When they need treatment for substance use disorder, many people have the option to stay close to home or to find treatment further away. There are pros and cons to either option, so it is important to think about what matters most for you and your recovery. At Safe Harbor Recovery Center in Portsmouth, Virginia, we want to be very transparent with potential clients about what benefits they might expect.
Reasons to Stay Close to Home for Treatment
There are many benefits that a person is likely to find from accessing a treatment program nearby. Some of these include:
- Easier access to work or school while completing treatment can make it easier to resume everyday life after treatment ends. For adults who don’t have the option of utilizing the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), this may be the only option.
- Familiarity with the area may make it easier to find additional support and services and avoid disruptions to treatment after time in rehab ends.
- Access to their support system and the ability for their loved ones to participate in the treatment process may give the person a leg up in the long run.
- More ability to access follow-up care at the same facility can increase the sense of continuity in treatment.
- The ability to start with a mental health counselor during treatment and keep that same provider after treatment is over can make it easier to make progress in treating co-occurring mental health issues.
- It may be more cost-effective to attend treatment when you aren’t paying for lodging, which may mean you can stay in treatment longer. Longer time in treatment has been correlated with better long-term results.It is often easier to detect if a program is credible and effective if you live in the area where it operates. It can also be difficult to get out of a bad program if it is far from home and support.
Why Closer Is Not Always Better
In certain cases, however, being near home can create issues for people who are trying to enter recovery:
- Meeting the needs of loved ones can sometimes become a distraction from the hard work of building a sober life.
- Sometimes toxic friends or family members undermine recovery by constantly reminding the person of their past mistakes and relapses. Having some distance from this negativity can be a good thing.
- The people that a person used with before they got sober are probably still in the area and may come into contact with the person while they are feeling vulnerable.
- Specialized care might be more available elsewhere. For example, a program that is further away may excel at treating a particular drug addiction, offer dual diagnosis options, treat a certain age group exceptionally well, or offer services tailored to their gender.
- Not knowing anybody is sometimes a good thing when you’re worried about confidentiality.
- If you’re 1,000 miles away, you may find it harder to give up on your treatment because you can’t just drive home within half an hour.
Questions You Should Ask
When you’re trying to decide which treatment program is best for you, it is a good idea to learn as much as you can about your treatment options. Some things you might want to find out include:
- What levels of care are offered? What is the duration of treatment?
- Does the program specialize in treating addiction to certain substances?
- What forms of payment are accepted? Is financial assistance available?
- Does the program offer mental health support?
- Does the program provide resources to support your family and educate them about the disease of addiction?
- What does the discharge process look like? What support will you have once you have completed treatment?
What Bonus Features Might Be Offered?
Sometimes the details make all of the difference. That’s why, at Safe Harbor Recovery Center, we don’t stop at just offering customized, evidence-based treatment options across a full spectrum of care. We have added extras that set us apart from other programs, including:
- Specialized treatment for Veterans
- A family program to engage supportive loved ones
- Alumni events
- Referrals for sober living homes for added support after treatment is over
- Holistic services that heal the mind, body, and spirit
- Dual-diagnosis treatment for clients with anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other mental health conditions
At Safe Harbor Recovery Center, we want everyone who is struggling with addiction to have the support they need to get and stay sober. We would love to work with you to find out if our program is the right fit for your unique needs.