Cost of Treatment
How Long is Your Treatment Program?
We are not a "one-size-fits-all" program and treatment is specialized for each and every patient based on his or her specific needs. Many factors play a role when your treatment team and physician at Brookside recommend your individual treatment plan. The single common factor in all successful outcomes based on Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMSHA) yearly studies is length of treatment. The fact is, the longer your treatment, the better your chance of success. At Brookside Institute, we require a minimum of 30 days; however, your treatment team may recommend a longer program.
30 Days Isn’t Enough?
In any treatment program the first 1-2 weeks is spent dealing with detox and withdrawal, also known as the stabilization period. Progress in actual treatment – changing of behaviors, treatment of co-occurring disorders and recovery of the brain’s normal functions – is slow until you are physically, mentally and emotionally stabilized. In a 30 day program, by the time your mind and body are ready to begin treatment, you are preparing to go back to your regular life. You actually have less than two weeks of effective treatment time in the first 30 days.
The Affect of the Brain Reward System
Our brains teach us to do what we need to do for survival, like eating, by rewarding those behaviors with feelings of satisfaction or pleasure. Alcohol and drugs replace the natural reward system in the brain, producing an extreme euphoria or “high”. After prolonged use, the brain’s natural reward system stops working, causing a vicious cycle for those suffering from addiction. When you stop taking alcohol and drugs, your brain’s natural reward system may require several months to recover, which in turn increases your desire to return to alcohol or drugs. With a 30 day treatment program, you are leaving treatment before your brain’s reward system is functioning normally, magnifying the affects of psychological and physical cravings.
What if I Feel Good After 30 Days?
You will likely feel very good 30 days into treatment. You will have made it through the painful detox/withdrawal period and your body and mind will have started the recovery process giving you a sense of well being that you probably haven’t felt for a long time. However, this is not the end of your treatment – this is actually the very beginning. You need to be mentally, emotionally and physically stable before the treatment and therapies can have a lasting affect. You may start thinking about returning to your “real life” and just want to move past treatment and “get back to normal”. In many cases, it is more difficult to make the choice to finish treatment than it is to make the choice to begin treatment.
I Can't Stay in Treatment for a Year!
Most people can’t stay in residential treatment for a year or even six months. At Brookside, we want you to get the treatment that is right for you. This may include 60 to 90 days in a residential program followed by 3 to 6 months in an outpatient program. However, your treatment team will recommend a comprehensive program that is individualized to fit your needs based on many factors.
Please call and speak with one of our intake specialists who can provide more information about the assessment process and various treatment options available. Our philosophy at Brookside Institute is providing the very best opportunities for individuals to make a full recovery through a specialized treatment program that is as unique as the individual.
