DELRAY BEACH, Fla. – Substance abuse and mental health disorders are closely linked which is why the key to success in overcoming issues such as depression and anxiety can hinge on keeping patients alcohol and drug-free.
It’s something Katie Jacobson struggled to achieve for years.
“I was in and out of rehab 20 times. It’s like you’re more of a number than an actual individual,” Jacobson said.
Dr. Alberto Augsten, a clinical pharmacist with Memorial Healthcare, said treating mental health and addiction is complicated because the two feed off of each other.
“So it just makes sense that somebody who is using, for example, cocaine, which gives you an extreme euphoric feeling, that when they crash they’re going to feel depressed and then start re-using cocaine,” Augsten said.
Drug and Alcohol Attorney Mark Astor said a major impediment to getting good care is cost, which can run several thousand dollars a month.
“We’re in the middle of an epidemic here and the big sort of 800 pound gorilla in the room is not everybody has access to treatment because if they don’t have insurance or the financial resources how do they get help for their loved one. They can get in line at a county facility but those places are tapped for resources,” he said.
When choosing a rehab, Astor said do your homework.
Check licenses and qualifications, look for programs that do not have a fixed length of stay, choose facilities that emphasize individual treatment with well-trained therapists, beware of unnecessary services and activities that have nothing directly to do with treating addiction.
“The other real big red flag is if they say ‘we’ll fly you here, we’ll pay for this, we’ll pay for that.’ That’s illegal. You can’t do that. You can’t give folks a financial incentive to come to your treatment center, “ Astor said.
Last year Jacobson found her way to a facility that gave her the help she needed to finally stay sober.
“I feel so much better. I may not be where I want to be but thank God I’m not where I was,” she said.
Although brief hospitalization can temporarily break the cycle of addiction, it takes long-term, ongoing therapy to resolve underlying psychological issues.