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Healing, Strengthening, and Advancing the Lives of LGBTQ People Seeking Recovery

5 Questions Everyone Should Ask When Choosing a Treatment Center

“Evidence-based, or scientifically proven, treatment is particularly important in the addictions field because many myths and personal biases have slipped into professional thinking and are often accepted without question. For example, the notion that an individual needs to reach “rock bottom” before he or she can benefit from treatment is absolutely wrong, although until recently, many practitioners and researchers thought this was true. Data show that individuals who have more social support and economic stability, that is, have not lost their jobs or families, will have a much better outcome in treatment as compared to those who enter treatment without a strong social network to support their recovery. If you or a friend or relative is entering a treatment program, ask specific questions to determine if the program follows evidence-based practices. This way you will have a better chance of having effective care and improved chances for recovery.” (Originally published by Kathleen Brady, M.D., Ph.D on HBO’s Addiction Website.) FIVE QUESTIONS TO ASK ABOUT YOUR TREATMENT:

  1. What kind of treatment do you use and how do they work?
  2. Do you have a credentialed psychiatrist on your treatment staff?
  3. Do you provide specific medication and/or psychosocial treatment for anxiety, mood and other psychiatric disorders?
  4. Are there studies that support the treatments that you use in your program?
  5. How do you monitor the quality/success of your program?

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