Alcohol Addiction Treatment Centres Red Flags

Alcohol Addiction Treatment Centres Red Flags

• Mandy Sandhu
• 2 Oct 2019

When you are looking for a treatment centre to address your concerns regarding alcohol abuse, you want to make sure you make the right decision. You also probably have a lot of questions. What is it that you should be looking for? What are some red flags that you should be avoiding? Here are some of the red flags you should be looking out for when it comes to finding the right alcohol addiction treatment facility.

The Centre Isn’t Accredited

The very first thing you should be checking for is whether or not an alcohol addiction treatment facility is accredited or properly licensed. A real centre will have the right accreditations and licenses needed in order to treat addiction. This means that they provide quality care and approaches to treatment.

Make sure that you find out whether or not they have all the proper qualifications in place before committing to them. If a centre is not accredited, look elsewhere.

Unclear Treatment Approach

Another red flag to look for when it comes to alcohol addiction treatment centres is if there is a lack of a structured approach to their treatment. A lot of facilities use various treatment approaches or even a variety of them. However, that does not mean generic information on a centre’s approach is acceptable.

If you’re going to choose a facility, you want to make sure that you know exactly what to expect during your stay. If all they’re offering for inpatient alcohol addiction treatment are 12-Step programs and only a handful of counselling hours, then it’s not worth it as you can receive the same treatment in outpatient environments. That does not mean these approaches are not beneficial, however, you want to be sure that you will receive the best professional care that you can get during this difficult time.

Treatment Approaches Aren’t Evidence-Based

Similarly, if the facility does not use an evidence-based approach to alcohol addiction treatment, you may want to reconsider them as an option. A lack of evidence means that there is no reassurance that it works. Inpatient rehab is not inexpensive. Since you are investing your money into your treatment, you want to make sure that the approaches used will work.

Keep in mind that popular approaches don’t equate to ones that are supported by thorough research. This includes 12-Step programs. While they are incredibly useful for building support systems during and after rehab and recovery, you also want to make sure that the approach is supported by evidence. So, similar to the last point, if all that the facility offers is 12-Step meetings than you may want to find a different centre.

There are a wide variety of effective, evidence-based approaches that can help people through all different types of addictions.

Lack of Professional Counselling

Additionally, something you can consider to be a red flag in an alcohol addiction treatment facility is if it lacks professional counselling. This includes both one-on-one individual counselling and group counselling led by a licensed professional.

Additionally, alcoholism isn’t something that you just overcome. Sobriety isn’t something you just achieve and you are suddenly done being an alcoholic. Sobriety is a life-long endeavour that takes work in order to remain consistent at. Through the assistance of professional counselling, you will be able to learn the proper tools and skills that are needed in order to move through everyday life without succumbing to relapse.

Doesn’t Support Dual-Diagnoses

Consider it a major red flag is an alcohol addiction treatment facility does not recognize or provide proper treatment for dual-diagnoses. More often than not, addiction goes hand-in-hand with a mental health condition(s), or can even be considered a symptom of a greater issue. Oftentimes substances like alcohol are used as a way to numb feelings of anxiety, depression, or any other mental health disorder.

A mental health professional will be able to help you get to the root of your addiction. If you only treat your alcoholism rather than the reason behind it, you will have an extremely hard time remaining sober. As you struggle with the overwhelming onslaught of feelings you were numbing by abusing substances, your likelihood of relapsing will be greatly increased. You will be tempted to turn back to alcohol as a means of coping with your mental health condition instead of healthier alternatives as it was not addressed in treatment.

Alcohol Addiction Treatment at Freedom

Are you looking to take back control of your life and start the treatment process for your alcoholism? Freedom From Addiction provides complete alcohol addiction treatment services in Toronto, which incorporates a wide variety of evidence-based approaches including:

• Individual counselling
• Group counselling
• Addiction awareness and education
• Anger management
• 12-Step program
• Cognitive behavioural therapy
• Relapse prevention
• And more!

Contact us today if you or someone you know needs alcohol addiction treatment. We’ll help you learn how to overcome your addiction in order to lead a happier, healthier life.