If some of the points I have been making about the conflict in beliefs between mental health/psychology and 12 Step theory and practice resonate with you, then where do you go when you need help for yourself or another?
That poses a problem. What is available, in all reality, is mental health/psychology based treatment. This is especially true for those who do not have money to pay for private care. Most do not have any money left at the end of a chronic addiction or alcoholism.
In most areas of the country today programs for addiction treatment are few and far between. What there are are funded by government funds for the most part and those are definitely mental health/psychology based programs. They are only funded under that philosophy, with staff who have been trained in that philososphy.
So, what if that is not the path you wish to tread in your journey into recovery? Then there are two options. First is detox on your own with some Librium type medication from a family physician. Due to risk of seizure, this can be risky, especially with chronic alcoholics . But it really may be all that is available. At the risk of being simplistic, most withdrawal is over in 3 days.
Or, you can be selective, which probably means paying for private treatment. Or, do some serious research BEFORE it is necessary. Look ahead, call talk to the programs listen to what they say, target those who are clearly based in 12 step thinking and process. If you are helping someone, you know you are going to need help at some point.
The first realistic option will probably be a sober living house that gives long term support. This may follow the detox period, although a treatment program first would be optimum. And the addicted/alcoholic person will probably have to wait days or weeks to get a bed. In the meantime they need to go to a minimum of one AA/NA meeting per day. More is realistic. That is the only real support available.
The point being, just like anything else you have to be an intelligent, informed consumer of drug and alcohol treatment. And doing this while in denial, thinking you don’t have a problem, is the real trick.
MahealaniKK's Blog 