Should I Travel for Rehab?

If you’re fighting an addiction and looking to get treatment, there may not be local rehab centers available to you. It can be a beneficial option to travel for rehab if this is the case. However, if there is a good local drug rehab center that you can go to, that may be the best way to go. It’s important to understand the pros and cons of traveling for rehab and staying at a local rehab center before deciding which option will most benefit you. Many factors play a role in traveling for rehab versus staying at home and going to a local rehab center.

When looking for a local rehab facility, you need to find one that will have the best treatment for your individual needs. If you’re suffering from a substance use disorder and a co-occurring mental illness, you’ll want a center that offers a quality dual diagnosis program. If you’re trying to recover from an alcohol addiction, you’ll need to go to a rehab facility that has an alcohol detox program as well as aftercare options.

Another important part of choosing the perfect rehab center is making sure your desired center takes your insurance. Cost plays a large factor in choosing where you want to go for recovery. While your insurance may not cover the cost of a local drug rehab center, it may cover one that’s out of state. However, it may be worth it to spend good money on a rehab center that has all the treatment options you need.

You may have to look outside of local rehab centers to find the best course of treatment. This would mean having to travel elsewhere for rehab. This will require plenty of research and support from friends and family.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has published a resource guide to help you pick the best addiction treatment center for your needs. When choosing a center, ask yourself the following:

• Is the length of the program effective for success?
• Do treatment plans meet my specific needs?
• Are their programs designed with scientific evidence?

The biggest benefit of traveling for rehab is getting high-quality treatment somewhere else that isn’t available in your hometown. You have to go where you’ll get the best care, not necessarily to the closest treatment center. According to the NIDA, a treatment center “must address the individual’s drug abuse and any associated medical, psychological, social, vocational and legal problems. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to treatment.

Another benefit of deciding to travel for rehab is distancing yourself from any bad influences or triggers that might be at home. These can include friends and family who use drugs. It can also be locales and neighborhoods that remind you of using. When you’re far from these influences and triggers, the medical professionals at your treatment center can properly diagnose you. They can also help you determine if your addiction is the result of biology, genetics or your current living situation.

People who travel for rehab may also do it for privacy. If you decide to go to treatment, you may be embarrassed and worried about what your friends and coworkers think. You might be judged, looked at differently or be mocked. People with high-profile jobs and reputations to maintain may feel that they’ll have more privacy if they travel to a center away from everyone they know.

The number one benefit of traveling for rehab, at least according to medical professionals, is that it’ll be harder for you to leave treatment early if you’re in a rehab center that’s far from home. With that said, patients aren’t forced to stay in rehab. They can leave whenever they’d like. However, completing a rehab center program will give them the best chance for recovery and total sobriety.

A con of deciding to travel for rehab is that you may not be able to afford it. You might have found a wonderful treatment center that can give you everything you need. However, your insurance may not cover it.

You’ll also be far away from family and friends who could be supporting you at this time. Even though they can call you and write you letters, it isn’t the same as being able to see them in person. Having accessibility to your loved ones can give you comfort and security.

Setting up aftercare in a different city will also be difficult for rehab center staff. Once you return home, they won’t be able to provide the same resources for you there as they would if you were staying near the treatment center. Although groups like Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous are virtually everywhere in the country, certain recovery groups might not be available in your hometown.

If you seek treatment for your addiction, this will be covered under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). However, some companies and certain FMLA requirements may influence your final care plan, like having a longer outpatient stay after that. This may be difficult to honor when you’re traveling for rehab.

Another con of traveling for rehab is having a medical condition. If you are dealing with a severe disorder that makes it difficult for you to travel, you may not be approved by the treatment center you want.

If you go to a local rehab center, you’ll be saving time and money. Traveling involves airfare, gas, and maybe even a hotel stay, which may not be feasible for people on a budget. Private facilities, which will usually be out of states, will also be more expensive than a local treatment center.

You’ll also have more access to your family and friends if you go to a local drug rehab facility. Support systems are a large part of recovery, and having your loved ones nearby can greatly benefit your drug-free journey. They’ll also be able to visit, something that isn’t always possible if you travel for rehab.

It will also be easier for you to attend aftercare programs in your hometown. This is because your rehab representatives will know the area.

If you do attend a local drug rehab facility, you may also have the option of participating in an outpatient program and live at home. This will be much less expensive than registering for an inpatient program. You’ll also be able to spend more time with friends and family in an outpatient program.

As there are pros of staying at a local drug rehab center, there are also cons. If you live close to home, you may be tempted to leave the rehab facility to be in a familiar environment. This can be detrimental to your recovery. It can give you an easy out to leave and quit your program. As we mentioned earlier, patients are not required to stay in rehab. They can leave whenever they choose.

Since friends would be close by, they may be a distraction for you at a local drug rehab center. When you’re in treatment, you need to fully concentrate on your recovery. Although having a support system around is important, you also shouldn’t have any distractions that may detract from your treatment.

If you stay at home, you may be settling for a local rehab center that doesn’t give you the care that you need. In this case, a better center may be farther away. It would be worth it for you to travel there since it will improve your recovery. When it comes to your substance abuse treatment, you shouldn’t take any shortcuts.

Whether you’re deciding to travel from outside the Asheville, North Carolina, area or you’re a local, Crest View Recovery Center has quality, customizable treatment options that will be tailored to your specific situation. Give us a call today or contact us online to see what we can do for you.

If you live outside of North Carolina, think about whether traveling to us is the best option for you. Our representatives will discuss insurance options and ways for you to pay for your travel. Don’t rule out a treatment center just because it might be a little more expensive. Be sure that whichever option you choose, it’s the best one for you and not anyone else. The point of treatment is to get better, and we can help you do that at Crest View Recovery Center.