What to Ask Yourself When Choosing a Treatment Center

The sheer amount of addiction treatment programs that are available may leave you floundering with making an effective decision about where to go to get sober. While you might be feeling overwhelmed at the moment, it is important to know that it is good to have so many options. When it comes to addiction care, people have many different needs. While some people might only need to go to an outpatient program, others may need residential care for many weeks or months. Knowing what to ask yourself when choosing a treatment center helps you to start narrowing down all of those choices so that you can find the right fit.

At the most basic level, you’ll find that most addiction treatment centers offer inpatient and outpatient programs. An inpatient program involves staying at the center overnight for a period of time, and this tends to be helpful for people who might not feel like they can avoid temptation at home. Some people choose inpatient programs after having to leave their former residence, and you can often get help with finding a new place to stay after you finish your treatment time. Outpatient programs allow you to go home each day. An outpatient program can also vary in intensity. Some only take a few hours of time out of your day, while others will require you to attend therapy for the majority of the daytime hours so that you receive intensive therapy that targets the underlying causes of your addiction.

Learn How to Make Sure a Treatment Center Fits Your Needs

Determining whether you need an inpatient or outpatient program gives you a good start on finding a quality treatment center. You’ll also want to ask yourself these questions to further narrow down the selection.

• Does the program use evidence-based practices?
• Do they offer specific services that fit your needs?
• Is the program long enough to help you feel strong in sobriety?
• Will you receive support with transitioning back home?

A treatment center that offers evidence-based forms of therapy is more likely to help you kick off your journey to sobriety with a strong foundation. Evidence-based practices include treatment strategies such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy that have been thoroughly researched and tested to make sure that they work. While you may not need to understand all of the scientific reasons behind a specific form of therapy, you should hear that the treatment center focuses on using only methods that effectively address addiction. The best answer to this question also extends to the credentials of the staff. Most quality treatment centers have licensed members of their team that hold advanced degrees. They’ll also make sure that non-licensed staff members are fully trained to provide you with knowledgeable and compassionate support.

As you start diving deeper into a treatment program, you’ll next want to explore the types of services and amenities that they have to offer. For example, some people prefer to receive gender-specific care while others do fine in mixed-group settings. You might also want to know that the treatment center provides nutritious meals if you have dietary concerns, and some people care a great deal about having opportunities to engage in recreational activities such as swimming or playing basketball. If one of your priorities is rebuilding your personal relationships, then you will also want to ask yourself if finding a treatment center that offers family or marriage counseling is a priority. 

During the final stages of questioning, you’ll need to think about how long you need to attend a treatment program. For example, you may want to find a facility that offers extended stays if you have an intense addiction combined with serious mental health conditions. Or, you might prefer to be allowed to attend a shorter inpatient stay that you can combine with outpatient care. You’ll further need to consider the need for aftercare services. If you need help with finding a job or housing, then looking for a treatment center that offers transitional services can ensure that you are ready to stay sober after you leave the program.

Are you still trying to figure out which treatment center is best for you? We can help! Give us a call at 855-334-6120 today.