Rehab centers with a view

Too much is made about accommodation in the rehab industry. Did you know one night in a drug treatment center can cost $3000? That’s twice as expensive as the St. George hotel in Paris, France. Think about that, an average rehab is twice as expensive as one of the nicest hotels in Paris. That is what is corrupting the industry.

Instead of teaching the addict how to cope with life without drugs through relaxation, exercise, cognitive behavioral therapy, journaling, and other coping methods, treatment is now focused on placating the addict and exploiting insurance money. That is not treatment at all. That is just a hotel that charges a lot of money.

And the addicts know it. They know they can leave the treatment center, go out and use drugs for the next week and then when they run out of money, go down the street to the next center with the parent’s insurance card and the center will be excited to take them in.

You don’t go from hospital to hospital with the same complaint without getting complete treatment, and that should be the same with drug treatment.

I was browsing around the internet looking at rehab centers and it struck me, I’m not really looking at places of deep intense emotional healing. I am looking at luxury hotels with a view and five-star restaurants. The websites have pictures of the rooms, the food, the views and lists all their services and specialties like it’s a hotel.

It doesn’t look like a hospital.

It doesn’t look like a place where you go get treatment for a deadly disease.

As I said before, I’ve kicked heroin in many different places. It doesn’t matter where you are. You are not sitting there appreciating how beautiful the room and the view is. You’re going to be a miserable, anxious asshole throwing up all over the place.

The rehab world has become too focused on concierge service industry and it affects the addict’s attitude. I have seen someone in treatment for using heroin complain about over-cooked prime rib. And my response to that person was, “weren’t you just homeless three weeks ago?”

The exploitation of insurance in America is unprofessional and needs to be corrected.

The corruption of the recovery industry is demoralizing to everyone involved: the staff who dedicate their lives to helping addicts; the sober community who pride themselves on overcoming their adversity and desires to help others; and the parents who get their hopes up every time their kid checks into another rehab and those hopes are squashed by the unethical actions in the industry.