Be fair to yourself

If you are to enter recovery from a life of addiction, the importance of making the right choices cannot be overstated. The hardest decision of all is the very first one; the decision to seek help to conquer addiction and get your life back.

The second decision is to choose exactly what help you need.

Be realistic. If you are to beat your addiction, which most likely began years ago, you are going to have to put in a lot of work over a sustained period. There is no ‘quick fix’, no-one can do it for you, it’s something you must take responsibility for yourself – with the right support.

Please think very carefully about the consequences for yourself of choosing the wrong program – the further damage to your self-belief, the risks to your health and well-being if you remain in addiction, the social and financial costs to yourself and your loved ones.

Here are a few things you should consider when making a choice about where your recovery should begin.

Ask about the program duration

There are two very important factors that influence the chances of treatment being successful: the motivation of the client to overcome their addiction, and the duration of the program. The longer the program, the greater the likelihood of success.

Some programs run for as little as 15 days spread over a 3 week period. There are dangers with this approach.

Firstly, 15 days is a very short time period in which to uncover the root causes of a client’s addiction, and for the client to learn the new living skills to prevent relapse.

Secondly, when a program runs on weekdays only and clients go home at weekends, the temptation to return to using can be overwhelming. The client has hardly begun the process of overcoming addiction when they are placed back in the very environment in which their problems manifest themselves.

Ledgehill’s standard program is 45 days long, and runs for seven days per week. We also offer a 90-day program, and a 30-day condensed program. All clients are therefore fully immersed in the program for the whole duration of their treatment.

Consider the location

Many people, when faced with the propect of entering a rehab facility, understandably feel that they would prefer to be close to home. This can be a mistake, however. In order to break the habits of the past, it is much better to be in a completely neutral environment. Rehab facilities that are located in cities or subdivisions can be too close to sources of temptation for their clients.

Ledgehill is in a rural area, safe from the temptations of city life. At the same time, it is very accessible, being 2 hours by road from Halifax. Stanfield airport (Halifax) provides links to major Canadian and US cities and we provide free transfers from the airport.

What are the facilities and environment like?

Undergoing a rehabilitation program is an experience that makes big demands on the energy of every client. When you are fully engaged with our program, you will find times when it is fun, times when it is emotionally draining, happy times and sad times.
We believe that clients need the best possible environment to support their recovery. When choosing a rehab facility, ask whether it provides the following:

- Will you have your own room?
- Will you have to share a bathroom?
- What is the policy regarding nutrition and meals?
- What is the external environment like?

Ledgehill scores highly in all of these areas. All clients are provided with luxurious accommodation in their own room with an en-suite bathroom, and our centre is set in over 100 beautiful acres. We provide excellent, high-quality meals. Attention to detail is key; our rooms are sound-proofed so that peace and tranquility are built into the very fabric of Ledgehill.

Ask whether the programs tailored to the individual

A one-size-fits-all approach is not the right model for a program of treatment for addiction. We have heard of rehab centres that do little more than offer group lectures delivered by PowerPoint displays.

We know every individual has different reasons for being an addict, and so we tailor our programs to the client. This means regular one-to-one counselling, and if necessary we offer programs outside the standard 30/45/90-day duration to suit the needs of each client.

Ask about the group size

Treating clients as individuals cannot happen in a centre that tries to treat large groups of client at any one time. This leads to an institutionalised feel and reduces treatment to a mere process, ignoring individual needs.

At Ledgehill we do not treat more than 9 clients at any one time, and usually clients are in a group of 4-7.

It is also very important to consider the clientele that a facility aims to treat. We believe that it is important that clients are at ease with other clients at Ledgehill, and our admissions process supports. The majority of our clients are drawn from families within the professional and business communities.

Check the arrangements for aftercare

When choosing a rehab facility, ask about the arrangements for aftercare. This is a vital component of a sustained recovery.

All of our clients leave with a clear plan for aftercare, including support in their local community and ongoing support from Ledgehill by telephone and scheduled email assignments.

Consider the cost of treatment

The cost of treatment is obviously a major concern for many clients. When comparing costs, please bear in mind the following:

- Are the treatment programs you are considering truly comparable? (Do they really offer the same thing?)
- What is included in the cost – do you need to pay extra for any of the treatments?
- How many days of treatment are you actually getting for your money?
- Treating addiction is a major financial consideration for most people. But what is the human and financial cost of remaining in addiction?
- As with anything, you get what you pay for.

We believe that our fees represent excellent value for money for the treatment that we provide. You might want to read about our all inclusive pricing policy when making your decision as to whether to join us.