The services administered in an alcohol or drug rehab center, designed to free patients from the grasps of substance abuse and addiction, only make up for half of the battle against chemical dependency.  The other half, which is equally as important, is the people you will meet during your recovery.  Below is a list of six of these vital people along with the personal impact each one will have on your treatment.

1. Your Counselor – Substance abuse counselors provide special services to patients, including background assessments and planning for your drug or alcohol addiction treatment.  Your counselor is the person who will construct as well as execute your plan for recovery during your stay in an alcohol or drug rehab program.

2.  Your Sponsor –Often a critical help in dealing with impulses pertaining to drug or alcohol relapse, your rehab sponsor will offer personal one-on-one assistance after your and help you on the road after recovery.

3.  Alumni Director – Your alumni director is the person who will maintain contact with you after your discharge from an alcohol or drug rehab center.  Alumni directors also often coordinate aftercare services for patients who have successfully completed treatment.

4.  Friends – After your discharge from alcohol or drug rehab, your future support network of friends becomes an important factor in the success of your long-term recovery from substance abuse or addiction.

5.  Family Therapist – Addiction affects the whole family. A family therapist will work with you and members of your family to discuss feelings, rebuild trust, enhance coping skills, clarify boundaries and strengthen relationships.

6.  Yourself – Recovery from alcoholism or drug addiction is a process of self-mastery, expanding out for a lifetime and stopping only when we do. Your own personal awareness of chemical dependency, as well as the relationship between your body and mind, is the most vital tool you can acquire in realizing long-term recovery.

Time is of the essence when you or a loved one is in need of the professional help of an alcohol or drug rehab program.  Although it is best to check into treatment as quickly as possible, it is equally important to obtain as much information as you can about the alcohol or drug rehab center  to ensure the best chances for recovery.  Be sure to learn the following seven things before enrolling in a treatment program for chemical dependency.

1.  State Licensing – If the state has not licensed the rehabilitation center you are considering, it is probably operating outside of the law – it may not even be an actual rehab facility.  People often confuse establishments such as sober living facilities with alcohol or drug rehab programs, but the two are not the same. Always ensure you are enrolling in a state-licensed facility.

2. Residential vs. Outpatient Rehabilitation – Prior to entering rehab, it is important to understand the difference between residential and outpatient treatment.  Outpatient treatment allows patients to return home at the end of the day, where residential treatment (ideal for individuals who desire a break from their daily lives) offers housing amenities to patients who plan to focus on nothing but their recovery.

3.  Dual Diagnosis Capabilities – Since psychological disorders such as depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder often accompany substance abuse and addiction, an alcohol or drug rehab center with dual diagnosis capabilities is often crucial for long-term recovery.

4.  Location…Location…Location – Recovery centers based in areas that encourage outdoor activities and exercise tend to have higher success rates for patients in need of treatment.  Try to find a treatment facility located near a relaxing recreational area such as a beach or a park.

5.  “Attitude Makes a Difference” – Entering rehab with a positive mental attitude is a surefire way to enhance the speed and effectiveness of your recovery.  Save your precious energy for the treatment to come and avoid fighting back against the people who are trying to help you. 

6.  Rehabilitation is an Enduring Process – Far too many people believe that rehabilitation ends when the program is over, when aftercare services are often the most important part of the treatment.  Aftercare programs, including 12-step programs and follow-up therapy sessions, provide the necessary preparation for a life free from substance abuse.

7.  Detox is Not Rehab – Although a vital element in the treatment of drug addiction, detox is only one part of the rehabilitation process.  Drug detox helps the individual overcome the physical component of their addiction, but not the crucial psychological component often addressed in individual and group counseling.

Upon entering a drug or alcohol rehab center, patients learn about the necessary steps they will need to take in order to overcome their problem with substance abuse or addiction.  Once admitted, however, many providers choose to conceal certain information from their patients.  Below are the top seven things drug and alcohol rehab centers don’t want you to know.

1. Their Success Rate– An alcohol or drug rehab center will typically hesitate to talk about their past success rates in treating patients struggling from drug or alcohol abuse and addiction.  The reason treatment centers often neglect this information is because the success rate of a patient in treatment often lies in their own involvement, attitude and efforts, and not necessarily the specific treatment methods administered to the patient.

2.  Details about the Facility and Rooms – Although a top-notch alcohol and drug rehab facility may disclose information pertaining to the appearance of their facility, many choose not to describe the look of their facility in detail.

3. The Length of a Patient’s Stay – Every patient in treatment is different, with their own set of circumstances and treatment requirements.   As a result, there is rarely a universal length of stay in treatment.  However, a rehab facility may require a patient to remain in treatment for a set length of 30 days, 45 days, 60 days or some other fixed period.

4.  The Cost of Treatment – Considering the many variables that affect the cost of treatment, including insurance, length of stay and other criteria, alcohol or drug rehab programs will rarely disclose a set price for their services prior to admission.

5. Information about the Food – The quality of the food served in a substance abuse rehab center varies from facility to facility and treatment providers rarely disclose information about their food.

6.  “There is No Cure for Alcoholism or Drug Addiction” – Patients enrolled in a substance abuse treatment program learn how to live with their addiction to alcohol or drugs.  Since there is no cure for alcoholism or drug addiction, treatment providers often hesitate to discuss this theory with patients as not to sound discouraging.

7.  How it Compares to the Competition – Although competition exists between substance abuse treatment centers, many will not disclose this information to patients entering their facility.

1.In its purest form, it’s a white powder with no crystalline structure visible to the eye (unlike cocaine).  It looks like powdered milk and the purer it is the whiter the color (added impurities result in variations in color such as off-white or “black tar”).  Users report feeling a rush accompanied by a warm flushing of the skin, dry mouth, heavy extremities and alternating states of wakefulness and drowsiness.

2.Available in 10 mg, 20 mg, 40 mg and 80 mg tablets, it varies in both color and size based on dosage.  Imprinted with 2 letters on one side and the number of milligrams on the other, the tablets contain a controlled, time-release formulation that many abusers remove to receive a rapid release of the medication. This process typically involves crushing the pill into a powder that can be snorted, chewed or cooked to inject, causing a rush of euphoria similar to heroin that can easily lead to an addiction.

3.Usually found on “blotter” paper, and often colored or with printed images, squares or “tabs” are taken orally.  Liquid and gelatin form , which can be put in the eyes, produce similar effects, which include synesthesia (delusions where people see numbers and letters as colors), a sense of time distortion, closed and open eye visuals, ego death (a Zen-like experience desired by people looking to expand their minds) and profound spiritual experiences.

4.Often branded with Playboy bunnies, Nike swooshes and other popular symbols or logos, these tablets have the tendency to induce a sense of intimacy with others. Commonly abused at clubs and other parties for both dancing stamina and mood enhancement,  users also experience diminished feelings of fear, anxiety and insecurity.

5.Available by prescription in .25 mg (white), .5 mg (peach), 1 mg (blue) and 2 mg (white) tablets, these pills take the shape of an oval in all dosages smaller than 2 mg.  A 2 mg tablet of  is a multi-scored rectangular tablet.  Imprinted with both the name and the dosage, these pills are depressants and minor tranquilizers that have a very similar effect on the mind as alcohol.

6.Available by prescription in 2.5-325 mg (pink/oval), 10-325 mg (yellow/oblong), 10-650 mg (yellow/oval), 7.5-500 mg (peach/oblong) and 7.5-325 mg (peach/oval) tablets, these pills can be taken orally or snorted when crushed. Abusers turn to this drug to experience a type of euphoria that replaces pain with artificial feelings of well-being.

7.Prescribed as pain relievers, these tablets are round and white featuring a “W” in a square on one side and an “M” on top of the score line on the other side, where the numbers 35 (used for 50 mg tablets) and 37 (used for 100 mg tablets) appear below the score line.  Also available in an oral solution or injection form, this works by dulling the pain perception center in the brain.

8.Both odorless and colorless, this drug takes the form of clear crystal chunks similar in appearance to actual glass or ice.  Often smoked, but sometimes snorted or injected, users abuse it for its euphoric effects, which are similar to those of cocaine – only longer lasting.

9.These are available in tablets or a liquid form, and typically taken in cycles of weeks or months. Athletes and other abusers take tend to take this orally or through injection to increase lean muscle mass, strength, stamina and intensity during training.

10.Distributed on the street in two main forms (a white crystalline powder and chips, chunks or rocks), this can be snorted, injected (when dissolved in water) or smoked .  Users experience immediate euphoric effects including energy, reduced fatigue and mental clarity followed by bouts of depression, irritability and fatigue.

Answers: 1)Heroin,  2)OxyContin, 3)Lsd, 4)Ecstasy, 5)Xanaz, 6)Percocet 7)Demerol, 8)Crystal Meth, 9)Steroids, 10)Cocaine