Call Now For Immediate Help 
One of the hardest parts about addiction is learning that you have no control over your craving for drugs, alcohol or other substances of choice. Unless you seek help, it’s unlikely that you will be able to manage your illness and reclaim your sobriety. Fortunately, there are treatment centers in both Illinois and Missouri that can help you learn more about your illness and what you can do to get past your dependence on controlled substances.
Table of Contents
Understanding Your Treatment Options
Typically, your treatment plans will be referred to as inpatient or outpatient. In most cases, inpatient programs are designed for those who need help with severe withdrawal issues or who need to spend several days or weeks away from outside influences. These influences may include friends or family members who supply you with drugs, booze or other items. You may also seek inpatient treatment if you want to be close to physical and mental health professionals during the early days of withdrawal.
Outpatient programs are typically designed for people who need help maintaining their sobriety after leaving an inpatient facility. Whereas an inpatient program typically lasts for 30 to 60 days, outpatient recovery can last for the rest of your life. This is because you don’t truly overcome your addiction for good without the help of others. You’ll likely meet with other addicts at a local church, school or other informal setting several times a week to aid with your recovery.
Choosing the Right Drug Rehab
- Location: Depending on the individual’s needs, they might prefer a rehab center close to home for the comfort of familiar surroundings or one farther away to ensure a fresh start and distance from triggers.
- Types of Treatment: Rehab centers can offer inpatient, outpatient, detoxification services, or a combination. The choice largely depends on the severity of the addiction.
- Specialized Programs: Some centers offer specialized programs for veterans, LGBTQ+ individuals, or those with dual diagnoses (co-existing mental health disorders).
- Payment Options: Many facilities accept insurance, but it’s essential to verify beforehand. Some might offer sliding scale fees or payment plans.
What to Expect in Rehab
- Intake Evaluation: A thorough assessment helps the facility understand the individual’s addiction level and any co-existing mental health disorders.
- Detoxification: For those with severe physical dependencies, detox is the first step, often under medical supervision.
- Therapy and Counseling: A mix of individual, group, and sometimes family counseling helps address the root causes of addiction.
- Skill Building: Patients are equipped with skills to cope without drugs or alcohol, manage stress, and rebuild their lives.
- Aftercare: On completing the program, ongoing support, whether through therapy, support groups, or sober living homes, ensures long-term sobriety.
Potential Benefits of Staying Home for Treatment
Seeking out a local inpatient program may be ideal if you want to stay close to your support network of friends, family or colleagues. This may be a good idea if they don’t enable you or trigger emotions like stress or anxiety that cause you to turn to drugs or alcohol. It is worth noting that most treatment facilities don’t allow visitors to come and go freely during your stay nor do they allow you to use a cellphone.
Therefore, this benefit may be a muted one as you might not be able to have much contact with the outside world regardless of where you go. However, it may still be comforting to know that family is just a couple miles away, which may aid in your recovery. There is also a chance that your insurance company won’t pay for treatment provided in another state, which could limit your options.
Potential Drawbacks of Staying Home for Treatment
Perhaps the biggest drawback to staying home for treatment is that you may be tempted to exit a facility and go back home before the program is over. This may be especially true if you get homesick or otherwise haven’t come to grips with the fact that you need help overcoming your addiction. Unless you were ordered to rehab by a judge, there are few consequences of leaving early except for losing any money that you put down when you enrolled.
Another potential drawback is that friends, family or colleagues may attempt to contact you during your stay even if doing so is against an inpatient facility’s rules. As you may imagine, taking pills or other substances smuggled in by those close to you isn’t going to help you overcome your addiction.
Finally, it’s possible that the best program for you is actually located in another state. Of course, you won’t know that until you spend some time researching your options, but it’s worth noting that Missouri and Illinois have somewhat different cultural attitudes towards substance abuse and how to treat it. While you may be more comfortable at home, it’s almost always better to travel if that’s what it takes to get the treatment that you need.
Potential Benefits of Leaving Home for Treatment
Perhaps the most obvious benefit of traveling to another state is that you get to leave your current life back at home. This means that you get to put distance between yourself and your friends who still use drugs or your colleagues who still want you to come to the bar with them on Friday nights.
In its place, you can start to develop relationships with people who are also seeking to live a more sober lifestyle. The relationships that you develop while in rehab can help you when it’s time to go back home because you’ll have someone to call, text or email when you’re feeling vulnerable.
Illinois and Missouri both offer grants and other forms of financial assistance to those who are seeking to get sober. Therefore, it’s possible that you’ll be able to find the program that you need as well as get the financial assistance that you need by crossing state lines.
It’s worth noting that you may decide that you actually like it better away from home and decide to start a new life in the town or city where you first sought help. The inpatient program that you were affiliated with may be able to help you find a job, affordable housing or other resources that you’ll need to make it on your own.
Potential Drawbacks of Leaving Home for Treatment
If you have children, it may be difficult to leave them behind for any length of time. This may be especially true if you have to pay for childcare or if your child simply isn’t used to being without you for any length of time. Furthermore, it may also be inconvenient to leave your job for several weeks even if you’re unlikely to be fired upon your return.
It is worth noting that the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) does provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for scenarios such as going to rehab. You cannot be terminated for taking FMLA leave, and upon your return to work, you must be reinstated to your previous position or something similar to it.
Leaving home for treatment may also be difficult if your insurance provider doesn’t cover the cost of an inpatient program in another state. Finally, there is a good chance that your substance abuse issues are related to either diagnosed or undiagnosed mental health issues. Ultimately, leaving home may be an issue if you struggle to adapt to new environments because it causes you to lose a sense of control over your life.
Differences Between Illinois and Missouri to Consider
Illinois tends to be more of a liberal state while Missouri tends to be a more conservative state. This means that you will likely find different views on what it means to be addicted and the types of strategies used to overcome your addiction.
Liberals tend to believe that addiction is a medical issue that can be managed through treatments that are rigorously tested. Conservatives tend to believe that addiction is more of a personal shortcoming that can only be overcome by giving yourself to God or some other higher power.
Of course, these are broad generalizations that don’t necessarily apply to specific individuals or specific treatment programs. The truth is that while addiction is a disease, you do have to take responsibility for your actions if you hope to get and remain sober. However, if you identify as a liberal, you may find more success in Illinois while those who identify as conservative may find it easier to get help on their terms in Missouri.
If you are ready to get help for a drug or alcohol problem, the folks at Illinois Recovery Center are ready to help. We offer a variety of programs tailored to meet your needs and budget in an effort to ensure that you can start on the road to lasting sobriety.
Related Articles: