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Choosing a Drug Rehab: Close to home or far away?
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Author: Phil Kosanovich
Published: February 24, 2016
choosing a drug rehab graphic

There are many factors involved when deciding to choose a local or far away drug rehab facility.

If everywhere you go you are reminded of your drug addiction, the people you know are also addicts and even your family members are addicts too, you may need to move away from home if you want a real chance at lasting recovery and getting sober. This means making a geographic change and going someplace further from your local drug rehab facility in order to minimize the possibility of being susceptible to local triggers.

In other cases an addict who has attended drug rehab in the past should be aware they will need support after leaving an out of state facility and returning home. The return back home can be a very difficult transition. The best choice would be to continue drug rehab treatment and aftercare somewhere close to home.

Making the Right Choice

Both scenarios illustrated above demonstrate why the client’s needs must be considered when looking for the right location for effective drug treatment. There are, however, additional items you will want to consider before admitting yourself to any local or out of state treatment program:

What are your Family Dynamics?

Will your family be a needed source of support, or would they act as a distraction or trigger which would potentially lead you to relapsing?

How are your Surroundings?

Beyond family, do you have any additional influences that could positively or negatively impact you such as friends, local locations? Would it be better to move to a drug rehab facility in another city or state?

Is privacy a main concern?

Will there be a difference as a result of your privacy and if you remain local? If you see a familiar face at the drug rehab center will it make things tougher?

How accessible is the facility?

It is imperative to remain in contact and on a weekly basis and follow-up with your drug rehab facility for aftercare. Will being close to home make it easier to leave versus being out of state?

Do you need insurance to help pay for treatment?

Is getting insurance to cover your treatment a factor. Depending on what your insurance covers are you willing to leave your local area?

The Right Drug Rehab Depends On You

For some people in recovery, it may be best to attend a drug rehab program that’s far away from their hometown environment which can lead to distractions and possible setbacks in their recovery process. The distance can make it easier to focus solely on recovery. For others, having the local support of friends and family during the recovery process can be the key to success, making a facility that keeps them near these positive influences more appropriate.

You have to examine your own individual situation to determine whether a local or distant drug rehab facility will be a better fit for you.