Remarks from the Fray:
Offering refunds would be hugely counterproductive. It's hard enough to keep recovering addicts on the wagon without offering to pay them to fall off.
--bottleneck
(To reply, click here.)
If treatment doesn't work 84% of the time, why keep paying? Can't we come up with an alternative that does work? Instead, I believe we bury our heads and just accept it, and I believe most throw up their hands "well, it's their choice, the addicts, nothing can be done." That's unacceptable, as are the utterly fake statistics proclaimed by treatment programs, AA, etc. Fake, fake, fake, numbers, all of them. I know.
Thankfully, I am sober at the present time. The first time I went into treatment was at age 22. Most of the counselors were eminently qualified, having been through the program. Qualified to call all of the clients names, in the name of tough love, or honesty. Doing little good, and a lot of harm to people with already low self-esteem, and of course all the blame for any failure fell on the clients.
I stayed straight a while in spite of the incompetents running that place, who helped themselves way more than they helped me. But ,eventually, I went to treatment again, 5 years or so later. Then I went again, then I went to prison for 5 years after that for a drug-related crime. Prison offered a little treatment, too, mostly "go to AA" would sum up all of the knowledge, strategy, scientific study, research, teaching, and practice that our tax dollars pay for such treatment. I don't exaggerate, that is all of the expertise contained in such programs, all of it in one sentence. If that doesn't work for you, it's your fault. Ask anyone, ask Lohan.
I suggest it is time for America to start selling some effective drug treatment and ban the quackery. It's a shame. Our society [needs] to seek a solution, instead of just paying for the same scam, ineffective product, and locking up the non-rich drug criminals.
--Mr. S
(To reply, click here.)
If you break your arm, go to a hospital for treatment and then days later remove the cast against doctors orders and it breaks again, do you sue the doctors? Do you get a refund? No. The reason they don't is not because success rates are too low. Success rates for broken arms healing are high, but no one is offering a refund for negligence. Relapse is negligence and is not a part of recovery. Anyone who says it is rationalizing a legitimate reason to drink/use.
My total cost for treatment? $90,000 for 4 months at a well-known treatment center in Pennsylvania and $135,000 for a long-term facility in New Jersey. I've been sober for over 3 years. If I relapsed, why would I ask for a refund? If I relapsed it would be me and me alone responsible, not the treatment center.
--ncaanan
(To reply, click here.)
Having years of experience as a therapist and substance abuse counselor, my take on Lindsey's rehab is that it was done like most rehab bouts for celebrities, they just go through the motions for the sake of their career or because they feel forced to. After all, Lindsey is an actress and I believe that is how she went through rehab, acting like she was sincere. This is referred to as the "as if" approach. The quick relapse suggests she felt she had gotten over on everyone and could return to doing just as she pleased.
--willheal
(To reply, click here.)
I myself have been sober for 1 year and two weeks. I went into a nice rehab center, but there were no swimming pools, or horse back riding along the beach, no massages or everyone offering up to my every whim. It took hard work!
I stayed in the hospital for one week to detox. Next I went into partial program for two weeks, to learn the tools to help you remain sober. Found a sponsor, therapist and a doctor. And last but not least, I went to dual recovery meetings. When I received my coin for my one year, I knew that I had worked for it!
No one held my hand and said, do this, and don't do that. They helped me see my whole life, why I drank, why I used drugs, and the wreckage of my past, and to own up for my mistakes, and not make excuses anymore. I am a speaker at a couple of rehabs, one is like the one I went to, and the other one very exclusive. At the second one, people have cell phones (calling the drug dealers possibly?) or they file fingers nails and yawn a few times to let everyone know they are bored. You will not get help until you are ready, and ask for it!
--dolphinbecks
(To reply, click here.)
This will be a real eye-opener but I went to rehab 8 times and only "got it" when I was good and ready. I was age 19-22. I am now 40 and have not touched drugs for 18 years. But there was a day. And again, no amount of rehab worked until I was seriously ready. I tried so many times. It broke my parents and family's and friend's hearts. What made me truly get clean was that I was under 90 lbs and my body was wrecked. My dad took me to a doctor and he said that was it. Drugs were ravishing my body and the end was imminent. For me, it took that. Not rehab, not the hundreds of times my parents begged.
I will hope and pray for her. She needs all of the prayers she can get. It's not easy to get clean. Or I would've done it sooner.
--aimboats
(To reply, click here.)
(7/27)
Lindsay Lohan was arrested for cocaine possession and driving under the influence early this morning after failing a field sobriety test in Santa Monica. The 21-year-old actress has been in rehab twice this year; two weeks ago, she finished up a lengthy stay at the Promises Malibu Alcohol and Drug Rehab Treatment Facility. The swanky rehab center costs almost $50,000 for 30 days. Can Lindsay get a refund since the rehab didn't work?
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Remarks from the Fray:
Offering refunds would be hugely counterproductive. It's hard enough to keep recovering addicts on the wagon without offering to pay them to fall off.
--bottleneck
(To reply, click here.)
If treatment doesn't work 84% of the time, why keep paying? Can't we come up with an alternative that does work? Instead, I believe we bury our heads and just accept it, and I believe most throw up their hands "well, it's their choice, the addicts, nothing can be done." That's unacceptable, as are the utterly fake statistics proclaimed by treatment programs, AA, etc. Fake, fake, fake, numbers, all of them. I know.
Thankfully, I am sober at the present time. The first time I went into treatment was at age 22. Most of the counselors were eminently qualified, having been through the program. Qualified to call all of the clients names, in the name of tough love, or honesty. Doing little good, and a lot of harm to people with already low self-esteem, and of course all the blame for any failure fell on the clients.
I stayed straight a while in spite of the incompetents running that place, who helped themselves way more than they helped me. But ,eventually, I went to treatment again, 5 years or so later. Then I went again, then I went to prison for 5 years after that for a drug-related crime. Prison offered a little treatment, too, mostly "go to AA" would sum up all of the knowledge, strategy, scientific study, research, teaching, and practice that our tax dollars pay for such treatment. I don't exaggerate, that is all of the expertise contained in such programs, all of it in one sentence. If that doesn't work for you, it's your fault. Ask anyone, ask Lohan.
I suggest it is time for America to start selling some effective drug treatment and ban the quackery. It's a shame. Our society [needs] to seek a solution, instead of just paying for the same scam, ineffective product, and locking up the non-rich drug criminals.
--Mr. S
(To reply, click here.)
If you break your arm, go to a hospital for treatment and then days later remove the cast against doctors orders and it breaks again, do you sue the doctors? Do you get a refund? No. The reason they don't is not because success rates are too low. Success rates for broken arms healing are high, but no one is offering a refund for negligence. Relapse is negligence and is not a part of recovery. Anyone who says it is rationalizing a legitimate reason to drink/use.
My total cost for treatment? $90,000 for 4 months at a well-known treatment center in Pennsylvania and $135,000 for a long-term facility in New Jersey. I've been sober for over 3 years. If I relapsed, why would I ask for a refund? If I relapsed it would be me and me alone responsible, not the treatment center.
--ncaanan
(To reply, click here.)
Having years of experience as a therapist and substance abuse counselor, my take on Lindsey's rehab is that it was done like most rehab bouts for celebrities, they just go through the motions for the sake of their career or because they feel forced to. After all, Lindsey is an actress and I believe that is how she went through rehab, acting like she was sincere. This is referred to as the "as if" approach. The quick relapse suggests she felt she had gotten over on everyone and could return to doing just as she pleased.
--willheal
(To reply, click here.)
I myself have been sober for 1 year and two weeks. I went into a nice rehab center, but there were no swimming pools, or horse back riding along the beach, no massages or everyone offering up to my every whim. It took hard work!
I stayed in the hospital for one week to detox. Next I went into partial program for two weeks, to learn the tools to help you remain sober. Found a sponsor, therapist and a doctor. And last but not least, I went to dual recovery meetings. When I received my coin for my one year, I knew that I had worked for it!
No one held my hand and said, do this, and don't do that. They helped me see my whole life, why I drank, why I used drugs, and the wreckage of my past, and to own up for my mistakes, and not make excuses anymore. I am a speaker at a couple of rehabs, one is like the one I went to, and the other one very exclusive. At the second one, people have cell phones (calling the drug dealers possibly?) or they file fingers nails and yawn a few times to let everyone know they are bored. You will not get help until you are ready, and ask for it!
--dolphinbecks
(To reply, click here.)
This will be a real eye-opener but I went to rehab 8 times and only "got it" when I was good and ready. I was age 19-22. I am now 40 and have not touched drugs for 18 years. But there was a day. And again, no amount of rehab worked until I was seriously ready. I tried so many times. It broke my parents and family's and friend's hearts. What made me truly get clean was that I was under 90 lbs and my body was wrecked. My dad took me to a doctor and he said that was it. Drugs were ravishing my body and the end was imminent. For me, it took that. Not rehab, not the hundreds of times my parents begged.
I will hope and pray for her. She needs all of the prayers she can get. It's not easy to get clean. Or I would've done it sooner.
--aimboats
(To reply, click here.)
(7/27)