What defines a good treatment program?

Is it location? Is it the size of the program? Is it the experience of the therapists and administrators. Is it the ability to deal with the disease of addiction. Does the type of drug matter--oxy, heroin, hydrocodone, alcohol, etc.... Is group vs. individual therapy; or a combination of both? Is about Holistic vs. Traditional? Does Dual diagnosis matter?

The reality it is all the above. Plus one very important ingredient. You must be committed to your choice and comfortable with the notion that you will do whatever it takes to move past the disease of addiction and to the road where a new life begins. One without drugs. One where the person you will become will be unrecognizable from the person you are leaving behind.

What makes a good program is this. It starts with a program where the administrators care right from the first phone call. It begins and end with with individual attention on day one. Secondly size matters. Smaller more intimate programs are more likely to give you individual attention and design a program that most closely fits your needs. To that end, while group therapy is important, All groups pale in comparison to individual therapy. Small programs are more like to give you the individual attention you need to achieve the results you are looking for. In the midst of that individual therapy Dual Diagnosis is critical. Eighty percent of all bipolar patient have in some time abused something. Seventy percent of all chronic substance users are bipolar. One thing is clear. If the proper dual diagnosis is not made--you will not get better. Therefore any program you attend must have a physician available at all times to make the right diagnosis and help you with your recovery. As for Holistic vs. traditional; I believe in Holistic. You must not forget about your body and your soul as you heal you mind. Programs that address you in your entirety are more likely to be successful than those who do not.

So how do you define a good program? How does your family define it? Their needs must be addressed as well so you can all heal together