Rehab Works!: A Parent's Guide to Drug Treatment

Rehab Works!

A Parent’s Guide to Drug Treatment

Jim Savage, LCDC

Dallas, Texas

100% Success!

Addiction can be successfully treated and recovery is possible

What’s your success rate? is the first question many parents ask when deciding on a treatment program for their child. The correct answer is: 100% or 0%. It depends on the individual.

The good news is REHAB WORKS!. Becoming an educated consumer by learning how treatment works allows parents to take control and create the best chance for landing in the 100% category.

Rehab Works! A Parent’s Guide To Drug Treatment spells out everything parents need to know about the world of rehab and presents a thorough examination of all the critical elements that go into successful treatment, including:

The Treatment Process

Stages Of Change

Continuum Of Care

Relapse Prevention

Triggers

12 Step Recovery

Young People And AA/NA

Al-Anon

Family Recovery

Treatment Success

If your teen or young adult child is struggling with substance abuse or addiction problems, this information is a must!

Cherye Callegan, MD

Medical Director, Sundown Ranch Inc.

I found this book while our daughter was in her second inpatient rehab. I wish we would have had this information during her first time in treatment. It could have saved a lot of heartache that resulted from a bad relapse.

Jenny W., parent of an 18-year-old in recovery

Praise for Rehab Works!

An outstanding analysis of what works and what doesn’t work in addiction treatment. Full of practical advice that will lead to treatment success.

David Sack, MD

President and CEO, Elements Behavioral Health

Informative and reassuring, Rehab Works! is an essential guidebook for every parent facing the challenge of treating a child for chemical dependency.

Sonnee D. Weedn, PhD

Clinical and Forensic Psychologist, private practice, Marin and Orange counties

Not just for parents. This book contains information every addiction professional should have.

Robert Weiss LCSW, CSAT-S

Senior Vice President of Clinical Development

Elements Behavioral Health

Packed with insightful observations and explanations for anyone trying to understand addiction and navigate the waters of treatment.

Matt Feehery, MBA, LCDC

Chief Executive Officer

Memorial Hermann Prevention & Recovery Center

So timely! Rehab Works! will no doubt prove to be an important book for any family seeking help for a loved one.

Kathy Willis, PhD

CEO, Family Education and Skills Training (FEAST)

"Brilliant in its simplicity—identifying what makes treatment successful, how to avoid common pitfalls, and ultimately, how to achieve treatment success.

Curt Maddon, CIP

Certified Intervention Professional

This book should be required reading for every parent who has a child in treatment!

Bill M.

Parent of a 17-year-old male in recovery

Copyright © 2016 by Jim Savage.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed Attention: Permissions Coordinator, at the address below:

Many Rains Media

4950 Keller Springs Rd., Suite 180

Addison, TX 75001

This book is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. The reader should consult a licensed medical or mental health professional in matters relating to substance use or related matters, and particularly with respect to any symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention.

Although the author and publisher have made every effort to ensure that the information in this book was correct at press time, the author and publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause.

Book Layout by Clark Kenyon, www.camppope.com

Graphic Design by Jason Enterline, www.enterlinedesign.com

Rehab Works!/Jim Savage. —1st ed.

ISBN 978-0-9961329-5-4

Self-help/substance abuse and addictions/drug dependence

Contents

Dedication

Preface

A Note About Who This Book Is For

What Is Treatment?

The Evolution of Drug Treatment

Assessment

Diagnosis

Levels of Care

Choosing the Right Level of Care

The Stages of Change Model

Creating a Solid Foundation for Recovery

Relapse Prevention

Triggers

Continuum of Care

12-Step Recovery

AA, Al-Anon, NA, and Nar-Anon

Work Your Program!

12-Step or Treatment?

The Three Pillars of Recovery

The Family in Treatment

Codependency

Family Systems

Parents and Al-Anon

Family Recovery

Treatment Success

Does Rehab Really Work?

The Big Picture

Conclusion

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Books and CDs from Jim Savage

Dedication

The good news is that recovery from a substance abuse problem typically brings dramatic results after chemical use has been interrupted. Parents frequently ‘feel like they have their child back’ as they see the change in values and priorities that define successful recovery.

—From 5 Things Every Parent Should Know About Teen Substance Abuse

I have had the honor of walking the dark path of addressing a young person’s substance abuse problem with hundreds of parents throughout my career. It is only through the courage of those who have stepped into this treatment process and hung in there when the going gets tough that we are able to witness the joy that comes with recovery—and see that rehab does indeed work. Their courage also lights the way to show others how to do it. The majority of this book is simply a reiteration of what I have learned by working with these dedicated parents over the years. To say that parenting is not easy is a gross understatement. Add an addiction problem to this and it can become overwhelming. Therefore this book is dedicated to all parents—most important, my own. Lord knows I didn’t make it easy for them, but they got me to where I am today. And if anyone is helped by anything they get from this book, please know that it started with them.

Preface

Teen substance abuse is a problem of epidemic proportion in the United States. Every day, devastating consequences are experienced not only by the kids abusing drugs and alcohol but by their families as well. Yet despite the severity of the problem, public awareness of what to do when confronting this issue remains tragically inadequate. The result is thousands of parents who feel hopelessly lost, overwhelmed, and terrified as they attempt to deal with a child who has developed a drug problem.

In 2010, I developed an educational presentation called 5 Things Every Parent Should Know About Teen Substance Abuse, which provides parents and youth professionals with valuable information and expert advice for dealing with teen substance abuse problems. From identifying early signs and symptoms to dealing with denial and understanding how treatment works, the 5 Things program is a comprehensive resource that guides parents through one of the biggest challenges they may ever face.

While working on the manuscript for a book based on the 5 Things program, I began to share portions of this material in some of the support groups I run for parents of teens and young adults who struggle with addiction problems. Particularly relevant for these parents was the chapter titled Treatment Works! which addresses the treatment process and what they can do to contribute to the success of their child’s recovery. The response was overwhelming: Why didn’t they teach us this in treatment? We wish we would have had this while our child was in rehab! This ought to be required reading for every parent who has a child in drug treatment. I therefore decided to develop the material from that chapter and publish it as a standalone piece. That is the foundation of the book you have in your hands today. The purpose of Rehab Works! A Parent’s Guide to Drug Treatment is to serve as a guide for parents already at the treatment stage with their child.

Having worked as a licensed chemical dependency counselor specializing in adolescent treatment for over 28 years, I have had the privilege of helping hundreds of teens recover from drug problems. I believe my own experience as a teenage drug addict and subsequent recovery figures significantly into my approach and ultimately provides a unique credibility when addressing these issues. However, it was the experience of having run my own intensive outpatient (IOP) treatment program for over ten years that made me see the dire need for effective parent education and the role this plays in helping young people overcome an addiction problem. This is what served as the impetus to write this book.

Treatment success is the obvious hope and goal for any parent dealing with a child who has developed an addiction problem. In many cases lives are literally at stake. The information contained in this book will help you become an educated consumer with regard to obtaining the best treatment for your child and getting the most out of it, thereby giving you and your child the best chance for success.

A Note About Who This Book Is For

Parents of teens: This book is written first and foremost for parents of a teenager who is being treated for a drug or alcohol problem. The material stems directly from my experience of working with hundreds of teens and their parents during my years as owner of a successful adolescent outpatient treatment program. It is a culmination of learning what works and what doesn’t work with respect to the inherent challenges of working with this specific population, which includes the unique dynamics parents face in providing effective support for teenage children.

Parents of young adults: The majority of the material presented in this book is equally relevant for parents dealing with children over the age of 18. With young adults, parent responsibility exists on a spectrum—it’s not as clear-cut as the simple legal distinction between a minor and an adult. The primary difference has to do with boundaries when it comes to expectations and accountability. On the one hand, there are obviously some things parents cannot force, nor should they expect their adult children to do when it comes to treatment. On the other hand, there are plenty of ways in which treating a young adult is not dissimilar to treating an adolescent. The basic premise of this book is that the more the family understands how treatment works and engages in the process, the better the chances