Does Rehab Work?

Simply put, YES. Rehab does work (for some people), and for others… maybe not so much… or maybe… just not right away. I know from my own personal experience that I neither found a quick fix from a 30-day drug and alcohol rehabilitation treatment program, nor has my recovery been solved in 25 plus years of weekly therapy sessions, psychotropic medications, intensive outpatient, AA meetings, the Fellowship, mindfulness meditation, yoga, green smoothies, textbooks, a Big Book, or even a Higher Power.

Rehab works for people who want to and believe they can recover. Actually, you don’t even have to believe it will work for you, you just have to put in the long, arduous, and flat out painful work it takes to build a strong foundation and stay committed throughout the journey. Sadly, rehab is not need-based and there is no quick fix. It requires consistent, long-term dedication. And considering the vagueness and variability of the results as to rehabs effectiveness, all I really have to offer you is my most sincere advice, which is… GO!

If you are reading this article, you are probably past the point of being able to control your drinking and/or drug use, and as my dad has always told me, “once you have to control it, you’ve already lost control.” Going to rehab doesn’t mean you have to never have a sip of alcohol or pick your favorite poison up again… it’s not forever, it’s just for today, and yes… it will end… All you’re really signing up for is that you are surrendering to the fact that maybe, just maybe, someone else, might be able to teach you a better way to cope with your pain and to help you to process years of pent-up aggression, anxiety, fear, and trauma, while (at least in Harmony Place’s case) providing you with beautiful, serene, and comfortable living accommodations, nutritious meals, one of the finest clinical teams money can buy in one of the most highly sought-after places in the world to visit/live, while helping you to get in the habit of actually taking care of yourself…

However, this isn’t summer camp… you aren’t meant to have the time of your life or meet (and in fact, I hope you don’t…) your long-lost soulmate. You are supposed to work on yourself in whatever way you can at the time you are fortunate enough to have the opportunity to do so, and to emerge a little bit better than you were before you first waltzed through the door… strung out on benzo’s, straight out of mommy and daddy’s Benz… entitled as ever, or shattered in to a million pieces, lugging a few belongings haphazardly stuffed in to garbage bags out of an overdrawn Uber account with nowhere/no one left to turn to. When you walk through the doors of Harmony Place, I can assure you that you will be greeted with open arms. You will not be judged. You will feel loved, heard, valued, and guided toward a different path than you were previously headed down.

Considering that there is a) no standard measurement tool to properly assess the effectiveness of “rehab;” b) there is no clinical definition as to what drug and alcohol rehabilitation treatment actually entails in the DSM-V; and c) there is much debate amongst recovering addicts, alcoholics, and treatment professionals as to whether 12 step programs are more-or-less effective than drug rehabilitation treatment, it’s almost impossible to give a definitive answer to the question, “Does Rehab Work.” “Rehabs” run the gamut from a 3-7 day-state-run detoxification programs to long-term, luxury, behavior modification recovery centers. Thus, if you are considering going to rehab, finding the right program that is tailored to your individual wants and needs is essential as you embark on this very personal journey.

But, as with many things in life, the opportunity seems to be wasted on those who aren’t ready or equipped to uncover the truth about themselves and to do the difficult work necessary to achieve long-term recovery. For me, I can say that I wasn’t allotted the good fortune of attending Harmony Place’s dual diagnosis program… my parents opted for the more (if you can even imagine) luxurious and expensive program… But, as we all know, money can’t buy happiness (or sobriety) and more expensive doesn’t necessarily mean better than… In my case, although I believe that my rehab experience did eventually help me… I did not take advantage of all that the program had to offer. At the time, I couldn’t see how sick I was or how much I needed to be there. In fact, I AMA’d (left against medical advice) after 28 days and subsequently lost my 12-year career on Wall Street, many, many acquaintances, most of my money and worldly possessions shortly after my departure. However, I am grateful for the experience and I would have to say that without a doubt, rehab 100% altered the course of my life forever. It has not been an easy road to take… I’ve chosen one of the windier, more scenic routes available, but the fact remains that I am dramatically “better” than I was before I entered the grand gates of the mansion on the bluff in Malibu. While I am still not where I want to be four years after rehab and twenty years after my first AA meeting, I know I’ll eventually get there if I keep taking the next right action and putting one foot in front of the other.

In conclusion, I  wish you the same good fortune on your journey, as I have had… and while I would personally recommend Harmony Place’s program first and foremost… the fact remains that anyone can get sober anywhere if they want to, with the understanding that it truly is a lifelong process that requires you to find yourself stuck at many a fork in the road… So, if you are at one of those turning points, don’t just listen to my humble opinion, but listen to the great Yogi Berra… and “take it.”

So, there’s the gentle push you may haven’t needed to pick up the phone and say the most crucial words you may ever utter in your entire lifetime, “can you help me?” I can guarantee (without a doubt) that the kind, understanding, and loving admissions person on the line will do anything and everything in their power to throw you a life preserver… because that’s what we do here at Harmony Place. We help people. Take the plunge. Get help NOW.

Harmony Place services the Woodland Hills and Los Angeles area. We have a team of staff of highly trained nurses and doctors with years of experience to help those who are are struggling with addiction. We specialized in drug and alcohol rehab with the choices of outpatient treatment or inpatient treatment depending on each unique individual’s needs and lifestyle. Take a look at our drug and alcohol detox services to see which one is right for you or a loved one. Harmony Place is here to help become the best version of yourself or a loved one.