Now is the best time to go to treatment

Co-authored by Jake Summers and Joanna Lilley

There is no reason anyone can give to not go to treatment now.  Most people are sitting at home, just waiting, anxiety increasing and becoming more and more socially isolated.  For someone struggling with substance abuse, there is no better time to go to residential treatment than now. While there is no convenient time to go to treatment, the current environment has certainly changed how we evaluate that decision. The increased risks of SUD due to isolation and lack of community combined with the fact we are already in a period of major life disruption make the case for treatment now pretty compelling. 

For any parent who is concerned about the safety of your young adult traveling to enroll in a treatment program, your fears are justified.  How can you ensure the safety of your young adult?  Well, there is no guarantee.  Ask each program what they’re doing regarding quarantining incoming patients, how they’re continuing to protect the safety of their current community, and how they’re managing staff who live off-site.  No one can guarantee complete safety from COVID-19.  What everyone in the addiction industry can guarantee though is that the isolation caused by the pandemic has made substance abuse skyrocket!  We can guarantee that by staying home and not getting help now, it could be a matter of life or death in the near future. 

We will go through some of the common reasons people don’t go to treatment, if we have missed some big ones please let us know! The biggest reason people do not seek treatment is obviously a lack of willingness to become and stay sober. While that persists no matter what is going on in the world, we know that the ‘other reasons’ are usually what can convince someone to continue avoiding treatment. 

Fear of missing out  (FOMO)

For individuals knowing that the world is still moving forward while they’d be “taking a break” to go to treatment is usually a significant barrier. Most of us can hardly find time for a dentist appointment, much less weeks of residential treatment. However, right now the world is already taking a break! This is one of the biggest barriers to treatment, and this is one of the few times where it just doesn’t apply. 

Employment 

With jobs lost, the financial stress is a big factor in increased usage. Oftentimes, people put off going to treatment because they can’t step away from their job, or don’t want to. Walking into your employers office, explaining you have a substance use disorder, and asking for time away from work is an incredibly scary conversation. Now, with so many people laid off or furloughed, there’s no excuse related to employment that’s holding someone back. In fact, now is a unique time to highlight the pandemic as an eye opening experience that shed light on the magnitude of your addiction.

Finances

Treatment is expensive. That is a fact we all have to deal with, and one of the main barriers to seeking treatment in the first place. In a time of increased financial insecurity, the costs of treatment might seem like an unsolvable problem. Green Hill has increased its scholarship program and maintained a high level of financial flexibility with existing and incoming clients. Programs around the country are making financial concessions in light of the current circumstances. Don’t rule out treatment because of finances, and be sure to have an honest conversation with programs about your current financial situation. 

Family responsibilities 

For many adults, the thought of taking time away from family responsibilities is not a possibility. If you have a family, the pressure your active addiction places on the family system is likely at an all time high. Now is a great time to have a conversation with your spouse or loved ones and figure out if there is a way to make time for treatment. 

School 

For college-aged young adults, going to treatment is pushed off because they don’t want to leave school.  Well, now that college is currently online and looking to be that way again in the fall, there’s no reason that a young person who needs treatment can’t enroll in treatment. We can all assume that academics isn’t the reason that these students don’t want to leave.  It’s usually related to their social engagements.  Since those are also online right now, someone going into treatment will actually have more social interactions right now than staying at home and waiting to get back on campus with friends. 

Why else?

If we just look at the numbers, only 19% of those who needed treatment for SUD received it in 2017. That means that 80% of those in active addiction did not receive treatment. There have to be reasons we missed, big or small, but that does not mean that now is not a uniquely opportunistic time to head to treatment. 

It’s hard to push back on the idea of going to treatment now, when all the reasons listed above no longer apply.  If you or a loved one is on the fence, there truly is no better time than now to take the first step in a life of recovery.  You will feel much safer and more socially connected in a treatment setting. More importantly, you will feel more hopeful about the future and what we all need is more hope during these trying times. 

For questions or comments contact Joanna.