I am currently at an international psychology and behavioral health conference in Japan. Yesterday, I spoke to a packed room about addiction recovery. A participant from a wealthy country asked what highly individualized treatment would cost. I replied that it would certainly depend on the needs of the addict and the costs of the treatment center (luxury centers are more expensive, for example, than other types of facilities), but that in general, the more individualized the care and the greater the number of therapies provided, the higher the cost. The participant expressed horror. “Treatment already costs too much and takes too long!”
Imagine if your child had a congenital heart defect or your mother had cancer, and the doctor told you that he had a treatment that would likely cure your loved one, but that it would take ninety days and cost over a hundred thousand dollars. Your reaction would be, “How do we get it done?!” – Because we want our loved ones to recover.
But very often, we still see addiction as a moral failing that people should “just get over.” We have come to believe because of this that the amount of time dedicated to treatment should be short and not costly. The 28 day model, which is essentially detox and an introduction to a 12 step philosophy, is all we believe addicts “should” need. In fact, research and experience both show that this is not at all the case.
What we have come to understand is that addicts have the best chance of recovery when they receive highly individualized services – both in the form of intensive one-on-one psychotherapy and multiple complimentary, holistic interventions. In order to get to the root of the issues that caused the individual to develop an addiction, treatment needs time.
With addicts often going to treatment three, seven, or a dozen or more times, wouldn’t it be most cost effective to give the most effective treatment first, even if it is more expensive than what works less often, and pay for rehab only once? Don’t addicts seeking help deserve access to the best treatment possible, so that they have the greatest chance at recovery and leading happy lives?
The emphasis on cost over recovery has no place in our decision making process. Those in need of help – for mental illness, addiction, or physical maladies – need access to the treatment most likely to help them lead productive lives. Our preconceived notions of how long treatment should take or what price should be paid diminish the addict’s opportunities for life transformation and the experience of daily joys.