Sobriety Tips of Dr. Kevin McCauley

You want to be sober, or you want to help someone you care about be free of drugs. What will help you or your spouse, girlfriend, boyfriend, child, parent, co-worker be able to manage this difficult problem?

I heard Dr. Kevin McCauley speak in April this year, and I have been thinking about what he said ever since. Kevin is a medical doctor, and his speciality is addictionology, the study of addictions.

Dr. McCauley states that there are 10 factors that contribute to successful drug and alcohol treatment.

1. Four weeks of inpatient treatment, including detox and psychiatric evaluation
2. Immediate aftercare treatment
-- 12-Step meeting for the day of discharge
-- an appointment with an addictionologist or physician
-- a reserved spot in an outpatient program (that meets 3-5 hours per week).
3. One month living in a place with focused on sobriety (a sober living environment)
4. 90 12-Step Meetings in 90 days
5. Relapse Plan (what to do if there is a relapse)
6. Drug tests (UAs) every three days
7. Return to work quickly
8. Regular visits to their addictionologist
9. Medication (as needed, re-evaluating periodically with physician)
10. Fun! (Learning how to have normal fun again)

Client: Ok, this sounds like a lot of work, and it sounds expensive.

Max: Yes, yet it depends.

Client: Depends? Depends on what?

Max: It depends on what is important to you. Can you do what it takes for as long as it takes? Kicking addiction is a difficult process. It can take a lot more than a decision (alone) and willpower (white knuckling).

Client: So, what if I don’t use one or more of these?

Max: Well, the addiction doctor (Dr. McCauley’s site is http://www.addictiondoctor.com) says that it drops your chances for success with each one you don’t utilize.

Client: How much will all this cost?

Max: Dr. McCauley estimates that the UAs can cost around $4000 for one year (of course, after about 100+, a person can have a year of sobriety); Sober Living Environments can run the rate of a cheap apartment to a comprehensive facility; there are choices in treatment programs (and their cost) also.