how hot it gets in the Summer as if the park’s crew has anything to do with that. Take all opinions with a grain of salt.
-You’ll want to read a lot of reviews to get an idea. If one person is saying that the staff is rude, then maybe that person is just a bit hard-headed. If a dozen people are saying it, on the other hand…
Call and See
Sometimes you can’t really get an idea of the kind of people you’re dealing with until you actually, well, deal with them. You can drive around all day talking to them in person, but your first step should just be to make a few calls. Chat with them on the phone and ask some questions. Here’s what you’ll want to inquire about:
-What are your services? You’re looking for a facility that fits your needs. If you need to detox, for instance, then you need to find a facility that offers that. If you really don’t think you can make it without some familiar faces around, ask about family therapy and visitation. Make sure that they have what you need.
-What do your patients do for recreation? You might feel like you’re just trying to turn rehab into a vacation asking how often you’ll be able to get to the beach, but the truth is that it’s a lot easier to keep yourself busy when there’s more to do than sitting around in your room all day watching TV.
-Do you have any success stories? Remember that even with the best care possible, relapse can happen. No rehab center is going to have a perfect track record, but if they know their stuff, they’re going to have some success stories that they’re particularly proud of. Most of those stories are confidential, of course, but they probably have one or two that they have permission to share.
-Finally, just make a note of the person that you spoke with. Were they friendly? Attentive? Compassionate? You’re not going to get your tires rotated, here, you’re looking for a temporary home where people will treat you with care and empathy on your road to recovery. If they’re acting like this is just a day job, as if they have things they’d rather be doing, you might want to scratch that center off the list.
Aren’t You Guys A Little Biased?
Sure. We’re offering rehabilitation and recovery, we do have a horse in this race. But priority number one is getting you the help you need. We offer detox, residential inpatient, intervention, 12 step recovery, and sober living, among other services. We hire only the best, the most experienced, and the most compassionate staff.
We encourage everyone seeking help for recovery to make sure that you’re in the hands of people you trust, people who you feel have your best interests at heart, and who have the experience and the insight to help you through what is going to be one of the most challenging journeys you’ve ever taken.
Just Don’t Be Indecisive
While learning how to compare rehab facilities in California, you can get into a mindset where you’re kind of going through every option with a fine-tooth comb. We’re not going to sit here and tell you that one rehab center is as good as another. There’s a reason some of them have below-average success rates. But the sooner you get started on the road to recovery, the better. Weigh the pros and cons, hunt down the rehab center that hits every box on your checklist, but don’t use the process as an excuse to drag things out. Of course, you’re going to be hesitant to dive right in, it’s a big step. So here’s what you can do: Set yourself a deadline. Mark a date on the calendar. It can be two days, three days, but it probably shouldn’t be more than a week. In that time you can make all the calls and visits you want, you can read every review you have the time to read but come to the deadline, be ready to make your choice.