Traveling to Treatment Pros and Cons

Man at the airport

When you know it’s time to find the best addiction treatment you need to look at the pros and cons of traveling to treatment. One of the most important things to consider when a person seeks treatment for substance abuse is that traveling to treatment can significantly increase a person’s recovery. People that travel to rehab are far more likely to complete treatment and traveling to rehab also aids in relapse prevention. This may sound odd, but let’s explore why traveling for treatment just may save a person’s life.

Removing Yourself from Triggering People and Environments

One of the major reasons traveling for treatment is recommended is that the person seeking treatment is completely removed from the people they have used with as well as others and locations that enable the addictive behavior. By removing yourself or your loved one from negative environments and people, you remove the ability to cling on to old habits to continue using. Think about it, if you find a treatment center in your backyard, when things get real, and they will, the closer you are to your norms the easier it is to fall into them. It’s easy to send that text/tweet/Facebook message to your friend or dealer to use and leave the facility. This isn’t the case when you travel for treatment. These urges are prevented because the only people you know in the area are relatable and there to help you.

Seeking Local Treatment

 

Many people only seek out local treatment because they worry about being away from their families, friends, or just don’t travel often and feel uncomfortable. Many spouses and parents want to keep their loved ones close by so they can keep tabs on them. Family members often believe they need to actively participate in the treatment process for treatment to work.  I don’t mean to be harsh but most addicts’ families have been keeping tabs on them for years and it’s not working. The addict’s family have been trying to treat the addict’s addiction for years and doesn’t even realize it. There is a way for the loved ones of a person in treatment to participate in their recovery even from a thousand miles away.

Treatment centers like Beginnings Treatment Centers actively engage the loved ones of a person in treatment through technology. Facetime and Skype are excellent mediums for a person in treatment to communicate with their loved ones. The huge difference is the communications is planned in advance when the person in treatment and their case manager believes it is time for that communication. The point is you don’t have to be within driving distance of your loved ones when in treatment.

Finding Addiction Treatment That Works

Nowadays, if you know that you need help for either yourself or someone you care about, you go to the internet to research the best addiction treatment centers. Depending where you are in the United States, the quality of care you need to receive the best treatment may require you to travel, and this needs to be more widely accepted. Many times while you research, you will find a website of a treatment center that may be far away but offers everything that you need or are looking for. It’s important to ask yourself, is staying locally around the same people and places that enable the behavior in the first place a great idea? When seeking out the best addiction treatment center for your needs, we recommend making sure they have the following:

Image of a female doctor

 

  • Highly credentialed medical staff for treating addiction
  • Highly credentialed mental health staff to deal with any underlying issues
  • A proven track record of helping others like you
  • Comfortable living arrangements
  • A strong alumni support group to maintain sobriety

 

Traveling for Drug Rehab Prevents the Urge to Leave

Man being comforted by his doctor
Like we mentioned earlier, when you travel for treatment it’s a lot easier to stick it out and finish the program than leave against medical advice. When you’re first detoxing off drugs/alcohol and have to face the reality of your situation, it can be very difficult! You need to get past your urges and realize that you are in the right place and that the people around you are there to help. This is a lot easier to do when you don’t have the ability to just walk out of the facility and find people that enable the behavior in the first place. What traveling for treatment really does, is significantly lower your chance of relapse. The longer you can maintain sobriety and avoid relapsing, the better your chance for long-term recovery.

Finding A Strong Addiction Recovery Community

The best addiction treatment center to set you up for long-term recovery may not be in your own backyard, but a quick flight away.  Another benefit of traveling for treatment is that the only people you are able to surround yourself with are peers that are also in recovery. A good support network is a proven way of increasing the likeliness that you maintain recovery. By removing yourself from old friends and people you used with you are subconsciously replacing a negative habit with a positive one. We take on the characteristics and develop habits of those we surround ourselves with the most. Therefore by only being around positive people who are encouraging recovery, you too take on those mindsets. One of the key things you need to look for in a treatment center is the presence of a strong alumni network. What this means is that after you complete the treatment program you are not cast aside to your own devices. A strong alumni support network help one another by keeping in touch,  and just someone that you can always reach out to when negative thoughts pop up.

Find The Best Treatment Center For You Today

We are proud of the treatment program and strong alumni network that we have built. We are so dedicated to your recovery from addiction that we offer a 90-day recovery pledge. When it comes to finding the best treatment for you, don’t settle on whatever is closest to you. Reach out to a center that fights for you and helps you develop positive habits that will set you up for success in life. Call us today, no matter where you are in the country, and we will show you a recovery model that ACTUALLY works.

What Insurance Do I Need To Travel For Treatment?

When looking for an addiction treatment center, the most common way to pay for treatment is through your health insurance. Depending on what type of insurance you have, you may be able to get treatment from a center anywhere in the country! We at Beginnings Treatment Centers accept most PPO insurance policies. How do you know if your insurance covers the cost of treatment out of state? You can learn more in this article about paying for drug rehab. If you have insurance through your job or if you are 26 or under and on your parents’ health insurance plan, chances are that you have a PPO policy that can be accepted out of state. You can verify your insurance here.