What Your Friends Never Told You About Free Rehab Centers
It is common––and often helpful––to reach out to your friends and loved ones when you decide to seek addiction treatment and to ask their advice. However, there are certain things your friends may not know about free rehab and how beneficial it could be to your personal situation. If you need help finding the best rehab option for your specific needs, call 800-934-7205 (Who Answers?) now.
Free Rehab Does Exist
Many people believe that, no matter what, you will have to pay for addiction treatment. In truth, there are a number of programs that provide payment assistance in one way or another to patients based on specific criteria.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 4 percent of all substance abuse treatment facilities in the United States as of 2008 provided completely free care to patients. Another 37.8 percent offered at least partial free treatment with a sliding fee scale.
So even though many individuals believe treatment can only be obtained at a high cost, this isn’t always true.
Treatment Is Just as Effective in Free Rehab Centers
Free rehab centers are effective at helping you stay sober long-term.
Often, those who consider seeking addiction treatment at a free facility worry that the program will not be as effective as a more expensive option. Your friends may have advised you to seek out a more costly program for this reason.
It is important to know, though, that low-cost treatment centers are just as effective as more expensive programs.
Rehab facilities are required to meet certain standards, and free centers are often funded by the government, which means that they must adhere to even stricter standards. And although these programs may not be able to provide luxury accommodations or gourmet meals like high-end treatment facilities, they are focused on providing the essential treatments for addiction.
As a result, free treatment facilities often offer the most important options to patients and are able to ensure that those who attend their programs receive exactly the care they require to recover safely, without having to pay for extra frills.
Treatment Is Ongoing
Your loved ones may feel that paying for an expensive treatment option one time will be enough to allow for your permanent recovery. But in most cases, the process is not actually this simple. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “Most patients need long-term or repeated care to stop using completely and recover their lives.” Free rehab centers understand this and are often likely to provide patients with the options they need to create a long-term recovery.
Especially if you are dealing with financial issues early into your recovery, it will often be beneficial to choose free treatment as your first rehab option because it can help you set the stage for your recovery without initially taking on a large cost. This is also important because you will likely need more treatment options in the future as your navigate your recovery, and as such, starting with free care can be helpful.
Many free rehab centers offer booster sessions where patients can return to the facility periodically after their program ends and receive a sort of check-up. According to the NIDA Archives, the goals of booster sessions are to “offer support and feedback,” allow the individual to develop their own plan for recovery, and be available in case a relapse does occur. Because free rehab centers are likely to offer this option as well as referrals to other community agencies, they can be a specifically beneficial choice to long-term recovery.
Your Support System Alone Isn’t Enough
Though your friends and family members can help immensely in strengthening your recovery, it is also extremely important that you attend professional treatment in order to recover safely (NIDA). If you are dealing with financial issues or other problems that you believe are barring you from seeking treatment, remember that, though they may mean well, your loved ones are not enough to help you secure the kind of life you want to live and to put an end to your substance abuse for good. And, if you are in this situation, free treatment could be the answer you are looking for.
Do you want to learn more about free rehab centers and find a facility that fits your needs? Call 800-934-7205 (Who Answers?) now. We will match you with the best option for your safe and effective recovery.