If you have decided that inpatient methadone care is the best option for your opioid addiction treatment, finding the best inpatient methadone treatment program is your next step. Inpatient treatment is often most beneficial for individuals who need additional supervision and a controlled environment in which to heal, but there are many ways to narrow down your search so you can find the best program for you.
Considering Your Needs
Because no one treatment type is beneficial to every individual patient according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, you must consider your particular needs in order to better refine your search for the best treatment program. You have already chosen to receive methadone treatment as well as inpatient care, but what other needs should you consider before looking for the right facility for you?
- Did you lose your previous job as the result of drug abuse? Do you require vocational counseling or help finding a new job?
- Will you require hospitalization or medical care of any kind during your recovery, either for reasons related or unrelated to your drug abuse?
- Are you fighting legal battles because of actions you took while under the influence of opioids? Do you require a lawyer or legal counseling?
- Are you living with another mental disorder or illness aside from your addiction, such as depression, generalized anxiety disorder, PTSD, panic disorder, etc.? Do you feel that your co-occurring disorder is related to your drug abuse in some way?
- Do you require a program where nurses and doctors speak a specific language? Do you wish to attend a program that uses spirituality in treating its patients?
If you require certain types of care based on an event that occurred during your abuse or a cultural, psychological, gender-, or disability-related need, it is important that the program you choose caters to all of those needs.
Sit down and make a list of all the needs you believe your treatment program should fulfill, even if they do not specifically relate to your addiction itself. After doing so, it will be much easier for you to find an inpatient methadone treatment program that is right for you.
Understanding Available Treatment Methods
Once you choose an addiction treatment center, you and your doctor will discuss the best program for your needs, which will contain your personalized treatment methods, your length of stay at the facility, and any other necessities you may have. However, it can also help to know the available treatment methods that inpatient methadone clinics often offer so you can ask about the ones you believe will be helpful to you when you contact a facility.
Some of the most common treatment methods used in inpatient methadone centers are:
- Methadone maintenance treatment: This medication allows patients to go through their daily lives without the intense cravings and withdrawal symptoms they would experience without opioids.
- Behavioral therapy: Most inpatient programs provide behavioral therapy, as it helps patients learn to cope with their addictions and change the way they feel about their drug abuse. Different types of behavioral therapies used in inpatient treatment include:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Contingency management
- Family therapy
- Couples therapy
- Group therapy
- 12-step facilitation therapy
- Community reinforcement approach
- Holistic therapies: Because many inpatient programs are more expensive than outpatient programs, holistic therapies are often part of the methods they offer. These treatments are meant to help the entire person recover from opioid addiction: mind, body, and soul. They can include:
- Yoga
- Meditation
- Acupuncture
- Art therapy
- Dance/exercise therapy
- Nature walks
- Others: Vocational counseling, legal help, anger management, and other types of specific treatments are sometimes offered by inpatient programs to help their patients with other issues that can be involved in the person’s drug abuse.
Depending on your needs, certain treatment types may seem more appealing to you. If talk therapy makes you uncomfortable, certain holistic methods may seem helpful, or if you have been dealing with anger issues for years, you may feel that it is important for the program you choose to include anger management. Consider what treatments may be a beneficial part of your inpatient methadone program, and look for a facility that provides them.
Making a Budget
Not all inpatient programs cost the same. Some facilities provide luxury accommodations and treatments to guests, and while they cost more, these programs can be extremely relaxing and helpful for certain patients. However, someone who does not have the money to spend on one of these programs would likely prefer to only pay for what they need. Therefore, making a budget and knowing what you are able to spend on addiction treatment is highly necessary to finding the right program. Some inpatient programs can be very expensive while others may provide free treatment to those who need it the most or allow patients to pay on a sliding scale, as stated by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Calling the Program
Many inpatient methadone treatment programs for opiate addiction can be found through Internet databases, like SAMHSA‘s treatment locator, or with the help of your personal physician, a healthcare professional at your local hospital or free clinic, or a volunteer at a community outreach program. Once you have found a program that you feel fits your needs, call and ask a series of questions in order to find out if it is the best program for you.
- What is your success rate?
- What treatment methods do you provide?
- What is the typical length of stay at your facility?
- What is the cost for treatment?
- Can you work with my insurance or is there a sliding-fee scale for certain patients?
Don’t forget to ask about any other needs you may have and if the program will be able to meet them. After you call, it is important to then tour the facility to know that you will be comfortable living there for the duration of your treatment.
Do You Want to Find the Best Inpatient Methadone Treatment Program for You?
Call 877-743-0081 (Who Answers?) to receive help finding the program and facility that will best fit your needs and start your recovery from opiate addiction today.